A Second Chance for Disenfranchised Youths Seeking Work, Diploma

Francisco Perez didn't care about his education. He's 18, from Santa Rosa, and didn't stand a chance in high school. 

"I didn't care. I slacked off the whole time," Perez says. "I regret it now, not graduating on time. But I'm doing it now. I'm learning new skills and getting my diploma."

Today, Perez says he's lucky. He got a second chance. He's one of roughly 40 employees hired for a project that's underway throughout Sonoma County. The Sonoma County Water Agency, teamed up with the Conservation Corps of the North Bay won a grant to provide jobs that combine environmental stewardship with on-site job training.

The idea in Rohnert Park is, for 32 hours a week, crews work to remove overgrown exotic vegetation, such as Himalayan Blackberry, Acacia and Pampass Grass. The job requires hardcore training and heavy-lifiting. There is no easy task here, where one 10-member crew began removing invasive plants, including an eight-foot wall of blackberry from the Copeland Creek trail, between Commerce Boulevard and Sonoma State.

"I like it," Perez says. "I get to work outdoors, and it's teaching me skills for a real life."

In addition to the outdoor work, employees also spend 10 hours a week working on a leadership, job training and education component at John Muir Charter School in Cotati. In the end, they'll be equipped with a slew of new skills, such as resume-building, interview techniques, job-searching and even how to pursue college.

"These are at-risk youths who might have a blemish or two on their background," said Gary Miltimore, the Natural Resources Program and Sonoma Outreach director for the Conservation Corps of the North Bay. "Most of them have dropped out of school, and a lot of them are just doing nothing."

Here, the Copeland Creek project is funded from September 2011 through 2014 by a California Natural Resources Agency grant. Crews have cleaned up 10 acres of overgrown exotic vegetation, and are almost finished with the final stretch ending at Sonoma State. The next step is to replant with native riparian grasses, bushes and trees to enhance critical habitat, offset vehicle emissions and provide additional wetland mitigation.

“This project helps to achieve the water agency’s goals of improving and maintaining flood protection while at the same time helping to establish a native riparian canopy," said Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane. "This canopy will help to shade the channel which will improve water quality in the creek which supports steelhead."

Crewmembers and supervisors say the community has already reacted to their work. The trash is cleaned up, there's more visibility for walkers and cyclists, which improves public safety and it showcases the natural beauty here, program organizers say.

"Walkers, runners and bicyclists feel safer now that we have opened up the line of sight down to the creek and have commented on the enhanced aesthetic value which has created a more park-like setting," said Crew Supervisor Emily Byrnes. "The corpsmembers are able to hear on a daily basis the public’s appreciative comments and are able to reflect on the positive impact they are making in the community."

The local initiative has grown since its launch in 2008 — it's gone from 10 slots for local youths to 40 today in Cotati alone. And crews are knee-deep in similar projects throughout the North Bay. 

This really gives kids a chance to get high-level job skills, Miltimore says. Jobs at environmental resoration projects can lead to future opportunities with Caltrans and the water agency, for example. 

Ric Alvillar, 23, of Santa Rosa, has been in the program for a little more than a year. He says it's different work than the telemarketing and babysitting work he's had in the past. 

"I push myself," Alvillar says. "It's harder work, but at the end of the day, I feel so good about it."

Alvillar's taken a leadership role in the program, first as a assistant crew leader and a safety officer. Now, he's working on an apprenticeship with the City of Cotati's Department of Public Works. 

He's worked on irrigation channels, paved roads and painted curbs, Alvillar says. But it's the networking — meeting people in the field he wants to work in — that's paid off the most.

"I look forward to getting my diploma and getting a job with Caltrans, or a city or the water agency," Alvillar says.

Editor's note: Employees in the program earn $9 an hour. Organizers said they find candidates through county probation, word-of-mouth and local nonprofits. Interested in applying? Visit the Conservation Corps of the North Bay online or apply in person, at 365 Blodgett Street, Cotati. Phone: 707-303-3069.