Mary Ellen’s Blog: Play, Learn, Serve and Work – What Corps Do Best


Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Miami’s Mayor Tomas Pedro Regalado with Greater Miami Service Corps. Miami is one of 50 cities where The Corps Network, YMCA, National League of Cities and the Department of the Interior are partnering to get more youth outdoors.

For over a hundred years, the YMCA has provided communities with the resources and facilities to help people of all ages lead healthier, more active lifestyles. Through classes, camps, organized sports and programs offering everything from youth counseling to healthy cooking tips, the Y helps individuals and families find fun ways to exercise their bodies, minds and spirits. The Y is more than a gym; it’s a community hub.

With such a strong history of engaging people in play and activity, it only makes sense that YMCA would be involved in promoting Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell’s initiative to bridge the divide between America’s youth and the great outdoors. Since last spring, the Y and the National League of Cities (NLC) have been working in partnership to advance the Secretary’s goal to get more youth playing in parks and participating in outdoor recreation, learning in nature’s classroom, volunteering on public lands, and working to preserve and restore our natural resources. American Express committed $5 million to this project just last week.  Now, with additional support from the Department of Interior, The Corps Network will join YMCA and NLC by integrating the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC) into their efforts. 

The Corps Network has been actively involved in the DOI’s youth initiative ever since Secretary Jewell announced it in the fall of 2013. Service and Conservation Corps are essential to meeting the initiative’s Service and Work goals to bring the 21CSC to scale and develop the next generation of conservation stewards and land managers by engaging 100,000 youth and veterans in projects that protect, restore and enhance America’s natural and cultural resources. Now, through this partnership with DOI, YMCA and NLC, The Corps Network will be more directly involved in meeting the youth initiative’s Play and Learn goals.

Over the next three years, member organizations of The Corps Network will place individual Corpsmembers at YMCA branches in 50 cities across the country. These Corpsmembers will assist the Y’s Community Coordinators, building off YMCA and NLC relationships with community organizations and local leadership to develop opportunities for people to get outdoors and participate in environmental service projects. The goal is for each Community Coordinator to engage 10,000 to 20,000 volunteers in each of the 50 selected cities. Some of these service projects will undoubtedly be with Corps.

I am excited about this new partnership and believe it will prove to be an effective way to introduce a new audience to Corps, outdoor recreation and the importance of conservation. It will allow Corps to shine for what they do best: engaging people in service that improves communities and the environment. This initiative will result in more youth playing in parks and learning about nature through outdoor exploration; more volunteers protecting and enhancing their local natural spaces; and more people engaging with their local Corps.

The Corps Network and its member Corps have been helping people develop strong, lasting connections to nature for many years. Now, with the creation of the Community Coordinator position and a role for Corpsmembers in assisting these Coordinators, Corps will be able to expand their important role in helping people play, learn, serve and work outdoors. 

The Corps Network Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital


 

The Corps Network’s 2nd Annual Great Outdoors Day of Service 

Thank you to everyone who participated in The Corps Network’s Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital! It was a huge success! 
 

Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital Facts

What: On Friday, June 19th, in recognition of Great Outdoors Month (June), The Corps Network hosted the 2nd annual Great Outdoors Day of Service in the Nation’s Capital. The event brought together Corps from across the country, as well as friends and supporters of The Corps Network, to participate in conservation and maintenance projects at several National Park Service sites throughout Washington, DC. The Day of Service was designed to raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation and the role service can play in protecting America’s natural spaces. We had fun conserving our parks while simultaneously demonstrating to decision-makers in Washington the value of Corps and volunteering to the environmental conservation movement. We hope you can join us next year!

