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Wendy Spencer Confirmed as CEO of Corporation for National and Community Service

Yesterday, wrapping up a round of nominations before the Easter recess, the Senate confirmed Wendy Spencer as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Originally nominated last fall, Spencer was confirmed along with several new members of the CNCS Board of Directors. The Corps Network and its 151 members are delighted with the confirmation of Ms. Spencer. Her extensive history and experience in the world of service are just what is needed at this time.



Ms. Spencer served on President George W. Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation and was appointed by three governors to lead Volunteer Florida, the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service since 2003. Volunteer Florida is the official statewide coordinating agency for volunteers and donations in times of disasters. During Florida’s record-breaking 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, Volunteer Florida coordinated more than 252,000 volunteers, as well as donated items totaling more than $85 million in value, which was the largest mobilization of volunteers in the history of U.S. natural disasters at that time. Ms. Spencer has worked across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to mobilize citizens to address problems facing their communities, and she is uniquely qualified to lead the Corporation for National and Community Service.



Many members of The Corps Network, as well as the organization itself, rely on programs administered by the Corporation, and Ms. Spencer’s proven leadership will help ensure that these programs continue to serve the thousands of people across the country for years to come. Additionally, in these trying economic times, it is important to have someone at the helm who can advocate passionately about the true importance of these programs, not only to the people who serve in them, but to those being served. With funding for the Corporation squarely on the table for cuts, and more and more Americans applying for Corporation programs to serve, having a CEO who can make the case for the importance of service is required, and Wendy Spencer is just that person.

Infographic and Data Visualization Fun with Mile High Youth Corps

Mile High Youth Corps recently launched an excellent monthly infographic series, titled “Mile High Youth Corps by the Numbers.” The infographics are designed by Kate Prestine, an Americorps VISTA working for Mile High Youth Corps. They’ve been posting the infographics to Pinterest but have also been providing some additional context for these data visualizations in blog posts. We will post links to the blog posts that exist so far below the graphics. Enjoy!

 


 

 

 


 

 

The Corps Network Joins the Outdoor Alliance for Kids

 


 

The Corps Network is pleased to announce that we have joined the Outdoors Alliance for Kids. Here’s some more information about OAK:

Mission
The Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) is a national strategic partnership of organizations from diverse sectors with the common interest in expanding the number and quality of opportunities for children, youth and families to connect with the outdoors.

Shared Values
The members of OAK are brought together by the belief that the well-being of current and future generations, the health of our planet and communities and the economy of the future depend on humans having a personal, direct and life-long relationship with nature and the outdoors. While childhood is the best time for instilling and fully benefiting from a connection to nature, in today’s world children are increasingly moving away from an understanding of the natural world. Although families have the leading role in connecting children with the outdoors, local, state and national decision-makers have a critical role to play to ensure that children, youth and families have the access, opportunities, skills and encouragement to connect with the great outdoors.

To reconnect with nature OAK believes that every child should have the opportunity and encouragement to play outside, touch soil, feel rain, watch leaves fall, sleep under the stars, count waves, eat food fresh from the garden, roll down a hill, catch a fish and enjoy the satisfaction of climbing to the top of a hill or a tree. Such simple acts create a pathway to longer hikes, an appreciation for wildlife, a desire to care for special places, healthier bodies, deeper family relationships and wiser people, which in turn OAK believes offers hope for a better world.

OAK’s Membership
View OAK’s Membership

** For more information, contact jackie.ostfeld [at] sierraclub.org; 202-548-6584 or visit our website: www.outdoorsallianceforkids.org

21st Century Conservation Service Corps Federal Advisory Committee Has 2nd Formal Meeting

Last week, members of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Federal Advisory Committee (FACA) met formally for the 2nd time in San Francisco. On the first day of the meeting, committee members visited the San Francisco Conservation Corps as well as several worksites sites of the California Conservation Corps and Conservation Corps North Bay.

