{{Advert|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox organization | name = Washington Conservation Corps | logo = WCCLogo.png | logo_size = 250px | logo_caption = Washington Conservation Corps Logo | image = Washington Conservation Corps - Olympic National Forest - October 2017 02.jpg | caption = WCC members planting a pollinator friendly garden at Olympic National Forest in 2017 | abbreviation = WCC | merged_into = <!-- any other organization(s) which it was merged into --> | successor = | formation = {{start date and age|1983}} | founding_location = | dissolved = <!-- or |defunct = --><!-- use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | type = <!-- e.g., Nonprofit, NGO | status = <!-- legal status or description (company, charity, foundation, etc.) --> | purpose = Environmental services | professional_title = <!-- for professional associations --> | headquarters = | origins = | region_served = Washington State | products = <!-- or |product = --> | services = | membership = 285 | num_members_year = 2024 | language = <!-- or |languages = --><!-- any official language or languages used --> | owner = <!-- or |owners = --> | secretary_general = <!-- or |gen_sec for General Secretary --> | leader_title = <!-- defaults to "Leader" --> | leader_name = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | parent_organization = Washington Department of Ecology | affiliations = {{ubl|Washington Climate Corps Network|AmeriCorps}} | funding = <!-- source of funding e.g. for "think tanks" --> | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | num_volunteers = | num_volunteers_year = | website = <!-- {{Official URL}} or {{URL|example.com}} --> | former_name = <!-- or |former_name = --> }}
The '''Washington Conservation Corps''' (WCC) is a sub-agency of the Washington State Department of Ecology. WCC members work on projects in their communities, from habitat restoration, to trail construction, to natural disaster response. WCC members are active across the state of Washington and are a part of the state and nationwide disaster response network.
==Positions== Corps members (18-25 years olds and military veterans) serve between a 3-month and a 11-month term.<ref>{{cite web |title=AmeriCorps member positions - Washington State Department of Ecology |url=https://ecology.wa.gov/about-us/jobs-at-ecology/washington-conservation-corps/americorps-member-positions |website=ecology.wa.gov |access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref><ref name="SY">{{cite web |title=Washington Conservation Corps |url=https://serviceyear.org/wcc/ |website=Service Year |access-date=1 April 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Members are allowed a second term, often returning to serve as Assistant Supervisors or Individual Placements (referred to as IP).
Most WCC members perform their service in a crew, a collection of members assigned to serve in a particular locality. Examples of work a crew member might engage in span riparian zone restoration work, wetland restoration work, invasive species clearing, and other environmental enhancement projects. Projects typically last several days—something members refer to as a "spike." Within a single term, crews will handle several spikes. Each crew is led by a supervisor, a Washington State Department of Ecology employee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks Washington Conservation Corps |url=https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/nature-recreation/environment-ecology-conservation/environmental-education/wcc-service-learning |website=King County, WA |access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref>
Alternatively, a corps member may elect to serve as an individual placement (IP). IPs serve as interns with one agency for their entire term. IPs generally serve as environmental educators, outreach coordinators, or biological or lab technicians.
==Benefits== WCC members receive:
* a living stipend (similar to the minimum wage) * health insurance * opportunities for certifications (e.g. Red Card, Wilderness First Responder, Hazwoper) through paid training * qualified student loan forbearance (AmeriCorps benefit) * education award (AmeriCorps benefit, which, {{As of|2023|lc=y}}, is worth $6,895) upon compleition of their service
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Washington Conservation Corps}} *{{official|https://ecology.wa.gov/wcc}}
Category:AmeriCorps organizations Category:Nature conservation organizations based in the United States Category:Environment of Washington (state) Category:Environmental organizations based in Washington (state) Category:Service year programs in the United States