– Download the fact sheet from the 2015 Day of Service

Confirmed Speakers at the 2015 Day of Service kick-off:

  • U.S. National Park Service Director John Jarvis
  • Bill Basl, Director of AmeriCorps
  • U.S. Forest Service National Recreation Director Joe Meade
  • Tina Terrell, Director of Job Corps for the U.S. Forest Service
  • Gracie Billingsley, 2015 Corpsmember of the Year 
  • Philan Tree, National Council of Young Leaders
  • Lajuan Tucker, City of Austin Park Ranger & Texas Conservation Corps alum 

Service Project locations – 2015:

  • National Mall – Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
  • Rock Creek Park
  • Daingerfield Island
  • Teddy Roosevelt Island

Thank You to the 2015 Great Outdoors Day of Service Sponsors & Partners


 

 

Established in 1917, Guest Services is a private, U.S.-based company originally founded to provide dining services to government agencies in Washington, D.C.

For nearly a century, we have systematically built an outstanding hospitality company based on a firm foundation of great people working with great clients to serve great customers. Learn more.

 

 

 

 

 

Though the company has grown, its mission to help visitors “See the Best First” has stayed the same. Along with a commitment to quality, Old Town Trolley combines history, fun facts, colorful anecdotes, and outstanding service to provide their guests with a memorable vacation experience. Learn more.  

 
A global leader in hospitality management & food service management, Delaware North Companies presents top destinations to half a billion guests each year. With locations on four continents, serving half-a-billion guests a year, it’s not easy to come up with a simple phrase that captures all we do. Yes, we’re world leaders in culinary and hospitality. We’re specialists in serving up what fans crave, and at making travelers and visitors feel right at home. But here’s how we’d like you to really think of us. We’re a team 60,000 strong. Our role is to work behind the scenes to create world-class experiences. And our spirit, our passion, is to go beyond your expectations. Learn more.

 

 

 

CBRE is the global leader in real estate services and investment.

Every day, in markets around the globe, we apply our insight, experience and resources to help clients make informed real estate decisions. Every year, we complete thousands of successful assignments across a wide range of markets and real estate service lines. Learn more.

Located in a quiet park-like setting, Hyatt Fairfax at Fair Lakes features healthy options for our travelers including on-site jogging trails, indoor lap pool and Precor aerobic equipment in our fitness center. Within walking distance of premium shopping, eateries and salons, we also provide a complimentary three mile area shuttle.  As a hotel near Washington DC, we also offer a free shuttle to and from the Vienna Metro Station. Learn more.

 

 

 

 

 

Founders, Brian Stowers and Ben Kieffner, developed Flow397 in response to a shared conviction to develop a socially responsible “for-profit” business with philanthropic origins. So we pondered, “Why not develop a business that tries to be both the best in the world and the best for the world”? We are committed to donating $3.97 for each item sold to charities that support our National Parks. Our iconic heritage and landscape deserve sustained preservation and support. Learn more.

A truly American idea, the State and National Parks of this country represent our naturalheritage. North and south, east and west, they stretch from the edges of our maps to the hearts of our cities, covering nearly one-third of this nation. This June, celebrate the natural wonder and outdoor spirit of America by getting outside during Great Outdoors Month™. Once you come outside, you’ll never want to go back inside. June is a special time to celebrate America’s Great Outdoors.  What started as Great Outdoors Week under President Clinton in 1998 has grown significantly under both the Bush and Obama administrations into a month-long celebration of the outdoors and all the benefits it brings – including annual economic impact of $650 billion nationwide. Learn more.

The American Recreation Coalition (ARC) is a Washington-based nonprofit organization formed in 1979. Since its inception, ARC has sought to catalyze public/private partnerships to enhance and protect outdoor recreational opportunities and the resources upon which such experiences are based. ARC organizes and conducts national conferences and meetings and disseminates information regarding recreational needs and initiatives through a variety of means, including a monthly newsletter and its website www.funoutdoors.com. ARC also monitors legislative and regulatory proposals that influence recreation and works with government agencies and the U.S. Congress to study public-policy issues that will shape future recreational opportunities. Learn more.

 

Materials from The Corps Network’s 2014 Great Outdoors Day of Service

 

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Workshop Presentations from The Corps Network 2015 National Conference

Here are some of the PowerPoint presentations from Workshops at The Corps Network 2015 National Conference. If you’d like more information about a particular presentation, or if you don’t see the presentation you’re looking for, please contact Hannah Traverse. 