FACA members had the opportunity to interact with Corpsmembers from each Corps (CCC, CCNB, and SFCC) as well as CiviCorps in Oakland and the Student Conservation Association. According to Mary Ellen Ardouny, Vice President of External Affairs for The Corps Network, “All of the FACA members agreed that hearing directly from the Corpsmembers about their life experiences and the opportunities that the Corps had provided them, was the most powerful part of the trip. It really drove home the need for a 21 CSC and focused us, with renewed enthusiasm and determination, on producing a quality report for the Secretary.” The FACA has been charged with providing the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior with a set of recommendations for establishing at 21st Century Conservation Service Corps by July 1, 2012 — a very quick turnaround considering that the Committee met for the first time in February.

With this pressing deadline in mind, the second and third days of the meeting were focused on establishing a framework for, and the parameters under which a 21st Century CSC would ideally be implemented. The next formal meeting of the FACA is scheduled for May in Denver, Colorado. Between formal meetings Committee members will make progress on their work via regular phone calls.

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USS Rafael Peralta Named for Former California Conservation Corpsmember

                

Sgt. Rafael Peralta in Marine uniform (left) — Rafael as a San Diego crew leader (right)

From the California Conservation Corps

The Secretary of the Navy has announced that one of its next five ships will be named in honor of Marine Staff Sgt. Rafael Peralta.  The ship will be a guided-missile destroyer.

Rafael was a former California Conservation Corps crewleader at the San Diego Center in 1998-99. He was 25 when he was killed in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004, while covering an exploding grenade with his body, thus saving the lives of several fellow Marines. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

Rafael’s supervisors while in the CCC in San Diego included Cynthia Aguayo, Brian Lussier and Jennifer Reed, all of whom were impressed by his dedication.   

 “He knew what he wanted and had a plan for his life,” Cynthia said.  “He was very enthusiastic about everything he did and a great motivator for P.T.”

Brian promoted him to crewleader and recognized his drive. “He tried really hard and always went above and beyond.” Brian still remembers a 10-day spike with Rafael and crew in the Anza-Borrego desert, where the crew hiked three miles to work each day and removed tamarisk plants.

Jennifer said “of anybody there in San Diego, he made the greatest impression of being a role model for other corpsmembers. He was an outstanding young man, a leader,” she said. “I recall him coming back to see us in his Marine uniform,” Jennifer said. “He was so proud and looked so sharp.”

Type of destroyer to be named after Rafael Peralta

Congressman Duncan Hunter has been a longtime advocate for Peralta’s recognition and is still urging the Navy to award him the Medal of Honor. Hunter added an amendment to the defense budget to name the next available Navy ship after him.  Hunter also pressed for naming a ship after San Diegan John Finn.

San Diego C II Philip Lembke recalls Peralta’s CCC days and was pleased to hear about the Navy honor.

“I’ve been following the Congressman’s fight for this, and I’m overjoyed … ‘Rafa’ was a determined, focused and committed young man, whose purpose was to achieve his goals, in order to make life better for him and his family.”

An editorial in the Union-Tribune of San Diego noted with pride that three of the five new ships will be named after San Diegans.  It concluded:

“It’s not yet known where the three ships will be based.  But if they ever find their way into San Diego Bay, go down and think about Peralta, Johnson and Finn.  What they did, they did for you.”

 

Conservation Corps Boost Youth Leadership, Community Service and Outdoor Involvement, Study Shows

 

Editor’s Note: this News Release was Originally Published by the Public Lands Service Coalition, of which The Corps Network is a member.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Destry Jarvis
Phone: 540.338.6970

WASHINGTON, D.C.–-Young people who participate in Conservation Corps exhibit improved leadership skills, community engagement and environmental stewardship according to a recent nationwide evaluation.

The study, conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University, assessed participants from 10 member Corps of the Public Lands Service Coalition against a random comparison group.

Using data collected during the 2011 program season, researchers found that after a season of service, Corps members displayed numerous developmental advantages. These include enhanced leadership and teamwork skills as well as a greater willingness to accept responsibility for personal actions.

Intensified engagement with the land was evinced by stronger interest in outdoor recreation. Ninety-five percent of Corps alumni indicate they plan to go backpacking within the next year, versus just 23% of the comparison group. Another 91% of Corps participants plan to purchase outdoor recreation gear within the next year, and to spend substantially more than their nonparticipant peers.

In addition, Corps participants’ interest in natural resource management careers increased during their service, while non-participants’ interest in such jobs actually declined during the same time period.

