Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Maintenance Program ? Leadership Development Crews

By George Dodson


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.

Leadership Development Crews work in a seven-week periods with a specialized rotating crews, in partnership with the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation so as to conserve Vermont?s natural resources. Trail stabilization, construction of 40-foot bridges and maintenance of lakes are examples of projects in the past.

Apart from technical projects, Corps Members undergo an experience-based, strenuous curriculum in which they learn skills and leadership theory, and explore different leadership styles by means of 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. Primarily, this crew will specifically emphasize taking complete responsibility of leading others, in order to train Corp Members for future Crew Leading positions. This is a rigorous opportunity to learn by means of discussion, action, reflection and instruction.

As emerging leaders, the Corps Members on Leadership Development Crews will finish the summer with an enormous amount of confidence, an increased technical skill set and a better sense of who they are as they re-enter the world.

There are two types of Leadership Development crews: one has both males and females while there other is females-only.

Young women have a chance to discover their leadership potential by participating in the Female Leadership Development Crew and also further learn about the conservation field in an environment of support, empowerment and trust. Female Leadership Development Crews are an example of such training programs. The fields of conservation are extremely dominated by males. Studies suggest that these programs are most effective in giving aspiring Female Crew Leaders to gain the necessary self-confidence and technical skill required for the job. 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. These Crew Members will undoubtedly benefit immensely from the mentorship of well-trained female crew leaders who will bring gender and empowerment focus to discussions as well as assisting in sharing and support.

Young men and women have an opportunity to live and work together in the Co-Ed Leadership Development Crew where they can learn about their leadership skills and further explore the conversation field in a challenging and supportive atmosphere. All members of the crew will be expected to contribute their perspective in an open and thoughtful way. Corp Members who have the invaluable experience of working together safely and respectfully will return to their home and school community empowered.

Leadership Development Crew Leaders must train, manage, counsel, and educate the crew in both work and group living settings in the backcountry. This jobs requires are burning desire to teach and train Corps Members in technical projects, group dynamics and the latest camping techniques. In addition, they must be able to teach a rigorous leadership curriculum and give constructive feedback to individuals who are discovering their leadership style. Lastly, the Leaders will have to display proper judgment and handling of logistics, in addition to being extremely self-motivated.




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