About

Mission

Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) provides a challenging education and job-training experience that helps youth and young adults from diverse backgrounds develop the skills they need to lead full and productive lives.

Inclusion Statement

At Northwest Youth Corps, we believe diversity is an essential source of strength for our communities, and we strive to create a safe and empowering environment for all participants and staff from the widest range of backgrounds and abilities. While we are privileged to facilitate conservation service on our public lands, with humility, we also acknowledge that injustice and violence was at the heart of acquiring these lands. Therefore, we are deeply invested in addressing this traumatic legacy by supporting youth and young adults of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, religions, sexual orientations, economic status, and/or other socio-cultural identifiers to learn, grow, and experience success in our programs, and beyond.

Philosophy

NYC’s core purpose is to provide opportunities for youth and young adults to learn, grow, and experience success. Our programs focus on education, challenge, community, leadership and empowerment, giving youth critical life skills and confidence. Northwest Youth Corps programs emphasize  teamwork and inclusion while promoting a solid work ethic and individual achievement. Young people leave Northwest Youth Corps knowing that they can overcome obstacles, solve problems, make friends, and attain their objectives in life.

early development

In 1984, Northwest Youth Corps kicked off operations out of a defunct Eugene gas station. With youth unemployment at the time as high as 50%, NYC’s goal was (and remains) to educate and engage young people and teach them important life skills, while improving the natural environment.

Wrote Founder Art Pope on NYC’s first day of operation, “Today it happened! … Already…teenagers from across Western Oregon are starting to really get some work done. In a few more days we should really be able to show the world that, with the right people, people willing to really give it their best, this concept is no longer a dream. NYC is here and it is here to stay!” That first summer, 58 teens powered six crews on a budget just shy of $100,000.

Achieving Success

Northwest Youth Corps is now the largest and oldest youth conservation corps in the region, and a foundational, and award-winning member of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps movement.

Each year, almost one thousand youth and young adults develop solid work skills, and earn academic credit and professional job references through more than 300,000 hours of service across four states. These young people are our country’s future leaders and current conservation citizens, already making a difference.

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Contact

Phone: (541) 349-5055
Fax: (541) 349-5060
E-mail: info@nwyouthcorps.org 

 

Northwest Youth Corps
2621 Augusta Street
Eugene, OR 97403

Help equip the next generation for success

With your support we can better equip young people with the skills needed to live full and productive lives. 

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