One big idea to attract youth is the Civilian Climate Corps , which is modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps established by President Franklin D . Roosevelt in 1933 to give young men jobs working on roads and bridges and in public lands , forests and parks . The program ended with World War II . Funding for the Civilian Climate Corps has been stymied as the Build Back Better Act continues to stall in Congress , but California has had its own Roosevelt-inspired program , the California Conservation Corps , since Gov . Jerry Brown launched it in 1976 . This CCC gives young adults job training for the benefit of the environment .
The CCC has 24 centers throughout California — including five Capital Region locations in Greenwood ( El Dorado County ), Sacramento , Stockton , Auburn and Fairfield — and about 3,000 members enroll annually . They are paid to build trails , develop parks , do stormwater work , unclog streams to enhance salmon runs , plant trees and provide emergency response to natural disasters . The CCC also trains and employs firefighters .
“ What better thing can be motivating for a young person than , say , plant trees or reduce greenhouse gas effects or develop parks or spend a summer building trails in Yosemite National Park ?” says Director Bruce Saito . “ That ’ s the appeal and that ’ s the message : Do something good for yourself , build skills and experiences , but at the same time , do it while you ’ re doing something good for the environment .”
Saito says his organization is always trying to get the word out and attract more members who can benefit from both job training and an exciting experience . “ I ’ ve said more than one time that the CCC , after 45 years , is still one of the state ’ s best kept secrets .”
Reporting for this article was made possible by an award from the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources .
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Sena Christian is an independent journalist and adjunct professor of journalism in Sacramento . More at www . senachristian . com or on Twitter @ SenaCChristian .
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