MISSISSAUGA – Registration is now open for the Conservation Youth Corps, which allows high school students to earn up to 35 volunteer hours in one week this summer by participating in environmental stewardship activities.
“The program is a great way for students to engage in environmental activities while earning volunteer hours,” said Adam Wilford, Acting Senior Coordinator of Community Outreach at Credit Valley Conservatio (CVC).
The CYC summer program is open to high school students in the Credit River watershed, including the Erin, Orangeville and Caledon area. Space is limited so students are encouraged to sign up early.
Participants volunteer in groups of seven with CVC staff for one week of the summer.
The first volunteer day consists of an orientation session at Terra Cotta Conservation Area. Remaining days are spent completing restoration and ecological projects.
Each year, approximately 250 students work on a range of activities that benefit nature, while earning up to 35 of the 40 volunteer hours needed to graduate high school. Activities include tree planting, managing invasive species, aquatic and terrestrial monitoring, fish and wildlife habitat construction, community gardening, trail maintenance and more.
The CYC program started 12 years ago. Since 2007, nearly 2,700 students have joined the week-long summer program and contributed over 84,000 hours of service.
Through partnerships with landowners and supporters, these students planted more than 26,000 trees to help fight climate change.
They have also removed more than 12,000 individual invasive species, like garlic mustard, honeysuckle and buckthorn. All this work has taken place on more than 160 different properties.
Students have an opportunity to learn about the environment through meaningful experiences, explore different areas of the Credit River Watershed and meet new people.
The CYC summer program also looks impressive on a resume as well as on college and university applications.
All training and tools are provided. For more information and to register, visitcvc.ca/cyc or call CVC at 906-670-1615 or toll free at 1-800-668-5557. Applications will be accepted through CYC’s online process.
