Oakland's Civicorps Boosts Success for Local Youth

In 1983, the East Bay Conservation Corps (now Civicorps) was founded in Oakland, Calif. as a “pilot demonstration program in youth development and community service.” As one of the first local conservation organizations in California, it has been at the forefront of local community projects, including a major recycling project in 1988 that became Civicorps Recycling, an organization that provides recycling collection services to businesses across the East Bay, while also training youth to train for truck driving careers. Matson recently made a $5,000 donation in support of Civicorps’ mission.

Based on the Civilian Conservation Corps model of land conservation work and formal education, Civicorps’ mission is to re-engage young adults ages 18-26 to “earn their high school diplomas, gain job skills, pursue college, and embark on family-sustaining careers.” Offering one of the only paid youth employment programs in the East Bay, Civicorps works with young adults struggling to succeed by providing them with the necessary education, access, and opportunities for success.

Partnering with local organizations (including East Bay Municipal Utility District, Alameda Flood Control District, East Bay Regional Park District, the City of Oakland, and Waste Management), Civicorps assists nearly 300 young adults annually, offering college and career preparation along with paid work-based opportunities and training, preparing them for careers in land management, conservation, climate change mitigation, and recycling. Through hands-on experience, participants earn tool certifications and build experience for today’s workforce.

“Support from Matson helps us to provide advanced training and education to Corps members like Erica Bradley, who became a Fuels Crew Member in the East Bay Regional Park District’s Department (EBRPD) of Public Safety this year,” said Libbie Hodas, institutional giving manager, Civicorps. “The hands-on job training experiences Erica received at Civicorps meant she was well prepared to meet the demands of a highly competitive application process and succeed in obtaining the job she wanted and launching her career.

At Civicorps, Erica obtained all 15 skills certifications required to complete our multifaceted Conservation Intern Investment Program. She was assigned to a Specialized Trail Crew conducting work for EBRPD and graduated from Crew Leader Academy, going on to lead her peers. She also was selected to participate in the California Conservation Corps’ (CCC) Backcountry Trails Program in partnership with AmeriCorps, spending five months in a remote wilderness location in the middle of her time at Civicorps.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Matson for a second year in a row to advance Civicorps’ mission to ensure that young people in the East Bay have the opportunities, training, and resources they need to obtain upwardly mobile employment opportunities and/or succeed in college,” said Hodas. “I cannot emphasize enough how important corporate sponsors are to Civicorps’ program. Matson’s support is changing the lives of young people.”