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WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF OUR YOUTH

YOUTH FOR CHANGE 

conservation corps

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.

status: preparing for the Lori session

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participants so far: 110

donate to the YFC program

we teach

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

we give

Provide gainful employment to 18-26 year old males and females in Armenia and/or Artsakh

we build

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

OUR YOUTH FOR CHANGE MEMBERS

the youth that are helping build Armenia's tomorrow

Mariam Miqayelyan

Trail-building was not only an opportunity to have a great time and make new friends, but also to make an important contribution to my hometown. Although nature is a big part of the Tavush residents lifestyle, not everyone knows how to use and preserve it, so I think that the new trails will promote awareness of nature, as well as develop the hiking culture in Tavush and beyond.

Thank you very much for this opportunity and I look forward to other opportunities in the future.

YFC Vorotan

YOUTH FOR CHANGE VOROTAN

The program provides with the opportunity for the youth from all regions of Armenia to participate in community development and environmental projects through YFC camp practical training. Upon successful completion of the program, the best participants have the opportunity to be involved in a number of programs implemented by our organization and partner organizations on a seasonal or permanent paid basis.

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.

YFC Dilijan

YOUTH FOR CHANGE DILIJAN

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.

YFC Arevik

YOUTH FOR CHANGE AREVIK

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.

YFC Artavan

We have just completed our fourth YFC session for 2023 and are preparing for our next session! 

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Updates on these sessions coming soon!

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