Position: Wildsight Youth Climate Corps Climate Action Technician, Golden
Contract Dates: August 8th to November 17, 2023
Location: Golden, with possible, occasional travel to other communities near Golden or other YCC hub locations.
Hours: 35–40 hours per week, typically Monday–Friday (though there may be occasional requirements to work evenings or weekends)
Compensation: $20 per hour (with an additional 4% vacation pay) + certifications and training
Certifications provided:
- OFA Level 1
- S100 / 185 (basic fire suppression and entrapment avoidance)
- Food Safe
- Mental Health First-Aid
- Bear Awareness
Training provided:
- Introduction to fire ecology and fuel sampling methods
- Basic chainsaw operation and maintenance
- GIS mapping
- Introduction to food systems
- Gardening design basics
- Exposure to Indigenous perspectives on the land
- Leadership and communication skills
- Social media strategy
Knowledge of local ecosystems and how climate change is impacting this area both presently and in the future
Introduction to levels of government, community partners and methods for community organizing and engagement
Opportunity Description:
As climate change places increasing pressure on our global, regional and local ecosystems and communities, the need to respond with meaningful action could not be more pressing. Harnessing the energy and ambition of young adults, the Youth Climate Corps empowers you to inspire and implement solutions to the climate crisis through employment, training and leadership development.
This position will primarily include hands-on work and skill building. There will also be some remote online programming. The online components will include some training, plus regular communication and public outreach about your experiences throughout the program.
2023 Golden YCC Projects:
- Theory and Practice of Food Sustainability
- Local food recovery and sustainability initiatives that will deepen your understanding of local food systems, food waste and burgeoning solutions. We will be working with several local permaculture farms and other organizations doing hand-on work.
- Golden Wildfire Risk Reduction Project
- A wildfire risk reduction project developed to spread awareness and increase local wildfire resilience. Working with a local forestry company to remove loaded surface fuels and increase the canopy base height to reduce the continuity of fuel loads
- Community Engagement
The crew will work with different organizations to help educate and connect with the community on current and potential future projects
- Several other small projects including beaver site surveying to better understand previously occupied sites, community engagement to inform opportunities for a community composting system, environmental education facilitating and potentially more.
Your role:
We are seeking 4-6 passionate, motivated and empathetic individuals, driven to take meaningful climate action in your local community. Engaging with local professionals, Wildsight staff and deeply involved community members, you will gain the knowledge, skills and training necessary to advance climate-resilient communities.
With support and direction from the Golden YCC Crew Leader and other YCC team members, crew will:
- Participate enthusiastically and professionally in introductory and ongoing training and learning activities (both general and project specific)
- Work collaboratively with fellow crew members and external partners to complete YCC projects at a high standard of safety and quality. Project activities may include:
- Use of chainsaws and other hand tools to implement wildfire risk reduction prescriptions
- Receiving, sorting and distribution of recovered food items
- Processing and distributing harvested food from gardens
- Creation and maintenance of community garden areas
- Use of GPS and other applications to collect and record data
- Communicating with the general public
- Planting of native species
- Teaching environmental education curriculum
- Understanding composting systems
- Serve as an ambassador between YCC projects and community members
- Support the YCC team in producing and sharing communications content to tell the story of our work through multiple channels
Requirements:
- Motivation to be part of solutions to climate change
- Passion for community building
- Willingness to engage others in climate action
- Adaptable and adventurous attitude
- Experience working independently
- Capable of working remotely
- Love for the outdoors, with the ability to work in a variety of weather conditions and terrain
- Previous familiarity, education or experience with climate action or in climate-related fields is an asset but not a requirement
Applicant Eligibility:
Applicants must:
- Be between 17–30 years of age at the start of the contract
- Be legally entitled to work in Canada
How to Apply:
Wildsight is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in our hiring processes and work environment and actively recruits for diversity within our crews. We encourage women, people of colour, people of Indigenous ancestry and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals to apply for this position. Wildsight recognizes climate justice as essential for climate action and we actively recruit for diversity.
Please fill out our application form. Email any questions to goldenycc@wildsight.ca. While resumes, cover letters or other materials (such as art, videos, or information on events/initiatives that you have been involved in) are in no way mandatory, you can email these optional items to goldenycc@wildsight.ca.
Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled; Don’t wait to apply!
If you are interested in becoming this season’s Crew Leader, view the job posting.
For more information on Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps, please visit wildsight.ca/programs/youthclimatecorps
