Portland Community Crews

Improve Natural Areas and Parks in the Portland Community.

Portland Community crew members gain hands-on experience improving Portland’s natural spaces. By working on local projects, participants connect deeply with their community, develop skills, and take pride in creating lasting benefits for the environment and neighborhoods where they live.

This is a five-week day program format, working Monday-Friday with weekends off.

Our Youth Community Program integrates team-based work projects, education, and on-site vocational training into an experience that prioritizes personal growth, and the development of conservation work skills. Participants will develop technical skills working on a variety of conservation projects such as tree planting, fuels reduction, invasive plant removal, trail construction, and fencing, while developing the soft skills needed to be successful in any work setting.

A critical element of the program is the educational curriculum that accompanies the experience. The curriculum is based around preparing the next generation of stewardship leaders to work in the outdoor industry. Lessons range from group dynamics and environmental policy to stewardship and resource management. The education experience is seminar based and requires inquisitive group participation. As a part of the inclusive experience each member will be responsible for presenting lessons during the program.

Crew members can use this opportunity as a steppingstone towards starting a career in an outdoor field such as natural resource management, outdoor recreation, forestry, or working for other environmental nonprofits. Others, who may not be interested in working in the green jobs sector, can use this work experience as a chance to gain easily transferable job skills, travel to new places, meet new people, and spend weeks making a real difference in their community.

2025 Dates:

Session 1: Jun. 23rd-Jul. 25th

Session 2: Jul. 22nd-Aug. 22nd

Benefits:
The base stipend is $96.00 a day (up to a possible $480.00 weekly stipend)

  • Plus $20.00 weekly Dependability Bonus
  • Plus $20.00 weekly Safety Bonus

Participants leaving the program before graduation will receive a prorated portion of this stipend, calculated to the nearest full day of work, but will forfeit all bonuses.

Program Costs:
Youth Community programs have a tuition of $200. Tuition assistance is available to help cover most of these costs. Tuition Assistance is awarded based on need and we are determined to not make tuition a barrier for our programs, please contact us with any questions. (Based on 2024 rates, subject to change.)

Location:
Project take place in parks and natural areas in and around Portland, OR.

This is a day program. Local housing is not provided.

Join the youth community program

Northwest Youth Corps’ Youth Community crews inspire inner-city youth to explore local parks and nature through impactful community projects that enhance Portland’s natural areas.

job skills focus

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