“This evaluation offers further proof that Conservation Corps provide important benefits to public lands and the public good, and we encourage our land management agencies to increase service opportunities for America’s Conservation Corps members,” said Mary Ellen Ardouny, Vice President of External Affairs for The Corps Network, formerly known as the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps.

The Public Lands Service Coalition represents 36 Conservation Corps whose 17,000 members complete crucial maintenance on America’s public/tribal lands and waters.

Coalition Members

American YouthWorks • Backcountry Horsemen of America • Calif. Assn of Local Conservation Corps • California Conservation Corps • Campfire USA • Canyon Country Youth Corps • Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia • Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy, Inc • Coconino Rural Environment Corps • Colorado Youth Corps Association • Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa • EarthCorps • Greater Miami Service Corps • Groundwork USA • Los Angeles Conservation Corps • Montana Conservation Corps • National Congress of American Indians • National Parks Conservation Association • National Wildlife Federation • Nevada Conservation Corps • Northwest Youth Corps • Operation Fresh Start • Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (CO) • Sequoia Community Corps • Sierra Club • Southeast Alaska Guidance Association • Southwest Conservation Corps •Student Conservation Association • The Corps Network • The Wellness Coalition • The Wilderness Society • The Y • Utah Conservation Corps • Vermont Youth Conservation Corps •Veterans Green Jobs • Washington Conservation Corps

21st Century Conservation Service Corps Federal Advisory Committee Meets for 1st Time

On February 9th and 10th, leaders from federal land management agencies, The Corps Network, and other organizations that serve youth met over 2 days for the first official meeting of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Federal Advisory Committee (FACA).

The FACA has been tasked with creating guidelines and recommendations for how to scale up and implement a nationally recognized Corps that shares the scope and ideals of the historic Civilian Conservation Corps. As federal funding shrinks across the board, ideas and methods for addressing this mission will need to incorporate bottom-up ideas, as well as a strong foundation of public-private partnerships.

Harry Bruell, CEO of Southwest Conservation Corps, has been designated as chair of the Committee. He is joined on the FACA by several other Corps Directors who are serving as both primary committee members, and as alternates. They include

• Laura Herrin, The Student Conservation Association

• David Muraki, California Conservation Corps

• Jennifer Freeman, Colorado Youth Corps Association

• Jeff Parker, Northwest Youth Corps

• Len Price, Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa

• Parc Smith, American YouthWorks

• Scott Weaver, The Student Conservation Association

Mary Ellen Ardouny, Vice President for External Affairs at The Corps Network, is also a primary member of the Committee. A full list of Committee members can be found here.

On the first day of the meeting, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar joined the newly formed Committee to express his support and a sense of urgency for the Committee to complete its report and recommendations by July (the urgency is real, as the FACA has been authorized for a total of 2 years). Salazar noted that creating opportunities for youth has been one of his biggest priorities as Secretary and as part of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative and its public hearing sessions. He also provided a juicy morsel of gossip by suggesting that the President might designate a new National Park Service site focused on the Civilian Conservation Corps in the upcoming year. He did not elaborate in an greater detail, however, about this exciting prospect. 

Secretary Salazar’s commitment was reinforced by two of Salazar’s closest peers, who also attended the first day of the meeting and spoke: Harris Sherman, Under Secretary of Natural Resources & the Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and William Shafroth, Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

The first day of the FACA meeting also included introductions of each Committee Member and an in-depth explanation of ethical considerations for FACA members to understand as they move forward in their work.

The 2nd day of the FACA meeting quickly got down to the business of allowing Committee members to more throughly discuss their perspectives about what a 21st Century Conservation Service Corps “would look like” and begin to agree to some basic parameters and assumptions under which the FACA would begin its deliberations (e.g. the age range of Corpsmembers, the locations of demonstration projects, how experiences would be tied to careers, and so forth). Next, a discussion about “subcommittees” took place. The subcommittees of the FACA will explore 4 key topics in depth over the coming months, and will then present their recommendations to the full committee. Committee members and alternates were able to choose which committees on which they would like to serve. The subcommittees will grapple with these key topics:

1. A general framework for the 21st CSC, including its scope, size, and programmatic elements.

2. Certification processes that Corps must undertake to be considered for participation in the 21st CSC.

3. Funding and partnerships that will be essential for helping the 21st CSC take root.

4. Ensuring and facilitating career pathways for Corpsmembers through the 21st CSC.

The FACA Committee members recognized that this was one of the biggest — if not the biggest — opportunity that Service and Conservation Corps have had to date to capture the public imagination, improve the lives of millions of young people, and promote environmental stewardship nationwide. As work gets underway, your help in promoting this effort and its value to Americans will be appreciated.