Click here for a description and full list of presenters for each Workshop. 

 

Workshop Group A – Monday 2/9

  • Walk the Talk: Providing Strengths Based and Holistic Support

Creating Access to Opportunities for Youth in Transition from Foster Care
American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF)

  • Workforce Development: Innovation, the Opportunity Act, & Employer Driven Job Training

WIOA Game Plan for Low-Income People
CLASP

Workshop Group B – Monday 2/9

  • Large Scale Project Coordination = Partners, Timing, Teamwork

Collaborative Conservation in the Colorado River Basin

Southwest Conservation Corps

Gulf Coast Restoration Initiative
The Corps Network – John Hosey

HOPE Crew
The Corps Network – Marie Walker

Sandy Recovery Large-Scale Conservation Initiative
SCA – The Student Conservation Association

  • Greening Infrastructure: Corps Developments and Partnerships

EPA’s Green Infrastructure Program
EPA – Environmental Protection Agency

OEC Youth Lead the Way: Green Infrastructure in Syracuse, NY
Onondaga Earth Corps

  • Creating a Culture of Inclusion for Corpsmembers with Disabilities 

AmeriCorps and Inclusion
CNCS – Corporation for National & Community Service

Disability Inclusion Training
JAN – Job Accommodation Network

Workshop Group C – Tuesday 2/10

City/County Agencies, Foundations and Corps: Strange Bedfellows

Partnerships
Youth Conservation Corps

  • STEM: Inside and Outside of the Classroom & How They Can Meet

STEM is Foundational
U.S. Department of Education

  • Ladders of Opportunity in Transportation: New Models for Projects and Training

Transportation Presentation by Susan Murphy, Executive Director of Community Training Works, Inc.
Community Training Works, Inc./Young American Conservation Corps

Workshop Group D – Tuesday 2/10

  • Energy Story – To Residential and Beyond

CCC Energy Corps
California Conservation Corps

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

U.S. Department of Energy

Prsentation by Lisbeth Sheperd, Executive Director of Green City Force
Green City Force

  • Accreditation 101

Accreditation 101
Allen Dietz – The Corps Network

  • When Disasters Strike, Corps Respond

Presentation by CNCS
Corporation for National & Community Service

Non-Mission Assignment Disaster Response Overview
Washington Conservation Corps

 

 

 

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2015 Corpsmember of the Year Harris Cox featured in San Francisco Chronicle article

Living in the Present Trumps Man’s Bad Past

San Francisco Chronicle – Chip Johnson
February 16, 2015
 

Determined to keep a promise to his dying grandmother, Harris Cox came to Oakland’s Civicorps program at age 21, in search of a high school diploma.

Since then, he’s accomplished that and much more.

This month, Cox, 24, was one of five people honored as a Corpsmember of the Year by the National Corps Network, an organization with programs like Civicorps in more than 100 U.S. cities and more than 25,000 participants. He accepted the award and spoke at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C.

The organization offers job training, education, guidance and fellowship to young people, ages 18 to 26, whose lives have been derailed by bad choices, a lack of options or sheer circumstance. And it’s clear from Cox’s life story that he never really had a chance until he joined the organization.

When he was 6, an older brother who suffered from mental problems doused the boy’s shirt with rubbing alcohol and set him on fire. Cox was badly burned and spent the next six years in and out of medically induced comas while receiving skin grafts from his neck to his legs.

He awoke angry, scarred and alone from what he described as an endless walk in search of his own body. The day after he awoke, his grandmother, his rock, slipped into a coma and died.

Growing up in Merced, Cox started dealing drugs and running the streets. He was angry at the world, ashamed of his scars and plagued by nightmares from the childhood assault. He pondered suicide on more than one occasion.

“I wanted to die so bad that I picked on anyone who I believed was willing to take my life,” Cox said in an interview.

