Service, Skills & Internships

Join LCNN Partners for hands-on community service projects to make nature connections in our community, available for all abilities

• Clark County Public Works volunteer program: Engages the community in meaningful volunteer experiences that enhance community assets like parks and roadways. These activities also support the mission of Public Works "to enhance Clark County's quality of life by providing transportation, environmental, and parks facilities and services." Volunteers are essential to enhancing the beauty, safety, accessibility and quality of our parks, public lands, transportation corridors and trails

• City of Vancouver volunteer program: Volunteers are vital to the success of our community. Opportunities with the City of Vancouver can accommodate individuals, families, groups, businesses, and people of all ages and abilities. Activities include Naturespaces, Urban Forestry, Trails, Adopt-a-park, & Water Resources Education Center

• Washington Trails Association Day work parties: (10+ yo) Washington Trails Association's Youth Programs are opportunities for youth ages 10-18 to spend time outdoors building and maintaining hiking trails in a safe, teamwork-oriented environment. Also, you can help WTA stay up to date by filling in TRIP REPORTS after you hike our local and regional trails. Practice writing skills and promotion!

• NW Youth Corps - Youth Program: (15-18 year old) With experienced field staff guiding you, Youth Community participants complete service projects in their community with local park agencies and non-profit partners. Crews meet at a designated drop-off/pick-up site, Monday through Friday. Members spend an average of 6.5 hours per day on service-projects along with one hour per day participating in education lessons.

• Friends of Trees (Ages 6+) - Love trees? This is your volunteer spot! FoT planting events are great for families, youth groups, and individuals. Most planting events last 3-4 hours, including training and snacks. Besides planters, FoT offers crew leader trainings, truck drivers and event support options. Bike planter teams also welcome! Planting events from October - April.

• Watershed Alliance of SW WA - Our focus is to engage, educate, and inspire the community and our youth to be more aware of the impacts each of us have on our local environment and water resources. Native tree plantings, invasive plant removal in public green spaces, river litter clean-ups, and leak check events! Open to families, groups and individuals.
  Nuestro proyecto pretende involucrar, educar e inspirar a la comunidad y a nuestra juventud para que sean más conscientes de los impactos que cada uno de nosotros tenemos en nuestro entorno y en los recursos hídricos y.

• Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge & Gorge Refuge Stewards- Several opportunities, including Refuge Ambassadors, Office Support, Habitat Enhancers (plant, invasives removal, etc.), Refuge Communicators (take photos, share stories, etc.) and event support.

• Mt. St. Helen’s Institute (10+ with adult) - Conservation Corps events to help maintain trails and features on sites.

• Camp Hope - Located on the beautiful shores of the Lewis River, Camp Hope needs adult volunteers for camp counselors, cooks, archery instructors, arts & crafts, lifeguards, science teachers, and mentors

Many of the LCNN Partners have opportunities to learn career skills that can be great experiences to learn trades and talk with professionals about their work. Learn new skills, learn about environmental career fields and meet with a diverse group of professionals

• ELSO - Summer Wayfinder’s Team Jr. Camp Guide: (12-14 years old) - Work with K-6 kids summer 2024, learn about green-sector careers, develop interpersonal skills, and support young campers! ELSO seeks to reduce the achievement gap in STEAMED education and professions while creating a sense of belonging for Black and Brown communities in the natural and built environment.

• Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) - paid summer youth work program in federally managed lands. The National Park Service, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management employ teens each summer to participate in the YCC. Opportunties include the National Park Service, US Forest Service, and US Fish & Wildlife Service

• NW Youth Corps Residential Camping Program: (16-18 yo) Youth Camping program combines education and job skills training with outdoor adventure for 16 to 18 year olds. With the guidance of experienced field staff, youth crew members work on conservation, reforestation, and recreation projects, while developing leadership and teamwork skills. Crews camp for their entire session, traveling to new projects often and pursuing outdoor adventures on the weekends.

• Washington Trails Association: (14-18 yo) WTA hosts a variety of service and training opportunities for youth & youth groups day work parties. Youth Volunteer Summer Vacations are opportunities for youth ages 14-18 to spend a week outdoors building and maintaining hiking trails in a safe, teamwork-oriented environment throughout the state

• Girls, Inc. PNW - (8th grade girls) Join the team to empower girls, including Field Guides, Guest Speakers, and more. The Eureka! Program accepts 8th grade girls into a 5-year cohort for STEM connection and experiences.

