Portland Youth Corps
Portland Youth Corps Summer Program
Inspiring young people to become conservation leaders
As Maine is ever more affected by climate change, Portland Parks Conservancy and the Portland Department of Parks, Recreation, and Facilities have been searching for new ways to engage young people in environmental stewardship.
Teens who join Portland Youth Corps learn about conservation careers, gain job experience, and develop a deeper appreciation for nature. (Photo: Raine Raynor, Portland Parks Conservancy)
The Portland Youth Corps program, founded in 2021, will give young Portland teens an outdoor experience that promotes personal growth, confidence, and leadership.
Our long-term goal is to raise the next generation of conservation professionals and citizens who care about the environment.
In the short term, we want to provide education, income, and job experience to economically-disadvantaged young people and immigrants who are new to Maine and finding their way in their new home.
Environmental education for teens
Environmental education programming for young teens is particularly needed: there is a recognized gap between environmental programming at the elementary school level and internship opportunities in high school and college.
Portland Youth Corps provides young teens the chance to explore conservation work and engage with the outdoors. (Photo: Raine Raynor, Portland Parks Conservancy)
Environmental education doesn’t have to take place in the wilderness — it can also connect urban students to nearby nature and demonstrate the importance of caring for their neighborhood green spaces. Studies show that environmental education increases civic engagement and positive behaviors among teens.
Although careers in conservation are increasing in the U.S., the field has identified a “green ceiling” — noting the lack of racial diversity in the profession, with no people of color in national leadership positions.
Portland Parks Conservancy, Portland Parks, Recreation, and Facilities, and our partners at Maine Audubon are are working with schools, refugee assistance organizations, and public housing to identify and recruit potential Portland Youth Corps crew members who may not consider environmental professions open to them. This includes low income, BIPOC, and New Mainers.
If we can engage Portland’s students during their teen years, we may be able to help guide them to careers they had not previously considered available.
Portland Youth Corps – what do they do?
Through the Portland Youth Corps program, crews of young teens receive education and mentoring from Portland Parks and Recreation and Maine Audubon staff. Projects take place across the City on public properties including parks, trails, playgrounds, and forests.
Portland Youth Corps members spend four weeks working firsthand in Portland’s parks and trails. (Photo: Shawn Patrick Ouelette, Portland Press Herald)
Work may include:
Trail maintenance
Bridge and boardwalk construction
Invasive species control
Community garden support
Natural playground installation
Meeting organizations and businesses in the environmental field
And more!
Crew members work in teams of 12 under the supervision of Environmental Stewards from the Maine Conservation Corps for 4-week sessions and receive a stipend at the successful completion of the program. The stipend is provided to encourage participation among populations where young teenagers are expected to contribute to family income. The stipend will be especially meaningful to 14- to 16-year-olds who need to earn money but are restricted in their work options.
“[Portland Youth Corps] resparked my love for nature and being peaceful in nature. I feel like I lost it for a while. ”
The program is supported this year by these generous donors:
Onion Foundation Maine Trails Coalition’s Love Maine Trails Month award
News Center Maine JRA Fund, Maine Community Foundation
and many generous individuals The Margaret Burnham Charitable Trust
You can help support this important program by making a donation here.
You can learn more about the Portland Youth Corps program and receive application information here.
If you are an organization who would like to get involved with Portland Youth Corps, contact us.
To celebrate a successful program, members of the inaugural Portland Youth Corps crew spent their last day exploring Wolfe’s Neck State Park. Crew members expressed gratitude for the program’s many opportunities for learning, personal growth, and career exploration. (Photo: Michael Vincent, Portland Youth Corps)
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