For Immediate Release
Youth Workers Kick-off 10th Year of Summer Jobs and Ecology Program
Santa Rosa,CA | June 18, 2018
On Thursday, June 21, 2018 more than 40 Sonoma County youth and young adults will be engaged in activities ranging from invasive species removal to watershed education and riparian habitat exploration at Westside Water Education Center. The clean-up and educational activities are the kick-off event for the 2018 Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps (SCYEC) which is celebrating 10 years of community improvement projects providing paid work experience and educational opportunities for youth. The kick-off event is one of several opportunities for the media to interview and photograph program participants and providers (Details for all events, below).
The 16-to-24-year-olds employed through this summer’s program will be working for eight weeks on ecosystem restoration and conservation-related projects. The hourly wage ranges between $13 and $15 per hour depending on work and experience. An additional 16 young adults are also engaged in the SCYEC’s Career Pathway Program this summer, working on a senior field crew with the water agency, and engaged in internships with the water agency, county general services and regional parks.
Youth will be engaged in fire recovery and rehabilitation efforts, flood mitigation and stream restoration activities, creek clean up and invasive species removal, maintaining and building trails in local parks, cleaning up open spaces, supporting community gardening projects, and providing in-office assistance to local non-profit organizations across Sonoma County. Throughout the summer, crew members will receive job-readiness training and environmental education.
“The fact that this program is celebrating its 10thanniversary represents a great accomplishment for Sonoma County,” said James Gore, chairman of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “The SCYEC continues to provide one-of-a-kind work experience and job training to Sonoma County youth and contributes invaluable benefits to our parks and natural resources.”
“By engaging youth in paid job training and work experience, we are empowering them to develop a connection to their community and environment while simultaneously helping restore fire-damaged ecosystems and proactively managing our creeks, trails, and natural resources,” said Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins.
Training and orientation for the summer program will begin on Monday, June 18th. The kick-off on June 21st is a time for young people employed in the program to work together as crews and to hear from community leaders and government and nonprofit partners about the work they will be accomplishing throughout the county.
SCYEC Media Opportunities and Details
Kick-Off Work Day and Picnic
Thursday, June 21, 2018 Kick-Off Event Details
Location: Westside Water Education Center
Time:9:00 a.m. – Work Day Begins
11:45 a.m. – Lunch
12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. – Kick-Off Program
Directions:Take 101 to the River Road/Mark West Spring Road Exit and head west on River Road. Continue on River Road until you reach Wohler Road. Turn right onto Wohler Road and continue until you reach the Wohler Bridge. Cross the Wohler Bridge and Westside Water Education Center will be on the right.
RSVP: Please RSVP to Sophie Porcelli at Sophie.Porcelli@scwa.ca.gov or (707) 524-6430.
Visit a Crew Days
July 23rd – 26th, 10 am or Noon - Special Visit to the Sonoma Valley Crew – Wednesday, July 11th
Take advantage of the opportunity to observe a crew in the field and speak directly with crew members, SCYEC Partners and Youth Agency staff. Specific locations to be announced as crew assignments are solidified.
Wednesday July 11th, 11 am
Sonoma Valley: Social Advocates for Youth
Monday, July 23rd 10 am
North County: The Center for Social and Environmental Stewardship
Tuesday, July 24th 10 am and Noon
Petaluma: Petaluma Peoples Services Center
Petaluma Bounty
12 Noon (Includes lunch – RSVP required)
Wednesday, July 25th 10 am
West County: West County Community Services
Santa Rosa: Conservation Corps North Bay
RSVP to Steve Trippe, New Ways to Work, sgtrippe@newwaystowork.org, (707) 824-4000
Opportunity Fair: Showcasing Options for the Future
Monday, August 6th, 8:30 am to Noon
Sonoma County Job Link
2227 Capricorn Way #100, Santa Rosa
Note: Volunteers needed to conduct mock interviews!
RSVP to Michelle Revecho: Sonoma County Human Services Department; mrevecho@schsd.org, (707) 565-5557 www.youthecologycorps.org
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