CYC SUMMER PROGRAM details
Program Eligibility:
In order to be eligible to participate applicants must be at least 14 years of age, have completed grade 9 and planning to return to high school in the following September.
What to Expect:
First of all your week with the CYC program will be full of fun, learning and hard work! Volunteers will spend their week in a crew of seven plus one crew leader. On many days you will also be working with other crews making the CYC program a great way to meet people!
Your crew leader will pick you up each morning at a local high school**. Pick up time is usually 9am. Volunteers then drive together to their work site. Monday’s are orientation day at the Terra Cotta Conservation Area. Tuesday to Fridays are work days. We will change up the locations so volunteers usually have the opportunity to see many different areas of the watershed. Volunteers will be brought back to the same high school for drop off at 4pm.
All training and tools will be provided. All you need to bring is lunch, a refillable water bottle and a good attitude! Of course, you also must dress appropriately. <link ‘dress appropriately’ to ‘What to Bring’ below>
Volunteer Projects:
So what exactly is it a volunteer will be doing during their CYC week? Well, it changes all the time. Each week each crew will help out with different projects. Here are the more typical ones:
- Tree planting
- Trail maintenance
- Invasive species removal
- Stream restoration
- Electrofishing
- Bird house construction
- And lots more!
And it won’t be all work. There will be some time for fun and exploring too, maybe a soccer game at lunch, or a trip to the Cheltenham Badlands at the end of the day.
How to Apply?
You have a couple of options for registration. Regardless of whichever method you choose please remember the following: Make sure all your information (especially email) is given correctly and if written that it is written clearly. Also please be sure that your computer settings will accept return emails from us and not end up in your “junk mail” folder – this is important as it is how we will contact you about your placement status.
Option 1 – Preferred Option – go to “Apply Now” and COMPLETELY fill out the online form. If you’re not sure you can complete it all at once then download and read the PDF copy first, make sure you can answer all the questions then go back and complete the form. When the online form is completed click on SEND. Once this is done more pages will appear. You need to print these pages and have your parent or guardian CAREFULLY READ and send in them into us within one week. These completed pages can be sent by mail, fax, scanned and emailed or dropped off in person.
Option 2 – go to “Apply Now” and download the PDF and clearly fill out the form, have your parent or guardian CAREFULLY READ the information provided, sign and return to us as soon as possible by mail, fax, scanned and emailed or dropped off in person.
How Do We Choose Our Volunteers?
It’s actually a difficult process and we try our best to be fair. We typically receive more applications than we have spaces in the program. Because our watershed is so large and time is limited we have to try to limit too much unnecessary driving around picking up volunteers here, there and everywhere. So a simple first-come-first-served system doesn’t work on its own.
After a critical number of applications are received and kept in the order that we received them, we then begin to organize them by location (which is why we ask you what schools are nearest to where you live, not just which one you attend). Once a series of common locations around the watershed is established we’re able to see where we can most easily build full crews and where we have to work a little harder at it. In order to make this work you may be asked to change your choice of weeks or your pick up location (where needed and when possible).
Unfortunately we cannot fit everyone in, but you’ll be glad to know that we’ve increased the size of the program so more of you will get the chance to participate. If you or your friends already know when you wish to participate and can agree on the same weeks and pick up location, let us know as sometimes that can make a difference.
What to Bring?
- Solid close-toed shoes or boots
- Long Pants (Sorry, shorts are not allowed)
- T-shirt or long sleeve shirt (no tanktops)
- Rain Gear – if the weather man is calling for rain
- Hat and/or sunglasses
- Lunch
- Water in a refillable water bottle
- Community Service Hours reporting form from your school
**Pick Up & Drop Off Times & Locations:
Students’ pick up and drop off times may vary however a CYC volunteer can expect to met at approximately 9am each morning and dropped off at approximately 4pm each afternoon at a the designated spot. We will provide as much notice as possible of any changes in that schedule. Traditionally, local high schools are used as meeting spots. When filling out your application please indicate to us all high schools that are easily accessible to you. The more we know the more likely it is we can accommodate you.