By the time he was 16, Cox had been shot in the face and a violent assault had earned him a three-year stint in a juvenile detention facility. His behavior soon led authorities to move Cox to an adult prison, he said.

When he was released at age 18, he followed his high school sweetheart to Oakland, where he resumed life as a drug dealer and became a father.

He started at Civicorps the same way all members begin: hard work, non-negotiable work hours and mandatory classroom instruction.

Clearing encampment

Cox was initially suspicious and distrustful, but tasked with work duties and armed with resources and camaraderie, he began to respond.

He began to thrive in and out of the classroom. Alongside fellow corps members, Cox built firebreaks and rock dams, and cut down trees for $1,200 a month. Then one day he came face to face with his own past when his crew was called on to clear out a homeless encampment.

“I felt guilty ’cause I know what it’s like to sleep on a bus bench or in a shelter, not knowing where your next meal is coming from,” he said. “I felt like we should be helping them.”

So while his colleagues cleared the camp, Cox went to a nearby grocery store and bought sandwiches for everyone.

Through Civicorps, Cox also found a way to quell the demons that dredge up the long-ago assault, plaguing his sleep and leaving him drenched in sweat.

About a year ago, Cox was introduced to the practice of mindfulness, a mental exercise that teaches people to focus on the present.

“Mindfulness creates space between your emotions and what you do,” said Laurie Grossman, an instructor who mentors Cox. “It’s awareness of the present moment without judgment.”

He took mindfulness courses at Kaiser Permanente and interned with Grossman, who teaches at Inner Explorer, an Oakland program.

In May, Cox started teaching mindfulness to kids at Reach Academy, an Oakland public school. This week, he starts a new gig teaching mindfulness to middle-school children in San Lorenzo.

Hoping to become pilot

“These kids are going through some of the same things,” Cox said. “You have to learn to live day to day, regardless of the household or the mom and dad you have to weather.”

When he’s not teaching or working, Cox is studying at Merritt College and hopes to learn to pilot an airplane.

It’s a fitting goal for a young man whose personal life has taken off.

Click here to visit original article.

An Interview with Ann Cochrane, a 2015 Corps Legacy Achievement Award Winner

An Interview with Ann Cochrane

This year, we at The Corps Network interviewed our two 2015 Corps Legacy Achievement Award winners to learn more about their experience and history in the Corps movement. 

Click here to read Ann’s bio.  

How did you become involved in the world of Service and Conservation Corps? 

I started my career working with incarcerated young adult women in a group home in Boston back in 1977 and have always worked within a social justice setting. When I moved to SF, I learned about a job at SFCC as Administrative Director. Because the SFCC served a similar population to the agency in Boston – one I love to be involved with, I applied for the job. Just like the Corpsmembers, the Corps helped me grow as a professional and a person.

 
Who are some of your heroes? What did they do to inspire you?

Harriet Tubman, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, my mother. Each of them was a tenacious agent for change at great cost to themselves. Their words and actions challenged the status quo in a direct, passionate and eloquent way which I try to emulate.
 

What are some of your most memorable experiences from working with Corps programs?

— Attending our largest high school graduation ceremony.

— Spending a day with a small group of Corpsmembers visiting legislators in the State Capitol to educate them about the Corps’ work and for the legislators to hear from the Corpsmembers directly how the Corps has impacted them and the community at large.

— Learning from and being supported by my colleagues.

— Bearing witness to the transformation of a Corpsmember and the moment when they recognize with pride what they have accomplished.

 
Which of your accomplishments as a leader in the Corps Movement are you most proud of?

— Keeping SFCC alive and kicking for 26 years

— Mentoring some amazing staff

— Helping to successfully advocate for the California Corps to retain our Bottle Bill funding

— Supporting, guiding and in some cases leading the Corps to remain dynamic, ever changing, and relevant to the needs of the young people we serve.

— Serving on the TCN Board off and on for 12 years and being a member Corps of TCN. It allowed me to help shape the movement while also being able to incorporate what I leanred from those experiences into SFCC.

