Title: Youth Crew Leader  

Reports to: Youth Programs Coordinator 

Location: Durango, CO | Four Corners Office  

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Non-exempt   

Dates: March 27th** – August 11th, 2023, OR November 17th, 2023; start date flexible on case-by-case basis 

Leaders who stay on for the fall season will lead youth crews in the summer and young adult crews in the fall   
**Start date flexible on a case-by-case basis. Leaders must start by May 8th at the latest.  

Wages: $690-800/week DOE, DOQ 

Benefits: Health Benefit Eligible, PTO days built in to schedule, Sick time and Discretionary time, Food provided while in the field, uniforms, protective equipment, access to Mental Health Consultant and Employee Assistance Program. 

Training:  U.S. Forest Service recognized OHLEC Chainsaw training, Technical Trails Training, QPR Suicide Prevention Training, Mandatory Reporter Training, Trauma Informed Approach Training. Potential for Crosscut Training. 

Housing: SCC-Durango is piloting a Host-Housing program based on need and will be securing a camping location for leaders and CLDPs during the spring season. Options will be reviewed in the interview process. 

Multiple positions opened until filled. 

Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) is a program of the non-profit service organization, Conservation Legacy. SCC provides youth and young adults opportunities to complete conservation projects primarily on public lands. While serving with SCC, members receive training on job skills, conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork, and environmental stewardship. Programs are developed using a step ladder approach to provide a progression of skill development based on a member’s needs.  

Position Summary: This position is an opportunity to make a difference in young peoples’ lives. Leaders will be mentors, educators and facilitators for high school students, working to increase youth resiliency, build confidence and to be positive role models. SCC’s Youth Crew Leaders will spend 8 weeks in a crew leader training period, which will include a Leadership skills week, Chainsaw training, technical trails training, a youth crew leader training, and prep weeks in addition to project work. In June, crew leaders will mentor a CLDP and co-lead two 4-week sessions with high school students ages 14-18 or middle schoolers ages 11-13. Crews will complete a variety of local conservation projects. The typical schedule is either: Nine days on followed by five days off (During training season), or five days on followed by two days off (During Youth Crew Season).  Depending on proximity to the work site, crews either return to town each day, or camp at the project site (we refer to this as a “hitch”) for its duration 

Southwest Conservation Corps’ Crew Leaders perform many roles and are the key to our program’s success. The position is multi-faceted and demanding, but with opportunity for enormous rewards. Successful candidates will demonstrate resourcefulness, effective communication skills, excellent judgement and decision-making, maturity, initiative, professionalism, and the desire to devote themselves to youth, the environment and a crew experience. The Crew Leader position requires patience, mentorship, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of comfort in the outdoors. Leaders take a trauma informed approach to working with peers and youth in the outdoors. It also involves an administration role, where weekly paperwork is due in a timely manner to supervisors. Crew Leaders are ultimately responsible for successes and shortcomings of the crew, as well as safety and well-being.   

Crew leaders will be paired with another Crew Leader OR with an AmeriCorps Crew Leader in Development (CLDP). This will be determined based on experience and preference. They will be responsible for mentoring the CLDP through development plans and goal setting. The intention of this pairing is to give the CLDP the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to take on full Crew Leader responsibilities the following season.