Final Considerations before Applying

Final Things to Consider
(Please read this carefully)

The following are some final things to consider before joining Wyoming Conservation Corps. The service projects that members perform are important to communities, project partners and the environment. There are many people involved, high expectations, and limited resources. The WCC experience can be extremely rewarding, but will challenge you mentally, emotionally, and physically.

If you do NOT agree with any of the following, please consider another job – this one is not for you!

• WCC hires individuals that are willing and able to commit to the entire term of service – as the community, project partners, WCC, and your fellow Members are relying on you. If you plan to actively seek other employment while serving with the WCC, please do not join the program so that this opportunity is available to someone else. If you leave early, you will not receive any portion of the education award.
• You will receive a modest stipend, which is a payment for covering basic costs of living during the service term. You will need to make sacrifices, budget carefully, and may not be able to enjoy many luxuries your peers with other jobs are able to. Working a second job is not recommended and may often conflict with this commitment.
• This is not a residential program: Food and lodging (tents) will only be provided during your 10-day hitches.
• Serving on a crew of your peers, you will encounter people of differing opinions, perspectives, and personalities. You will need to compromise, be willing and able to listen, and be open-minded, sensitive, respectful and patient.
• The service project and hitch sites may be in rural/backcountry areas, and could be hours away from a Wyoming “city”. You will spend a good portion of your time outdoors in all weather conditions, including extreme heat or cold, humidity, rain, wind, snow, with lots of biting insects. Prepare yourself with appropriate gear. Hitches will be 10-days, Monday through Wednesday, camping 9 nights. Crews will travel multiple hours to a hitch project site. This means 8 people in close quarters in the fleet vehicle.
• At work and hitch sites, we live simply and earth friendly. We share our home with each other and the natural environment and are respectful of the community. We strive to limit our resources and live without luxuries of modern society: cell phone reception, shower facilities, and convenience stores or social venues may be limited or unavailable. Often that means extra work, effort, frustration, and compromise. This also means that you may not be able to contact family, friends, or significant others as often as you would like or are accustomed to.
• While we will never require you to share sleeping accommodations with a fellow Crew Member of the opposite sex, you may be asked to share a tent, cabin or motel room with those of the same sex.
• Dietary needs are accommodated, dietary desires are considered, but openness and compromise are necessary. We will accommodate vegetarians/vegans and there will also be food for meat eaters. Buying groceries for a diverse group can be challenging, but much can be learned from an empty stomach and an open mind. If you are an extremely picky eater you may be frustrated. While on hitches, grocery money is pooled with the entire crew to buy food and make family-style meals on a 3-burner, propane camp stove at the hitch site.
• While you may be of legal age to consume alcohol and/or tobacco, your use will be restricted or prohibited during service hours with the Conservation Corps.
• Tobacco has also been shown to adversely affect a user’s health and, in some cases, the health of those who are exposed to secondhand smoke. Crew Leaders will designate areas for smoking in order to minimize exposure to other individuals. Smokers must properly dispose of their ashes and butts. Smoking is not permitted in vehicles.
• Alcohol and drug use and abuse adversely affects health, may create dangerous situations, and serves to undermine the community’s confidence in the WCC program. Therefore, WCC prohibits the use of drugs or alcohol during service hours. Service hours are defined as: from the time they leave their house Monday morning to the time they return home Wednesday night.
• Those individuals who are found to be in violation of this policy are engaged in serious misconduct and subject to disciplinary action up to and including release from the program. All members will, as a condition of their enrollment, abide by the terms of this statement.