 
Given your experience, what is the primary piece of wisdom you could provide to Corpsmembers?

— Figure out what your interests and goals are your life.

— Learn as many skills as you can to support those interests and goals.

— Surround yourself with people that will support your efforts to achieve those life goals and who will celebrate your success.

 

What is the primary piece of wisdom you could provide to staff members at Corps?

— Be a good listener and observer in every aspect of your job.

— Treat Corpsmembers as adults and with respect – it will help them grow and will garner respect in return.

— Don’t try to “save” anybody. The Corps provides the vehicle for Corpsmembers to grow but they do the heavy lifting.

— Learn from your mistakes!

 
 
Ten or twenty years from now, what developments would you like to have taken place in the Corps Movement?

— 10 years from now, I would like to see multiple Corps in every State.

— The Corps will be a nationally recognized as an essential social policy model that addresses multiple important social needs and is worthy of public and private investment on a grand scale.

 
When not working, how do you like to relax and enjoy yourself?

— Reading a good book

— Going for a hike with a friend or my dog

— Sharing a REALLY good meal with friends and family

— Taking a run

— Going for a sail

— Attending a cultural event

 

2015 National Conference Plenary Speakers

Confirmed Speakers for The Corps Network’s 2015 National Conference

Julie Chavez Rodriguez – Deputy Director of Public Engagement, The White House 
Julie Chavez Rodriguez serves as Deputy Director of Public Engagement. Over the past two years, Julie has served as the White House’s primary liaison to the Latino community and on immigration related issues. In this role, she has coordinated the White House’s efforts surrounding commonsense immigration reform and outreach to the Latino community on the Affordable Care Act, jobs and the economy, and education reform, among other Presidential priorities. Prior to joining the White House, Julie served as the Director of Youth Employment at the Department of the Interior and the Deputy Press Secretary to former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. Before joining the Administration, Julie served as the Director of Programs at the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation.

  • Plenary: Closing the Opportunity Gap
    – Monday, Feb. 9, 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

 

Jonathan Jarvis – Director, National Park Service 
Jonathan (Jon) B. Jarvis officially became the 18th Director of the National Park Service on October 2, 2009. He began his career with the National Park Service in 1976 as a seasonal interpreter in Washington, D.C. Jon Jarvis moved up through the National Park Service as a protection ranger, a resource management specialist, park biologist, and Chief of Natural and Cultural Resources at parks such as Prince William Forest Park in Virginia, Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas, Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and North Cascades National Park in Washington. His first superintendency was at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho and he later served as the Superintendent of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska from 1994 until 1999. He became the Superintendent of Mount Rainier National Park in August of 1999. In 2001 he completed training in the Senior Executive Service Candidate Program of the Department of Interior and in September of 2002, became the Regional Director of the Pacific West Region.

  • Plenary: The National Park Service Centennial – Looking back, assessing the present, and planning for the future
    – Tuesday, Feb. 10, 8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

 

Karol Mason – Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice 
Karol Mason was nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs by President Barack Obama on February 13, 2013. Her appointment was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 25, 2013. As head of the Office of Justice Programs, she oversees an annual budget of more than $2 billion dedicated to supporting state, local, and tribal criminal justice agencies; an array of juvenile justice programs; a wide range of research, evaluation, and statistical efforts; and comprehensive services for crime victims. Ms. Mason previously served the Department of Justice as Deputy Associate Attorney General. At DOJ her primary responsibilities were to oversee the grant making components: the Office of Justice Programs, the Office on Violence Against Women, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. In a cross-department initiative to address criminal justice issues in New Orleans, she led a team of representatives from each of the Department’s grant components, as well as the Civil Rights Division, the Office of U.S. Attorneys, the FBI, the DEA and the Community Relations Service. She led Attorney General Holder’s Defending Childhood Initiative, and helped create its Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence, bringing in the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services as partners. Ms. Mason was responsible for the implementation of the Combined Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), which consolidates all of the Justice Department’s tribal grants under a single solicitation.

