Students from AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and Job Corps recently teamed up to revitalize two urban gardens in Sacramento, CA. More than 20 students from both programs participated in the joint community service project on Saturday, Oct. 25, pulling weeds, removing litter and debris, and cultivating new crops as a way to give back to their community.
These types of joint service projects are nothing new. Job Corps and NCCC have a strong history of collaboration, and many Job Corps graduates often choose to apply to NCCC to pursue higher education and continue their commitment to community service. Since 2010, nearly 1,800 Job Corps graduates have applied to NCCC.
Job Corps is a no-cost education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16 through 24 improve the quality of their lives through vocational and academic training. Job Corps centers are all-inclusive training campuses that offer at-risk youth the opportunity to complete secondary education and learn valuable trade skills in a safe and structured environment.
AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time residential program that engages 18- to 24-year-olds in team-based national and community service projects across the United States. National Civilian Community Corps team members complete several service projects during their 10-month term of service, which include disaster response, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, firefighting, and urban and rural development. During their term of service they receive room and board, uniforms, transferrable work skills and a $4,000 stipend. Upon completion of their term of service, team members receive a grant that may be used to pay educational costs at post-secondary educational institutions.
Both programs have reached milestones this year. NCCC is celebrating 20 years of community service, and Job Corps is celebrating 50 years of providing young adults with education and life skills training.
