Colorado Youth Corps Final Evaluation Report

The Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) provides young adults with seasonal full-time employment in conservation and stewardship projects. Crew leaders receive training in environmental education and in implementing lessons from the curriculum The Colorado Outdoor Odyssey: A Tool Kit for Environmental Work and Learning. The purposes of the Colorado Youth Corps evaluation were to (1) learn about the participants and their experiences in the CYC, (2) judge the statewide environmental education efforts facilitated through the program, and (3) make recommendations to guide decision making about where future education efforts should be directed. Data were collected for this evaluation through pre and post surveys of program participants. Survey questions addressed participants’ interests in completing school and their interests in and knowledge about the environment. Based on this evaluation, recommendations were made to program staff and partners including crew leaders, state parks, and other agencies and organizations. In years following this evaluation, results and recommendations were used to revise policies, corps leader training, environmental education activities and their delivery.