The next official FACA meeting will take place from March 27-29th in San Francisco, California. 

Secretary Salazar Proposes 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps

In a speech at this week’s DC youth conference Powershift ’09, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar drummed up considerable applause in a speech promising to transform the Department of the Interior from being seen as a sort of “Department of the West,” or “Department of Oil and Energy and Gas Production” — and ensuring its proper place as the Department of America. Salazar pumped the Powershift crowd into dizzying cheers when he said the Department of the Interior would reinstitute a national youth conservation Corps to “employ thousands and thousands of young people to come and resurrect the treasures of America.” He hopes to create “the best 21st century youth conservation Corps that the world has ever seen.”

 

The Corps Network and Planters Unveil New Park in New York City

NEW YORK – October 3, 2011 – Today, Mr. Peanut arrives in the Big Apple in his biodiesel Nutmobile to unveil a new urban park – a Planters Grove – on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Mr. Peanut is joined by local youth service corps members, residents of the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Lillian Wald Houses and Kraft employees for a day of community planting to add the finishing touches to the park. This is the third Planters Grove built in the U.S. this year as part of the Planters “Naturally Remarkable” program. Planters Groves were opened earlier this year in New Orleans and Washington, D.C.

Planters will be joined by U.S. Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez, New York City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, New York State Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh, New York State Senator Daniel Squadron, NYCHA Chairman John Rhea and NYCHA Commissioner Margarita López to officially open New York City’s Planters Grove.

Located at Avenue D between 4th and 5th Streets, the Planters Grove provides NYCHA residents and families with more than 8,000 square feet of usable green space – helping to expand access to parkland in a neighborhood cited by New Yorkers for Parks as lacking adequate open space. Additionally, this Planters Grove furthers New York City’s PlaNYC goal of creating more accessible open space citywide and ensuring every New Yorker lives within a 10-minute walk from a park.

“Planters Groves reflect the values rooted in Planters heritage – sustainability, healthy lifestyles and community,” said Scott Marcus, Senior Brand Manager, Planters. “By bringing a Planters Grove to NYCHA’s Lillian Wald Houses, residents and families will experience the many environmental, health and quality of life benefits that parks can provide communities.”

Planters Grove Design Highlights

Each Planters Grove was designed by Ken Smith, the New York City landscape architect acclaimed for the rooftop garden at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the City’s East River Waterfront Esplanade and 7 World Trade Center Plaza. The New York City Planters Grove includes:

  • A rainwater garden features a lumber boardwalk with an underground system that collects rain water to help irrigate the park’s vegetation and reduce stormwater overflow
  • A wood surround that defines the park’s peanut-shape and acts as a trellis structure for a variety of greenery
  • Native flowers and plants such as azaleas and a variety of ferns, which will attract several species of birds and butterflies year-round
  • Numerous benches dot the park to provide seating for seniors and families

The park was developed with the input of NYCHA residents. Over 80 cubic yards of concrete, brick and debris were removed to create a green, open space for the community to enjoy.

“At NYCHA, we believe in the transformative power of creating and caring for green spaces,” said NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea. “The New York City Planters Grove at Lillian Wald Houses is an example of how we can work together with our partners and the community to create greener NYCHA neighborhoods.”

“Green spaces not only beautify neighborhoods, but they purify the air creating a healthier environment for us all,” said NYCHA Commissioner and Environmental Coordinator Margarita López. “As part of its Green Agenda, NYCHA has been working with residents through its Gardening and Greening Program and Resident Green Committees to ensure a brighter greener tomorrow for our children.”

The New York City Planters Grove was created in partnership with The Corps Network – the national organization promoting and advocating for Service and Conservation Corps across the U.S. Members of Green City Force, a New York City-based corps program providing NYCHA youth with green-collar job training, led the construction efforts and will help care for the park with NYCHA residents.

