Los Angeles Conservation Corps

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS - The Los Angeles Conservation Corps Conservation Programs consist of two components: Conservation Programs and Corpsmember Development. The Corps' Conservation Programs include the Young Adult Corps and Clean & Green. Young Adult Corps (serves young adults ages 18 to 26 at enrollment at sites in Northeast (NELA), South, and East Los Angeles; Compton; and, East and West San Fernando Valley: The Young Adult Corps provides paid on-the-job training, a high school diploma program, vocational education and case management/transition support services to approximately 400 Corpsmembers each year. Corpsmembers earn at least the City/County of Los Angeles' minimum wage while performing basic-through-advanced environmental and conservation-related work projects, such as habitat restoration, tree planting and urban forestry, park and trail construction, water-efficient landscaping, graffiti removal, recycling, community beautification and natural disaster preparation/response. Corpsmembers can also participate in highly specialized job training programs, including the Environmental Workforce and Job Training Program to become certified in hazardous waste removal or other vocational programs such as the YouthBuild Job Training Program to receive hands-on construction experience. Clean & Green (serving youth ages 14 to 17): Clean & Green is a short-term paid job training program that employs approximately 50 high school students and graduates (14 - 17 years old) each year to work on community beautification/quality of life projects. Corpsmembers learn responsibility by developing their work habits while earning a much-needed paycheck that contributes to their households. Corpsmember Development Programs: Corpsmember Development Programs consist of two components: Development/Transition and Education Programs. Development/Transition Programs - Case managers help corpsmembers address their personal, family and other issues that have previously hampered their success in school and work. These obstacles and barriers often include: homelessness or risk of becoming homeless; substance abuse; health needs (mental and physical); emotional support and development (grief counseling, anger management, conflict resolution and racial/gender/sexual orientation tolerance); family issues (unity, supervision, family conflict, and reunification) and transportation assistance and legal aid/counsel (child support, warrants, tickets, and probation or parole issues). Corp Navigators work with corpsmembers to develop roadmaps and plan out the practical steps they need to take to achieve their personal, educational and career goals. Additional services available to corpsmembers include individual and group counseling, life skills workshops, and other college/career services that will help them successfully exit the Corps into a job, post-secondary education or advanced training. Also, any corpsmember who exits the Young Adult Corps is tracked by a case manager for up to twelve months and is provided with the necessary follow-up services to ensure their success with full-time employment and, if applicable, their educational and/or vocational training endeavors. Education Programs: The Corps serves Corpsmembers and other youth ages 14 to 26 at enrollment through a charter school partnership with the Los Angeles Education Corps (LAEC). LAEC's education programs at two Los Angeles sites serve approximately 200 youth, some of whom are Corpsmembers, who have been expelled, dropped out or never even started high school. These youth are given a second chance to earn a state-accredited high school diploma. Academics are complemented by an environmental education curriculum, experiential learning activities, college preparatory services, career preparation and work readiness services and case management. Corps-administered college and vocational scholarship opportunities and transition support are also available through both in-house and outside opportunities.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM - The After School Program (serving elementary and middle school children) provides homework assistance, academic support and enrichment along with recreation activities to approximately 8,000 children at 22 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) campuses. Academic enrichment activities emphasize conservation, the environment, science, technology, engineering and math. Children also join in art, music and sports activities, serve as teacher aides and participate in on-campus service-learning projects to further connect their classrooms to their daily lives. The program provides working parents in low-income communities with safe and free supervision and care for their children during the hours after school when children this age may encounter unsafe, unsupervised activities that lead to poor school attendance, risky behaviors and low educational achievement.