  • Plenary: Tackling America’s Greatest Challenges through National Service
    – Monday, Feb 9, 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

 

Clint Smith – Teacher, Poet (Keynote Speaker) 
Clint Smith is a teacher, poet, and doctoral candidate in Education at Harvard University with a concentration in Culture, Institutions, and Society (CIS). He serves as a resident teaching artist in Boston Public Schools and a creative writing instructor at Bay State Correctional Center in Norfolk, MA. Previously, he taught high school English in Prince George’s County, Maryland and served as a public health worker in Soweto, South Africa. His research interests includecritical pedagogy, mass incarceration, the intersection of art and activism, how literacy shapes the formation of adolescent identity, and youth civic education.In 2013, Mr. Smith was named the Christine D. Sarbanes Teacher of the Year by the Maryland Humanities Council. He has been featured in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, The Root, NBC News and is profiled in the book,“American Teacher: Heroes in the Classroom” (Welcome Books, 2013). As a poet, he is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion, an Individual World Poetry Finalist, and has served as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. Department of State conducting international workshops on cross-cultural understanding and youth empowerment. His poetry has been featured on TED.com, Upworthy, TVOne’s Verses & Flow and at the IB Conference of the Americas, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

  • Plenary: Opening Plenary – Tackling America’s Greatest Challenges
    – Sunday, Feb. 8, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

 

Michael Smith – Special Assistant to President Obama and Senior Director of Cabinet Affairs for the MY Brother’s Keeper Inititiative, The White House 
Michael is Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Cabinet Affairs for My Brother’s Keeper at the White House. In this role he manages the president’s initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential. Prior to joining the White House team, Michael was an appointee in the Obama Administration, serving as director of the Social Innovation Fund (SIF), a key White House initiative and program of the Corporation for National and Community Service that combines federal and private investment to help scale and replicate evidence-based solutions to complex social challenges. Michael reinvigorated and expanded the initiative, managing its largest funding competition, introducing its first Pay for Success grant program, and overseeing a portfolio of more than $700 million in public-private investments, supporting more than 200 impactful nonprofits nationwide. Before joining the Obama Administration Michael served as Senior VP of Social Innovation at the Case Foundation, where he oversaw the Foundation’s giving and program strategy, and guided numerous sector-building initiatives and public-private partnerships, such as Startup America.

  • Plenary: Closing the Opportunity Gap
    – Monday, Feb. 9, 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
     

Invited Speakers

E. J. Dionne
Journalist, The Washington Post

Secretary Anthony Foxx
U.S. Department of Transportation

Secretary Sally Jewell
U.S. Department of the Interior

Julie McEvoy
Deputy Associate Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice

Wendy Spencer
CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

Blair Taylor
Chief Community Officer, Starbucks Corporation

Secretary Tom Vilsack
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Six Corps Receive Accreditation from The Corps Network

Six additional members of The Corps Network have met newly established accreditation standards. We congratulate them on this accomplishment, that indicates that each organization operates high-quality, high-performing Service and Conservation Corps programs. The six new organizations that are now accredited by The Corps Network’s Center of Excellence are 

The Corps Network’s Accreditation Process involves an in-depth review of general operations, financial management, risk management, governance standards, and Corps operations. The process culiminates in a site visit conducted by peer reviewers who have the chance to observe and share innovative ideas, lessons learned, and best practices. By completing the accreditation process, Corps demonstrate their accountability to both Corpsmembers and their communities. Preparing for the accreditation process also affords Corps the opportunity to review and implement policies that will help streamline their operations and lead to more effective programs.  

The Corps Center of Excellence is administered by an Advisory Committee made up of retired and former Conservation Corps leaders, retired and former federal land management agency staff, and other experts. Their expertise and the newly developed accreditation standards provide the assurance of quality that partners look for, particularily among publically-funded government agencies. They also indicate a Corps’ ability to provide safe, appropriate, meaningful experiences for young people who complete service projects that meet community and conservation needs.

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2014 National Conference Photos

 

Post by The Corps Network.