HISTORY

Youth Climate Corps (YCC) began in 2020 as a program of Wildsight, a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting biodiversity and fostering sustainable communities in the Columbia and Rocky Mountain regions of British Columbia. The inaugural crew launched in Nelson, BC, with fourteen youth working for four months on a range of climate action projects, including wildfire mitigation, local food initiatives, and energy efficiency.

 

In 2021, the program evolved into Youth Climate Corps BC (YCCBC), marking the beginning of a broader provincial vision and a more formalized structure to scale youth-led climate action across British Columbia. While Wildsight continues to deliver YCC programs in the Columbia Basin, YCCBC now leads the provincial coordination, development, and growth of the Youth Climate Corps model. In this role, YCCBC partners with local organizations like Wildsight and others to support regional program delivery, while maintaining the shared vision of empowering young people to lead meaningful climate resilience work in their communities.

 

Our model is rooted in community partnerships and built to meet the unique climate resilience needs of each region. Crew members receive paid training and hands-on work experience in areas like wildfire risk reduction, ecosystem restoration, local food security, energy retrofits, community engagement, and climate education. YCCBC programs also prioritize youth leadership development, culminating in projects that connect young people with their communities.

 

A significant milestone came in 2024, when YCCBC received multi-year funding from the Government of British Columbia, enabling us to expand our reach and impact across the province. With this support and strong momentum, we are now working in multiple regions and engaging new partners to grow the network of communities taking bold, local climate action.