Health & Wellness

At Civicorps, we are committed to your wellbeing. This isn’t just a job or a school. We are here to help the whole person you are.

At any time, you can access our Case Counselors who provide clinical case management and life skills support, including support with childcare, housing, legal issues, transportation and many other daily life needs. We can help you gain the tools to understand and manage past or ongoing trauma and cope with daily stressors. We offer conflict resolution training, financial literacy training with our partner MyPath. Every year we host an Annual Health Fair to connect you to healthy habits and hobbies that can help you feel and stay happy and well.

Every member of our staff wants to help you succeed. Our Case Counselors are here to answer any questions and counsel you on ways to stay on track with attendance, punctuality, stress management, and navigating the academic and job training programs. And they are there to celebrate your achievements every step of the way.

For clinical health services we can connect you to vital community resources such as Native American Health Center, Roots Community Health, La Clinica de la Raza, Planned Parenthood, local chapters of Marijuana and Alcoholics Anonymous, Sausal Creek Outpatient, Highland Hospital Dental, PREP and the Pacific Center for LGBTQ+ people. We can also refer you to our community partners who offer services outside of our scope, such as First Place for Youth, Beyond Emancipation, Alameda County Transition Age Youth Team, Youth Alive, The Mentoring Center, Covenant House, Youth Uprising, and many more.

We know that life isn’t just about work – it’s also about having fun!

Historically, we have hosted frequent events for Corpsmembers and staff to bond and connect, such as barbecues at local parks, and at Community Meetings.  Community Meetings offer a space to come together to support one another’s journey through the Corps, acknowledge successes, share professional tips and learn from visiting speakers.

We also have a long history of creating opportunities for Corpsmembers to connect with nature by going on outdoor recreational adventures. In a typical year we host several excursions, including backpacking trips, kayaking trips, white water rafting, and cross country skiing.

If you discover through your work at Civicorps that you love the outdoors and you’re prepared for a commitment to “intense work in miserable living conditions for minimal pay,” you might consider applying for the Backcountry Trails Program (BCTP).  We’ve helped many Corpsmembers gain entry to this 40 year old program, run through the California Conservation Corps in partnership with AmeriCorps. Hands-on trail work, living and working in remote wilderness locations, five months completely off the grid, and the potential to earn an AmeriCorps scholarship make the Backcountry Trails Program incredibly unique. Corpsmembers call the BCTP experience unforgettable and transformative.

Highly regarded in the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and trails community, the BCTP offers a path for those interested in pursuing a career in related fields. As a direct result of the skills acquired from their experience in the BCTP, an estimated 70-percent of BCTP alumni have gone on to work in trails and other conservation related fields for at least one season – including Civicorps’ very own Conservation Program Manager, Steven Addison. Steven reflects “[In 1998] I set off on a life changing and career defining trip that led me to incredible sunrises, breathtaking mountain lakes and some of the most physically demanding days of my life.”

Click here and here to read about our Corpsmembers who recently embarked on incredible adventures in the backcountry.

Living in the Bay Area is pricey, and we believe transportation costs should not be a barrier to attend our programs.

Corpsmembers who meet attendance requirements are eligible for stipends to help cover transportation costs. We also provide bus passes and Clipper cards to Corpsmembers.

Need food? We got you. It’s critical to keep our Corpsmembers fueled, healthy and focused. Every day, we provide two meals and snacks.

We provide a light breakfast and send crews out with lunch every day.  We also have a fully stocked kitchen you can use on your breaks or before or after shifts. We also have a “grab and go” cabinet that you can access at any time, and we provide special meal bags around the holidays.

We also have showers and rooms where you can get changed in and out of your work clothes. We provide uniforms and everything you need to work safely and comfortably. And if you need a warm winter coat, a special outfit for a job interview, we keep clothing wardrobe that you can take from any time.

We know there’s an affordable housing crisis in the Bay Area, and Oakland is no exception. Our Support Services team assists Corpsmembers according to their unique needs, including guidance on Section 8 applications and affordable housing referrals.

Civicorps has longtime relationships with numerous social service agencies and can provide a warm handoff to Covenant House, Dreamcatcher Youth Services, Fred Finch Turning Point and Supportive Housing, A Safe Place, and others.

About 30% of our Corpsmembers have young children and require childcare in order to attend our programs.  Our team has longtime partnerships with agencies such as Hively and Bananas, who specialize in provision of high-quality childcare referrals, as well as parent education and support to ensure your children get the best start possible. We often partner with Lao Family Community Development, which provides youth and family support as well as health services.

Civicorps has a long history of providing life changing opportunities for justice-involved young adults interested in conservation work and education. We can help you successfully exit the system and forge a positive, prosperous path forward.

During your time at Civicorps, we can help you transition to permanent jobs or post-secondary education. We work with Probation officers and the Courts to help Corpsmembers navigate these systems and relationships.  We enjoy longstanding relationships with low-and no-cost legal services agencies and can connect Corpsmembers with the East Bay Community Law Center, Family Violence Law Center, Bay Area Legal Aid and more.