Climate change is the greatest challenge of this generation. Wildsight launched the Youth Climate Corps (YCC) in the fall of 2020. The YCC empowers young people to inspire and implement solutions to the climate crisis through targeted employment, training, mentorship, community engagement, and personal leadership development.
Our inaugural YCC crew was based in the West Kootenay region surrounding Nelson. From mid-September to mid-January, 14 crew members ages 19 – 29 were engaged in a variety of projects related to both climate mitigation and adaptation including community wildfire risk reduction, local food security and sustainability, energy efficiency and sustainability, and youth leadership. Along the way, the crew gained both “hard” and “soft” skills beneficial for future careers that are both personally fulfilling, and help our society meet the climate change challenge.
Following the debut of this inaugural West Kootenay crew, we are now working toward enabling similar projects in other locations across the Columbia Basin.
Read all the latest Youth Climate Corps news here.
For more info, please contact Graeme Lee Rowlands (Program Coordinator) at graeme@wildsight.ca. You can also leave a voicemail for Graeme at 250.427.9325 extension 230.
Substantially funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement.
Additional funding provided by Arjay R. and Frances F. Miller Foundation, BC Parks, BC Wildfire Service, the City of Nelson, Johnsons Landing Community Association, the Kootenay Career Development Society, Loki Tree Service, Regional District of Central Kootenay, Slocan River Streamkeepers, Spiral Farm, Thimble Hill Nursery, and other project partners.
