Volunteers in Service to the Environment
AmeriCorps Program
Service Year 2008
AmeriCorps Member Position Description: YES CREW
Currently Recruiting for March Start Date
The Application Due Date has been extended to Friday, April 4, 2008

Program Overview

The Volunteers in Service to the Environment (VSE) AmeriCorps Program of the Marin Conservation Corps (MCC) will address the intersection of three critically important needs in Marin County: 1) The stewardship of Marin’s natural lands, habitats and ecosystems; 2) The encouragement of environmental stewardship among youth; 3) The engagement of the larger Marin population in environmental service and volunteer activities on public lands. The program is designed to offer AmeriCorps members an introduction to field research, ecological monitoring, sustainability, recycling and waste reduction, environmental education, civic engagement, leadership skills, and public outreach.

During their service year, members of the VSE AmeriCorps Program will be partnered with a “mentor” from a local land management agency (REM Crew) or environmental non-profit organization and schools (YES Crew) to address critical needs and inspire community members to engage in environmental volunteerism. The program is designed to offer AmeriCorps members an introduction to field research, ecological monitoring, sustainability, recycling and waste reduction, environmental education, civic engagement, leadership skills, and public outreach.

Integral to the program is member development and training. AmeriCorps members gain hands-on professional experience at their placement sites, and participate in site-specific training conducted by agency staff. AmeriCorps members also participate in MCC trainings on a regular basis consisting of technical trainings, civic engagement lessons and projects, and corps to career training and counseling. Several times during the service year members will participate in National Community Service Days including Make A Difference Day, California Coastal Clean-up Day, America Recycles Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cesar E. Chavez Day, National Youth Service Day and National Volunteer Week, and Earth Day. Members will plan and lead service projects and also recruit community volunteers on these days.

The program is made up of 10 AmeriCorps members serving on Youth in Environmental Service (YES) Crew. All Members will have roles aimed at generating volunteers to participate in service programs at their placement sites. In the summer, 10 YES members will play a leadership role in Project ReGeneration, MCC’s summer environmental service-learning program. YES members will be paired with REM members to create a partnership between local schools and adjacent public lands to help meet our goals of bringing more youth out to serve the community on environmental service projects.

Youth in Environmental Service (YES) Crew

The 10 members on the YES Crew are charged with promoting environmental service-learning and educating youth about the environment using hands-on experiential learning techniques. The YES Crew provides a well-rounded service experience for members interested in exploring the environmental education field, by providing an opportunity to work in school-based education activities, as well as outdoor and environmental education and docent programs. Members are placed twice a week with a placement site that focuses on environmental projects with youth such as creek restoration and gardening. For the 2007-2008 school-year YES members will also serve in pairs in middle or high schools leading the following projects:

After-school Cesar Chavez Service-learning Club in a middle school, teaching about environmental and social justice issues, and leading youth in service projects such as school gardening, recycling, and habitat restoration.
Presenting lessons on environmental topics in classrooms
Leading youth in setting up recycling infrastructure on the school campus.

During the summer of 2008, YES members will lead teams of ten middle and/or high school youth in MCC’s Summer Youth Service and Environmental Education Program Project ReGeneration. Daily activities in this “junior-corps” program include field trips, environmental service projects, environmental education and recreation.

Minimum Qualifications (YES Crew):

U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident
Interest in career development, participation in job-training program and development of new skills
Willingness to work a flexible weekly schedule: either Tuesday through Saturday schedule (and sometimes on Sunday), or Monday through Friday (and sometimes on Saturday); over 40 hours per week is required periodically for special events, retreats, and trainings
Applicants are limited to two AmeriCorps service terms. Applications will only be accepted by members that have served or attempted one or less AmeriCorps service terms

Desired Qualifications (YES Crew):

Interest in serving the community and the environment, and recruiting others to do the same
Interest in conservation, natural resources and land management; recycling and waste reduction; education
Effective communication and public speaking skills and the ability to lead/work with diverse people of all ages
Interest in engaging community members in environmental restoration efforts
Experience, interest, or education in fields such as; energy conservation, native plants and community gardens, watershed restoration, environmental education
Experience working with at-risk youth
Desire to work with diverse populations

Additionally, YES Applicants should have:

Experience and/or desire to work with youth

Ability to effectively lead middle school and high school youth

Experience and/or desire to work with community gardens or energy education

Willingness to do restoration field work and work outside often

Position:

900 hour AmeriCorps Term of Service (2 positions)
Position Duration & Service Commitment: Starting March 10, 2008 and ending on August 29, 2008
Monthly Stipend of $1,200
Training & mentorship in the environmental field, natural resource management, community leadership, & more!
$2,362.00 AmeriCorps Educational Award upon successful completion of year-long community service program to be used to repay student loans or for future college schooling expenses
MCC Training Program consisting of technical trainings & field trips, corps to career counseling, and civic engagement lessons and projects
Health Insurance & Child Care

