Serving Colorado- Young Adults Volunteer through AmeriCorps by Nilam Hypio

Volunteering is an excellent opportunity for young adults to give their time and in return learn valuable life skills and gain friendships and memorable experiences. Here in Colorado, "Serve Colorado" is a volunteer program under the AmeriCorps umbrella, which offers funding for people, young and old, to volunteer and help communities across Colorado recover from the effects of COVID-19 and build them back stronger!
 
AmeriCorps offer a variety of areas for their members to volunteer such as education, the environment, energy and social service programs. AmeriCorps volunteers receive a living allowance, training, and an education award that may be used for future education costs, or to repay past student loans.
 
The Colorado Alliance for Environmental Educators (CAEE) has a special AmeriCorps program called “eeCorps” that focuses specifically on conservation and the environment and has many host sites across Colorado, including several locations on the Western Slope. The focus of volunteers with the eeCorps program is connecting youth to year-round place-based nature education.
 
Nilam Hypio, was an eeCorps member this past summer serving youth attending the Nature Connection programs in the Delta County and Olathe areas. Nilam writes about her experience as an eeCorps member working with Western Slope youth, teaching them about the environment and helping them gain outdoor skills.

Nilam Hypio, an eeCorps volunteer with the Nature Connection, spent this past summer working with local youth teaching them about the environment and helping them gain outdoor skills. (Photo Courtesy: Anita Evans)

 
“During the beginning of my term, we (the Nature Connection staff) were right in the middle of preparing for one of our core school programs that takes place in the wintertime- our Skis for Kids Program. I was all too familiar with this program, as both of my parents had started this program, and I had helped with several outings. After previously working with a much older population than our core youth audience, I was a little nervous. Over time and leading many programs and activities, I became more comfortable with holding conversations and joking around with just about any kid.
 
Fast forward to our summer camp programs with The Nature Connection that took place in two locations, Hotchkiss and Delta, Colorado.  I was responsible for facilitating education stations
for various themes offered for each camp week throughout the summer.  I was hopeful
that the summer camps would be fun for the kids, give them a chance to relax, make
new friends, and just let them be kids doing kid things. Even though we saw
some of the same kids from our school programs, each camp brought a different vibe for
each location. I was a little surprised by this.  Some camper groups needed a lot more
physical activity and movement throughout the day particularly to get through that last chunk of the day.  Knowing this, I had fun modifying education lesson stations based on the
location of the camp and the kids needs.
 
During one station, I had taken the kids and camp counselors for a nature walk to gather
leaves for a leaf rubbing activity to get the kids moving, and observing. After we came back with the gathered leaves, we started our activity. The theme of that week's activity was Nature of Art, and the goal of that activity was to use leaves gathered to create designs on a piece of paper using crayons for a colorful result. After they had created their designs, the
campers could write a little note to whomever they chose.. One camper wrote
"Anthony, please come to camp. It's not as bad as you think it is."  This had me and the other counselors cracking up in fits of laughter! I mean, what would you expect a kid to write, other than complete honesty? It was as funny as it was humbling. I didn't know which camper wrote that note, but it assured me and the other counselors that the kids were actually
having fun and making memories.
 
Ultimately, having fun while connecting to the outdoors is our intention and if we can make
an impact on at least one kid, then that is more than satisfying enough.”

The camp counselors were awesome and really tuned into the campers to let  their inner kid out.  The counselors from left to right: The Nature Connection Staff: Anna Robinson (Program Director) and Cy Hassell.   AmperiCorps members: Nilam Hypio, and Stephanie Sietz (Program Manager). (Photo courtesy: The Nature Connection)

Most of us head outside to unplug and unwind from the stresses of daily life, to improve our mood, get some exercise, or connect with others.  These are some of the exact same benefits you get from doing volunteer work. So why not give back and do some good while you’re enjoying The Great Outdoors? Whether it’s benefiting your local community, a specific organization, or Mother Nature herself, volunteering outside has countless benefits. With internet access to many different social media platforms and groups, it’s never been easier to find volunteer opportunities!

More information about the AmeriCorps program through Serve Colorado can be found at:
https://servecolorado.colorado.gov/americorps-recruitment

Specific AmeriCorps programming through the CAEE eeCorps programming can be found at:
(https://caee.org/programs/act/americorps-eecorps/eecorps-host-sites

The Nature Connection summer camps and school break camps are offered in Hotchkiss and Delta with programs for all ages of youth.
For more information visit: thenatureconnection.net