L.A. Zoo Docent / Volunteer 50 Residents

Discovery Cube of L.A. / Volunteer 50 Residents

Heal the Bay, Friends, of the L.A. River / Activism in the Community 50 Residents

Marine Mammal Care Center / Volunteer 50 Residents

Counselor Leadership Development (CLD) Program at Griffith Park Boys Camp and/or Camp Hollywoodland Girls Camp 5 Residents

GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to benefit the Environment)

Will provide outdoor education, science, environmental stewardship, on-site conservation and career pathways (instruction by Marine Biologists and others in the field) in science (ocean and animal science), and various environmental professions.

Marine Mammal Care Center

Will provide service learning, and career pathways, including mentoring interested participants after the grant.

Los Angeles Zoo

Will provide service learning, and career pathways, including instruction by Zoo Educators in conservation, animal science, education, and advocacy, and cultivating environmental stewardship. Zoomobile will also be utilized to provide therapeutic recreation using animals to help people heal.

Discovery Cube of Los Angeles

Will provide service learning, and career pathways.

U.S. Forest Service and CalFire

Will provide service learning and career pathways, including instruction provided by USFS Park Rangers & Firefighters, and CalFire Firefighters. They will share both conservation and fire preservation principles, and detail career pathways.

As part of the program overall, community engagement will continue after the grant period in multiple ways. Participants will be encouraged to participate in programs offered at the Community Home Base. In addition, access will be provided to participants to participate in several programs available to their age group. One program is the CLD (Counselor Leadership Development) Programs at Griffith Park Boys Camp and Camp Hollywoodland Girls Camp which includes: special activities, workshops, projects assisting with camp activities, and a performance evaluation. This program offers: a place for teenagers to work together, guidance in working with younger campers; a place to build a strong sense of self; and an opportunity to enhance leadership skills. The participants will be learning many skills including, how to lead activities, peer cooperation, and how to become a successful camp counselor. CLD’s will have special training programs where they will learn more about being a camp counselor and work on developing the skills necessary to be an effective youth leader. They will be focusing on a specific camper leadership skill set and will be given the opportunity to put the skills into practice. While the CLD Program does not guarantee a future camp counselor position at camp, it will improve the CLD’s leadership skills and youth interaction skills which will make them a more qualified applicant. As a CLD they will be required to assist in a variety of activities throughout camp. These include, but are not limited to, assisting during rest times in assigned cabins, assisting counselors during activities, entertaining campers, helping with set-up/clean-up of special events and assisting counselors for a part of a trip day. The foundation laid by this program can lead to a career in camping, recreation, preservation professions, etc.

The other program that will help continue community engagement is the CLASS Parks Program. It offers Teen Clubs at 37+ Recreation Centers throughout Los Angeles, with a focus on community engagement, service learning, adventure programs, and so much more. CLASS Parks, through a CDBG Grant, also runs the YEIP Program (Youth Employment Internship Program) which provides a series of classes in three tracks: Crime Scene Investigation, Camp Counselor, and Outdoor Education. YEIP is not only free to participants, but they also receive a $250 stipend upon graduation. This internship program can and does lead to volunteer and employment opportunities within Recreation and Parks and many opportunities beyond. The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks also hires many part-time employees each year (2500+) in several areas (Recreation, Aquatics, Maintenance). Some of these job opportunities can lead to internships and full-time positions. The Department plans to keep the participants connected with partner groups so they can take advantage of volunteer, internship, and job opportunities.

The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks also has partnerships with youth serving job opportunity programs (L.A. Hires, Angeleno Corp) which can benefit the program participants as well. The working group for this program will identify participants who have a strong aptitude for careers in natural resource and environmental professions. Their aptitude will be identified through their participation in the program and evaluated by the staff that will be with them throughout the program. Every attempt will be made to stay involved with the most dedicated participants to ensure that they take advantage of the resources the Department can provide, as well as those available through partners. The length of engagement will depend on the age of the participant (an 11-year-old will need lengthier engagement) and their openness to continuing engagement.