Leadership Development Crews is a unique and exciting opportunity for individuals seeking to improve their leadership skills. These crews are typically composed of college-age individuals aspiring to become stronger leaders and are generally smaller than other summer crews. The crew experience force individuals to enter a realm of discovery and growth, after all, becoming a leader is not easy.
In a seven-week session as a specialized roving crew, Leadership Development Crews will work in partnership with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation to conserve Vermont's natural resources. Projects in the past include maintenance of lakes, construction of 40-foot bridges and trail stabilization.
In addition to technical projects, Corps Members also take part in a rigorous experiential curriculum, where they learn leadership theory and skills, and explore individual styles through hands-on workshops. Each Corps Member will have the chance to lead their crew for one week as a culmination to their education and training. As a whole, this crew will place particular emphasis on taking responsibility for all aspects of leading others, in an effort to train Corps Members for future VYCC Crew Leading positions. It is an intense learning opportunity based on instruction, discussion, action and reflection.
By the end of the summer, Crew Members in Leadership Development Crews will attain a lot of confidence, technical skills and a better understanding of themselves.
The VYCC offers two Leadership Development Crews: one comprised of both males and females, and one consisting of all females.
By means of all-female programs, female crew leaders will develop substantial self-confidence as well as discovering their own individual style of leadership in a supporting and encouraging environment. All-female programs, studies suggest, are highly effective in instilling confidence in women and encouraging them to enter the conservation and other technical fields, especially because these fields are traditionally male-dominated. Young women on this crew will be pushed to explore and learn together, and will expand their comfort zones to experience intense leadership and technical challenges. Corps Members will benefit from the mentorship of highly-trained female leaders, who will add a gender and empowerment focus to the curriculum through discussion, facilitated workshops, sharing and support.
The Co-Ed Leadership Development Crew offers young men and women the opportunity to live and work together as they discover their leadership skills and explore the conservation field in an environment focused on support and challenge. All members of the crew will be expected to contribute their perspective in an open and thoughtful way. The challenge of working together in a safe and respectful community will give Corps Members a powerful experience to carry with them as they return to their home and school community.
Part of the responsibilities of the Leadership Development Crew is to train, manage, counsel, and educate the crew in the different living conditions of group and work in the backcountry. They must have a strong desire to train Corps Members in technical projects, low impact camping skills and high success group dynamics. Furthermore, the individuals will teach an exacting leadership curriculum and provide constructive feedback to individuals. Lastly, the Leaders will have to display proper judgment and handling of logistics, in addition to being extremely self-motivated.
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