About Planters: Planters, America’s leading snack nut brand, has a long history of pioneering industry firsts, including Dry Roasted Peanuts nearly fifty years ago. This inventiveness is delivered through a diverse portfolio of nutritious and delicious plant-based snacks such as peanuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios and other nuts. Planters NUT•rition offers a distinctive line of nut mixes that focus on specific nutritional needs.

About Kraft Foods: Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) is a global snacks powerhouse with an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. Proudly marketing delicious biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, grocery products and convenient meals in approximately 170 countries, Kraft Foods had 2010 revenue of $49.2 billion. Twelve of the company’s iconic brands – Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Tang and Trident – generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually. On Aug. 4, 2011, Kraft Foods announced plans to divide and create two independent public companies: a high-growth global snacks business with estimated revenue of $32 billion and a high-margin North American grocery business with estimated revenue of $16 billion, based on 2010 financial results, adjusted for divestitures. The transaction will take at least 12 months to complete, during which time plans regarding the structure, management, governance and other matters will be announced. A leader in innovation, marketing, health & wellness and sustainability, Kraft Foods is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor’s 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index. Visit kraftfoodscompany.com and facebook.com/kraftfoodscorporate.

About The Corps Network: Established in 1985, The Corps Network is the voice of the nation’s 158 Service and Conservation Corps. Currently operating in 46 states and the District of Columbia, Corps annually enroll more than 33,000 young men and women in service every year. Corps annually mobilize approximately 265,000 community volunteers who in conjunction with Corps members generate 15.3 million hours of service every year. Today’s Corps, inheritors of the legacy of FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps, enable Corps members to improve community and the environment through programs including Civic Justice Corps, Public Lands Corps, Clean Energy Service Corps, and Corps Respond. By serving their nation, Corps members gain abilities that last a lifetime, including work readiness, educational advancement, civic engagement, and the ability to make responsible choices.

About Green City Force: Green City Force engages NYCHA residents, aged 18-24, who hold a GED or high school diploma in intensive service, training and academics geared towards clean energy careers. Our Corps Members reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community environmental health through painting rooftops white and growing organic food, while gaining marketable skills and earning money for college. Our ambition is that national service directed at reducing green-house gas emissions and improving the environment becomes an avenue to prosperity for a generation of urban young adults in New York City.

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The Corps Network Releases New Publication on Green Jobs and Career Pathways for Low-Income Youth

 

With generous support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The Corps Network has released a new publication that illustrates how to prepare young people for jobs, postsecondary education, and careers in a growing green economy titled, A Green Career Pathways Framework: Postsecondary and Employment Success for Low-Income, Disconnected Youth.

Click Here to Download the Paper

The paper explores the extent to which this emerging green economy can offer a pathway out of poverty for low-income young people, many of whom have disengaged from school and are struggling to find a way into the economic mainstream. These disconnected youth — some six million strong — represent an untapped resource. Despite the fact that they have experienced difficulties in their personal lives or communities and may not have completed high school, many seek a second chance, returning to programs such as Service and Conservation Corps or other education and work initiatives in their local communities. 

Given the right supports, these young people can be valuable assets for new green industries seeking to grow a skilled workforce and to the communities in which they reside. Further, youth involved in Corps and other work and service oriented programs can learn and practice skills that give them a “leg up” in terms of entering green industries or providing environmental or conservation assistance to a range of local institutions. 

What these young people need to fulfill their promise and meet their life goals is an effective on-ramp to emerging green pathways. This paper offers guidance to youth programs, and those who work with and support those programs, about how to learn more about and access industry-driven green credentialing and career pathways development work within local communities or regions. It then discusses how, with this knowledge in hand, youth programs can work with employers and postsecondary partners to build on-ramps to postsecondary technical training programs and entry to green careers. The paper offers a multi-step Framework that outlines strategies for connecting to career pathway efforts and delineates a three-phase model design to inform the construction of on-ramp programming.

The Corps Network and several principal partners — Center on Wisconsin Strategy, Green For All, The Academy for Educational Development, Workforce Strategy Center and Living Cities — guided the development of the paper with additional support from numerous stakeholders.