SAVE PARKS' YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

East Bay Regional Park District Board

East Bay Park staff train dozens of at-risk youth from park communities every year, helping them gain important skills and job references. In fact, some YEP graduates now work full time at our parks! 

For the last 10 years, East Bay Park workers have led and managed more than 100 at-risk youth working nearly 12,000 hours planting native species, clearing fire hazards, and building trails. 

dOZENS OF cOMMUNITY gROUPS dEMANDING eAST bAY pARKS sAVE yOUTH eMPLOYMENT pROGRAM

More than 2 dozen East Bay service providers, workers’ unions, and small businesses just sent this letter to the board. Plus the California Invasive Plant Council delivered their own letter of support.

Youth crew members come from low income families in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. They also frequently face employment barriers such as access to technology, disconnection from education, and LGBTQ+ discrimination. Some also have experience with homelessness, incarceration, and the foster system, putting them at increased risk.

East Bay Park professionals provide youth crews with an opportunity to connect with nature, discover local resources, and build long term relationships with others and the outdoors. Youth crews get paid hands-on job training, mentorship, and exposure to careers in parks, recreation, and environmental education. 

The only cost to the Park District is the YEP Supervisor; youth crew member wages are already paid for through a federal grant. 

But now our elected park district officials must step in to save our well-loved Youth Employment Program and direct the Park District to keep the YEP Supervisor position.

Help save East Bay Parks’ Youth Employment Program by sending your email now.

 I love sharing experiences in nature with our park visitors and helping them see all the value that our parks bring to the community. None of us should have to worry about how to pay our bills or our healthcare.“

– Aki McKinzie, Acting Naturalist, Crab Cove

Preventing fires is our top concern during fire season. We work hard to keep park visitors and resources healthy. Now we’re asking the park board to keep us and our families healthy.

– Sergio Huerta, Park Supervisor and On-Call Firefighter, Diablo Foothills

During the pandemic, going to Crown Beach became our son’s favorite thing to do. Park workers were there for us during the pandemic, now it’s time for us to be there for them.”

– Jim Stormdancer

I enjoy monitoring drinking and recreational water quality in our beautiful parks to keep the public healthy and safe. As East Bay Parks’ stewards, we deserve to be able to afford to live in the communities we serve.” 

– Anja Brey, Water Quality Professional, East Bay Regional Park District