The Future of Conservation and Service

SECC’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program offers paid service positions for high school youth ages 16-18 across the state of Tennessee and the Southeast region. YCC crews operate in both camping and in-town models, with each team consisting of two adult leaders and six youth members.

Crew members gain hands-on experience while collaborating with agencies such as the USDA Forest Service and the National Park Service. They receive a $15/hour stipend and develop valuable skills that strengthen their leadership, resiliency, and commitment to conservation. Upon completing their service term with SECC, crew members return to their communities with enhanced employment skills and a deeper connection to the land.

Youth Conservation Crew Program

SECC operates the Youth Conservation Corps program during the summer, providing paid service positions for high school students (ages 16-18).

Each crew consists of two adult leaders and six youth members, with both in-town and camping crew models based out of the SECC office in Chattanooga, TN:

• Camping crews travel to project sites within a 2-3 hour radius of Chattanooga, camping for three weeks. During the week, they focus on service projects, participate in communal living chores, and share meals together. Weekends are spent relaxing and engaging in educational outings. Members return home for a week during the Fourth of July and return home or have the option to resume their projects for the final three weeks.
• In-town crews complete projects in the greater Chattanooga area but return home each evening.

Youth crews tackle projects such as trail construction and maintenance, corridor clearing, repairing or installing water structures along trails, replacing hitching posts, installing signs and repainting blazes, habitat restoration, fence repair, and more.

In addition to completing service projects, crew members participate in educational sessions on topics such as watersheds, forest ecosystems, resume building, and interview techniques. Fridays are dedicated for educational outings, which in the past have included first aid and CPR certifications, bird identification, and snorkeling on the Consasauga River.

Technology/Phone Policy: Youth members are required to give their cell phones to their crew leaders for the duration of the program. Communication will be handled through the crew leaders, and in case of an emergency, staff will contact parents directly. Members are not allowed to use cell phones or other technology, as determined by SECC staff. Guardians will be notified if contact is necessary regarding a member’s well-being or any issues during the program. Members must be without their cell phones for the entire program to get the full immersive experience in nature.  Cell

These are paid summer service positions that make a difference! Click this link to view our current open positions:

See below for examples of past YCC crews:

Corpsmember: Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park Conservation Crew, In-Town Crew

This SECC Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) In-Town Crew engaged motivated young adults, ages 16–18, in a program that combined training and education with impactful conservation and service projects throughout the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park lands. Projects included trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, re-vegetation, and much more. This program focused on engaging local youth in meaningful learning and service opportunities in their communities.

Corpsmember: Cherokee National Forest, Camping Crew

This SECC Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) Camping Crew engaged motivated young adults, ages 16–18, in a program that combines camping Monday – Friday, training and education with impactful conservation and service projects throughout the Cherokee National Forest in Southeast, TN. Crews cooked together and learned valuable outdoors living skills. Projects included trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, re-vegetation, and much more. This program focused on engaging local youth in meaningful learning and service opportunities in their communities. This crew camped and served in the Ocoee/ Hiwassee area of the Cherokee National Forest in East TN.