• PEI, Inc. - Youth Engaged in Sustainable Systems (YESS): (high school students) - participants earn summer school credit while building their job skills and exploring careers in natural resources. Over their five to six weeks in the program, students’ classroom time is paired with hands-on service activities at community partner sites. Upon course completion, teachers provide each student with a signed “document of competency” that rates their proficiency in a variety of entry level industry-related skills. These documents of competency were designed by PEI with guidance from industry leaders and research on natural resource workforce development trends. Students can use this document to craft their resumes and better articulate their skills when applying for jobs. Students earn: High school credit; Signed document of competency; Participation stipend; Hands-on skills, work, and learning experience; Credit at postsecondary institutions (when available). YESS courses available: Forest Management & Restoration Ecology.

• Friends of Trees: (high school students) -contact Thomas Meinzen, Regional Neighborhood Tree Specialist for Vancouver, If you enjoy planting trees, building community and working on special projects, this might be the internship for you.

Ready for a longer term commitment, meet with LCNN partners to get time in the field and build your resume. Learn about the variety of jobs that available for teens and young adults of all abilities, in the outdoors

• Project Zero (Portland based, for 19-24 yr. old): Project Zero® is recruiting 2024 interns! We’re looking for young adults not currently enrolled in school and/or disconnected from a meaningful career pathway, who are seeking ways to create cleaner, greener communities. Spend six months working with regional stewardship and environmental justice organizations. In addition to gaining work experience, interns receive professional development coaching and learn about potential employment opportunities at our Destination Employers.

• Columbia Springs: (16+ yo) - The Columbia Springs Summer Camp Interns assist with leading summer day camps for youth ages 7-13. As a Summer Camp Intern, paid interns will be an ambassador of Columbia Springs and a role model to youth participating in summer camp programs. Interns work under the guidance of our Environmental Education Staff, receiving training on environmental education, small group facilitation, Pacific Northwest ecology, and sustainability practices. Academic credit for your internship experience may be available through your school.

• City of Vancouver Recreation Programs & Camps - (16+ or 18+) Vancouver Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services employees enjoy active, meaningful work while serving the community and developing valuable job skills. Some positions may involve additional training/certificates. Positions could include Suumer Camps, Special Events, Aquatics, and Sporting events.

• Mt. St. Helen’s Institute (16+ yo) - Conservation Corps to maintain trails, event volunteers, mountain stewards to assist/lead hikes, Volunteer Ambassadors & Education Volunteers to teach/outreach to visits.

• ESD 112 YES program (14-21 students with disabilities, IEP or 504 plans) - Provides pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities that reside in Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, Wahkiakum, or Pacific County. YES is designed to improve employment outcomes by providing work readiness training, career related learning experiences and paid internships. Year-round services include: 1) Work Readiness Training; 2) Self-Advocacy Training; 3) Job Shadows; 4) Job Tours; 5) Informational Interviews; 6) Paid Internship (40 to 120 hours) minimum wage $16.28 (16-21).

• Camp Hope Summer Camps (18+ yo) - lead summer camps, assist with camp administration, and manage hospitality to the groups that rent the camp. The ideal candidate is a hard worker with experience at summer camp, desires to learn the inner workings of running a camp business. Learn more about all of the 2024 candidate duties and requirements here.

• Student Conservation Association (SCA): hands-on environmental conservation programs for youth and young adults. Our program participants protect and restore national parks, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks and community green spaces across the country. After working with the SCA, program participants emerge with increased environmental awareness, social responsibility and leadership skills.

• NW Youth Corps Young Adult Programs, Internships and Careers: (19-26 yo) provide hands-on training and experience to those interested in conservation corps, land and water resource management agencies, and other outdoor careers. The 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 develop technical skills working on a variety of conservation projects while developing the soft skills needed to be successful in any career field.

• Tappin’ Roots (High school)- Environmental internship program for Black-identified high school students in the Greater Portland area. Tappin Roots. TR trains and empowers students to be environmental and community leaders using: Storytelling, Mentorship, Career exploration, Place-based learning, Healing practices. Interns will participate in monthly career and environmental justice symposiums led by professionals of color. Learning opportunities will include Indigenous based Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Oregon's Black history. They will implement culturally relevant skills and knowledge they acquire to educate others about the natural world. Interns will participate in summer nature-based education work with one of the community based partners, including a week of mandatory training.

• U.S. Forest Service - PNW Seasonal Job Opportunities: The Pacific Northwest Region Forest Service advertises 1,000+ temporary positions throughout National Forests in Oregon and Washington usually in the fall. The positions filled include specialties such as fire, timber, recreation, biological sciences, natural resources, engineering, archaeology and visitor services. Applicants interested in these jobs can apply through www.usajobs.gov during the application window.
  
  

• Americorps - Each year, tens of thousands of individuals serve with AmeriCorps programs to make change in communities in all 50 U.S. states, territories, and select tribal nations. Serving with an AmeriCorps State and National program puts you in an environment that propels your personal development, opens diverse career paths, and promotes lifelong civic engagement. There are many environmental service organizations in our state and region looking for help!