CALCC was formed in 1993 to enable California’s Local Conservation Corps to collaborate and to provide a forum to advance the conservation corps movement in California and nationally. The 13 certified Local Conservation Corps that are members of CALCC are individual, local organizations. The mission of each Local Conservation Corps is to develop young women and men, primarily ages 18-25, through a program of conservation work, education and community service. Each member corps is governed by a local board of community leaders. Since the first California local corps was formed more than 25 years ago, over 40,000 young adults have joined the movement.
Effectiveness, Collaboration & Certification
Local Conservation Corps provide an alternative to youth unemployment, incarceration, substance abuse and aimlessness. The unemployment rate of participants after leaving the corps is lower than those not participating in a corps.
The corps experience leads to successful postprogram employment. Plus, the study found that participation in Conservation Corps programs reduced arrest rates by nearly one third.
Local Conservation Corps provide a model that works. Since its inception, CALCC has been the catalyst for securing funds for Local Conservation Corps. These include state park/water bond funding for local environmental and conservation projects and “bottle bill” funding for recycling services. CALCC members leverage these funds with local grants, fee-for-service contracts and other public-private partnerships to build and manage one of the strongest conservation corps movements in the nation. To become certified, a Local Conservation Corps must meet certain statutory criteria (PRC 14507.5), including being in operation for at least two years, conducting an educational component and having at least 50 corpsmembers enrolled.
The certification process is conducted annually by the California Conservation Corps.
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