Past Articles

Portland Parks and Rec Seeks 14-19 Year Olds for Summer Crews

March 9, 2021

Portland Parks & Recreation Youth Conservation Crew will be hiring youth (ages 14-19) and adult crew leaders for summer 2021. Do you know of any youth looking for a job this summer? Do you know any youth who would love working outdoors and/or are interested in the environment? If so, please share this opportunity with them.

Youth Job application – due April 9. The application will take 10 to 30 minutes to complete.
Adult Crew Leader Job application will be coming soon!

Watch this video to learn more about Youth Conservation Crew.

Youth Conservation Crew (YCC) employees will:

Do important work in nature: tree work, trail work, community gardens and habitat restoration.
Gain valuable job, leadership and interpersonal skills
Explore environmental careers
Re-connect with the community – outdoors!
Earn a paycheck $$

Eligibility for Employment

Be between the ages of 14-19 throughout summer 2021
Be willing and able to do hard work in the outdoors (often walking on uneven ground, in heat, cold, or rain).
Be dependable, responsible, and available – you can and will show up to work every day, on time.
Be excited to work with a diverse team. We encourage people of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities to apply, as well as English Language Learners. Reasonable accommodations can be provided.
Eligible to work in the United States.
Be able to get to work sites on your own. All work sites have a bus or MAX stop nearby.
Turn in your own application and contact the employer yourself. A parent or guardian should not do it for you. This is one way we determine if you are ready for work!

Work schedule

Summer 2021: June 24 – August 14; Tuesday through Friday; 8:30am – 3:00pm.
During the school year, YCC works on Saturdays and school holidays. Sign up for work days as your schedule allows.

Compensation

Hourly rate for 2021 is $14 an hour

Application – Youth Ages 14-19

APPLY NOW! – DUE APRIL 9
The application will take 10 to 30 minutes to complete.
Application is due April 9 by midnight. We will look at applications no later than April 16, and will email ALL applicants to let them know if they have been selected for an interview.

Application – Adult Crew Leaders

We will be hiring 8 adult crew leaders. The application will be available soon.

Safety

YCC takes safety seriously. See our video here. During COVID-19, we are doing the following:

We stay outdoors.
We wear masks unless we are eating (6 feet apart).
We keep our distance, staying 6 feet or more apart whenever possible.
We sanitize all equipment and materials.
We work in small groups.
During COVID, we do not provide transportation to work sites; each employee must get to worksites on their own. A bus or MAX stop is near each work site.

Types of Work:

City Nature East Crew

Natural Area Crew is a great fit for teens interested in landscaping, science, plants, and animals. WORK LOCATIONS: East, Northeast, and Southeast Portland

caring for young plants
removing plants like ivy and invasive blackberry
learning plant identification
research about plants and animals
building split rail fences

Trail Crew

Trail Crew is a great fit for teens interested in engineering, construction, and making nature accessible to all people! WORK LOCATIONS: citywide

building and fixing trails
building structures (rock walls, crib walls, split rail fences, and other structures)
some work with plants

Tree Crew

Tree Crew is a great fit for teens who care about trees and want to learn about how trees make our city healthier and more beautiful. WORK LOCATIONS: East Portland and Delta Park (N Portland)