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120
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Over 120 participants

Over 120 participants

Over 120 participants

Over 120 participants

Youth For Change

The goal of our program is to equip participants with life skills and work experience by employing them in a variety of projects.  These include constructing, maintaining and/or repairing hiking trails, restoration of natural areas, park construction or repair, trash removal and general clean up of natural areas.  All this, while providing young adults with opportunities for success through job skills training, education, teamwork and work experience with an emphasis on conservation and projects that benefit the community and the environment.

Watch the video for more. 

We teach
We teach

Develop an understanding and appreciation for nature, the environment and heritage in participating youths.

Develop an understanding and appreciation for nature, the environment and heritage in participating youths.

We give
We give

Provide gainful employment to 18-26 year old males and females in Armenia.

Provide gainful employment to 18-26 year old males and females in Armenia.

We build
We build

Accomplish needed conservation work on public and private lands throughout Armenia.

Accomplish needed conservation work on public and private lands throughout Armenia.

People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office
People in the office

ARPA 2023

YFC Arpa was truly a notable adventure. More than half of the participants of this program went on to continue both volunteer and paid work with TFC.
We were happy and honoured to  also sign a memorandum with Arpa EF.
During the YFC Arpa 2023 project trail maintenance and tread restoration training was held on the Noravank-Amaghu segment of the Transcaucasian trail in Gnishik Gorge, Areni Community. The fieldwork included trail maintenance of 1.5 km of trail.

Trainings - First aid, Speleology, Wildlife Observation, Environmental protection
Trails participants worked on - Maintenace of Noravank-Amaghu trail

AREVIK 2023

During the YFC Arevik 2023 project trail building and tread restoration was held on the segment of the Transcaucasian Trail from Megri to Khustup mountain. The fieldwork included tread restoration of 4.2 km on old paths and building an additional 1 km trail.

Trainings - First aid, Personal Experience Shairing
Trails participants worked on - Restoring ancient trails of TCT segment in Arevik NP

ARTAVAN 2023

YFC Artavan 2023 marked a transformative journey. One of our participants shifted to seasonal work, participants also had an opportunity to explore Hayeli Lake during the program. 
TFC staff had a meeting with the administrative head of Artavan, they got to know each other, discussed prospects and opportunities for cooperation in future. 
The participants were also visited by the Tourism and Agriculture Department of the Vayots Dzor Regional Governor's Office who came to the camp site to get acquainted with the situation. 
A practical casualty evacuation exercise enhanced first aid training, and Artavan school pupils actively joined the activities and trainings. 
The participans had an amazing opportunity to take part in AR Trails mobile application tutorial which was held for the first time in YFC history.

During the YFC Artavan 2023 project trail maintenance on the segment of the Transcaucasian Trail (Artavan to Ugedzor and Artavan to Gomk, 5 km) was held. Trail assessment and scouting training was held on a newly designed trail (2km) which became a TCT trail branch.

Trainings -First aid, Environmental protection, Forest firefighting, AR technologies
Trails participants worked on - New trail connecting Artavan to Berdakar Loop trail

DILIJAN 2023

The YFC Dilijan 2023 attracted a record-breaking 185 applications. During the project, participants were hosted at the Dilijan Tourism Center and Dilijan National Park office where they got acquainted with the services and activities of the organizations.

During the YFC Dilijan 2023 project 1km of trail building and restoration on the segment of TCT from Dilijan to Haghartsin monastery was held. Additionally, a new section of 400m of trail was restored to connect the existing trail segment of TCT to the trailhead.
 

The 2023 projects were funded by the USDA Forest Service IP, in the frameworks of collaboration with the protected areas and local stakeholders.

Trainings - Wilderness First Aid, Trailbuilding, Adventure tourism, Environmental protection
Trails participants worked on - Segment of Dilijan-Haghartsin (TCT) and Connection trail to parking from Hidden Waterfall trail

AREVIK 2022

YFC Arevik 2022 was the 2nd YFC project in Syunik region and the first ever professional trail building and conservation corps camp in the Megri sub-region (the furthest southern part of Armenia). Arevik NP has a huge potential of trail develpment and ecotourism. 

At the end of the first phase of the YFC Syunik 2022 program here what was the  midterm results we had achieved: 

  • The number of groups - 2,

  • The number of participants- 11,

  • The regions of the selected participants- 7 (Gegharkunik, Shirak, Syunik, Tavush, Vayots Dzor, Yerevan, and Artsakh)

  • Project staff - 8,

  • Training-3 (First aid and safety training, camp management, trail building/maintenance)

  • Cooperation with the local organizations - 5,

  • Distance of the trail construction work completed on the trail from Meghri to Khustup: 6 KM

The project was funded by the "Caucasus Nature Fund"  and the US Forest Service, in the frameworks of collaboration with the "Trails For Change" NGO, the "Transcaucasian Trail" NGO, and the "Zangezur" Biosphere Complex" SNCO.

DILIJAN 2021

YFC Dilijan 2021 was a huge project including 45 participants from 8 regions of Armenia, Yerevan and Artsakh. It was initiated by Trails For Change NGO in partnership with Transcaucasian Trail and Dilijan National park and funded by US Forest Service.
Participants were eager to learn about trail-building activities both at online classes and at the camp working on the trail. Camp weeks were held in Dilijan National Park near Haghartsin monastery, and filled with a lot of memories around camp fire. During each camp week participants had a practice course of first aid and safety training making sure just how to act at most extreme cases. Schedule of the each day was such - to wake up with the first rays of sun, to have a proper meal with Nutella and fruits, to reach the working place and start blazing.The trail YFC participants worked at is approximately 3km taking you deep into the forest of DNP.

Vorotan 2019

In July-August, 2019 Trails for Change NGO (TFC) implemented the Youth for Change Project in the Syunik region within the “Revival of Ancient Trails in Vorotan Canyon” Project. We had several training topics, such as:
● Camping: tent set up and camp installation, backpacking, campfire place
construction and safety rules, camp kitchen installation
● Camp management: scheduling, teamwork in campsites, team building
activities
● First aid: safety rules outdoors, first help and first aid kit and supplies
● Trail building and marking: trail building tools introduction and safety rules,
trail building and maintaining , branch cutting, signposting and trail blazing
●Environmental protection and healthy lifestyle: Nature care during
camping, hiking, working on the trail, healthy lifestyle tips, safety circles and
stretching circles etc.