To Apply:

Currently Accepting Recruitment Packets for March/April Start
The Application Due Date has been extended to Friday, April 4, 2008

To apply for the VSE AmeriCorps Program submit a recruitment packet including cover letter, resume, 1 reference (letter or americorps reference form) and resume to

Mail:
Marin Conservation Corps
Attn: Human Resources/Recruiter
27 Larkspur Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
Fax: (415) 454-4595
Email: recruiter@marincc.org

For more information contact:

Teresa Bradley, YES Supervisor, (415) 454-4554, Ext. 284 or Cell phone (415) 720-0810, email tbradley@marincc.org
or
Sandy Miles, AmeriCorps Programs Coordinator
(415) 454-4554 ext. 271
smiles@marincc.org

Marin Conservation Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Corps Member Respond Crew
2008 Corps Respond Program

Currently Accepting Recruitment Packets
The Application Due Date has been extended to Friday, April 4, 2008

Position Type:	Full-time, temporary, lasting 11 months
Location:	Based out of San Rafael, CA; may be deployed short-term throughout the US
Pay:	$1,200.00 per month Living Allowance
Benefits:	$4725.00 AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of the program, health insurance, child care, uniform, training, worker’s compensation coverage, travel expenses during disaster deployment. 6 sick days, 7 floating vacation days.
Position Start Date:	January 7, 2008. End date is December 12, 2008. CRP members must commit to the entire 11 month term of service.
Residency:	U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or Permanent Resident Alien
Restrictions:	Applicants are limited to two AmeriCorps service terms. Applications will only be accepted by members that have served or attempted one or less AmeriCorps service terms

Program Overview:

Help save lives and protect communities by becoming a member of Marin Conservation Corps’ Corps Respond program. The San Francisco Bay Area is prone to natural disasters such as floods, fire and earthquakes. As a program member, you will be trained to safely respond to local and possibly national emergencies. You will also help Marin County agencies and organizations by preparing creeks to prevent flooding, building fire breaks to protect homes from wildland fires, and training community members in emergency preparedness. You will undertake all these projects while enhancing the environment and protecting communities. You will receive training in power tool use, project management, disaster operations, search and rescue, wildland fire response, flood response, public speaking, and more. We will also help you develop your career goals by providing you with opportunities to partner with agencies in the fields of emergency response and natural resources management. With Corps Respond, you will learn new skills, make new friends, and take pride in knowing that you saved lives.

The Marin Conservation Corps’ Respond Program Crew will help address community emergency preparedness, fire mitigation, and flood response. The members will participate in projects that will help reduce damage in the event of an emergency. The AmeriCorps members will be placed in a 10-person crew that will work full-time with MCC’s project partners five days a week on critical fire and flood mitigation projects, community education, disaster preparedness training, and emergency situations. The crew will operate out of MCC’s main facilities, report to their Supervisor each morning and travel to and from the local service sites each day.

Corpsmembers will receive power tool training to create fuel breaks in the wildland urban interface. These fuel breaks have been prescribed by fire departments and are used to give fire fighters a safe chance to save homes during a fire. Corpsmembers will be trained in flood response methods to reduce damage to property. They will be trained in levee patrol, sandbag wall construction, and obstructive debris removal. Community Emergency Response Trainings will address earthquake survival, fire prevention and suppression, search and rescue, disaster first aid, and emergency preparedness. In addition to their on-the-job training, Corps Respond AmeriCorps members will also participate in organized trainings at MCC and partner facilities throughout Marin.

Goal:

The goal of the CRP is to prepare young men and women for leadership positions in their communities, emergency response organizations, or within the natural resources field. Crew members will gain experience training community members and working with government and non-profit agencies. All members will gain experience leading conservation projects and will acquire the technical skills necessary to effectively respond to and assist in the recovery from disasters.

Qualifications:

Minimum:

Interest in serving the community and the environment
Flexibility: Members may be deployed to disaster sites around the US in times of need. These projects have a degree of uncertainty and will include variable living conditions and last minute changes. Members must be adaptive, patient and be able to maintain a positive perspective throughout.
In addition, crew members must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. and do strenuous work in all kinds of weather – heat, rain, wind, etc.

Desired:

Interest in conservation, natural resources and land management, education
Desire to work with diverse populations
Current drivers license with good driving record
Interest in and ability to train others in Disaster Preparedness and Response.

To Apply:

The Application Due Date has been extended to Friday, April 4, 2008

Submit AmeriCorps application through the AmeriCorps website or send cover letter, resume, letter of reference, and statement of purpose to Matthew Danielczyk, Crew Supervisor:

Mail:
Marin Conservation Corps
27 Larkspur St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
Attn: Matthew Danielczyk
Email: mdanielczyk@marincc.org
FAX: (415) 454-4595

Marin Conservation Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer