BLM OR-WA Youth Employment and Education, Spokane District

The Department of the Interior Youth Initiative is a focused effort to expand programs that engage, educate and employ youth from all backgrounds in exploring, connecting with, and preserving the shared natural and cultural resources on public lands. As part of this initiative, the Department aims to increase youth employment through its use of youth hiring authorities; leveraging partnerships; using a proactive targeted recruiting approach to build new environments and engage a talented corps of young people; and providing hands-on, meaningful work experiences. The purpose of the Department's employment efforts is to create the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders. OR/WA BLM aims to support the national goals by providing meaningful work opportunities for hundreds of young people so that they have a positive experience that directly contributes to conservation and that has a lasting impact on our Nation. The objective of this agreement is to provide youth the opportunity to connect with the natural world through the completion of various natural resource projects on public lands within and around the BLM Spokane District. These projects will enhance and conserve public recreation, fish, wildlife, and plant resources while providing youth with positive work experiences, development of work skills, a sense of personal responsibility, encouragement for a long term community service commitment, and the development of a conservation ethic.