For over 30 years, Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) has transformed lives, communities and the environment through meaningful youth development and service programs rooted in conservation and the community. Through extensive partnerships, we deliver high-quality projects at a fraction of the cost of contractors. MHYC employs 200+ youth in partnership with over 80 partners across 23 counties each year.
Land Conservation Crews What We Do
New trail construction; Maintenance; Rock Structures; Timber Structures
Invasive tree removal; Noxious weed removal; Pesticide application; Native planting and seeding; Wood chipping
Forest thinning; Hazardous fuels reduction; Post-fire erosion control
and re-vegetation
Fence construction, demolition and maintenance; Planting and mulching; Infrastructure improvements; Historical preservation
MHYC guarantees a minimum of 320 work hours per week – Crews include: 7-8 (Corpsmembers and 1-2 Crew Leaders) – Crews are available April through November – Crew size can be modified to meet your needs
The crew was very detail oriented and needed very little supervision. I look forward to using MHYC work crews for future projects and will highly recommend the organization to colleagues and peers.” Stuart Hayes, Park Resource Technician, Chatfield State Park
Energy & Water What We Do
Water Conservation Retrofits (including Ultra-High Efficiency toilets, sink and shower aerators)
Energy Conservation Retrofits (including sink and shower aerators, and LED lightbulbs installation)
Client Bilingual Education
Project Management
Serving Multi-Family Housing
Average Savings of $240 Annually Per Household
Average Savings of $1740 Lifetime Per Household
"The professionalism and customer service that MHYC Corpsmembers demonstrate on a regular basis is impressive. The positive impact that MHYC delivers to our community is clear.” Greg Baker, Aurora Water
Frequently Asked Questions
Hiring a Mile High Youth Corps crew will provide you with an energetic, productive group of young adults trained with the necessary skills to complete the job. We contract on a weekly basis and provide competitive rates for our services. This could be a Corpsmember’s first job or a Crew Leader’s first time supervising a crew. It is important to remember that we do not run professional crews. However, our Project Coordinators work with partners to set realistic expectations and goals for each project. We have a strong performance track record with our project partners. Hiring a MHYC crew provides an opportunity to grow a young person’s experience in the field of conservation.
In the months or weeks prior to the project, you and a MHYC staff member will typically meet for a site visit where you’ll walk the site, discuss project objectives, determine logistics and identify any hazards. During the first few days of a project, it’s preferable to have a project partner on site or within close communication to the crew to provide feedback and troubleshoot any issues that arise. As the projects go on, less on-site supervision may be needed. Project partners are asked to complete evaluations at the end of each project. The feedback we receive from partners helps inform our trainings and leads to program and project improvements.
MHYC crews are comprised of 7-9 young adults (ages 18-24) directed by a Crew Leader. For each week of the project, MHYC will provide at least 320 hours inclusive of education activities and travel time to and from the project site. Crews typically complete projects on a 4x10 hour day schedule, with one hour each day devoted to an educational activity.
MHYC land conservation program employs hand crews, chainsaw crews and pesticide application crews. Hand crews are equipped with a variety of digging, grubbing, shaping, hammering, spreading and cutting tools (full list available upon request). Sawyer crews run Stihl chainsaws and carry associated fuel, lubricants, parts and tools. A wood chipper is also available for rental on chainsaw projects. Pesticide application crews are provided with backpack sprayers, additional PPE and spill kits.
MHYC Energy and Water crews arrive equipped with the tools necessary for energy and water retrofits.
Project Partners are encouraged to provide the crew with a general overview of their organization and how the goals of the project fit into the organization’s mission statement or master plan. In addition, partners are more than welcome to lead educational opportunities for the crew, but it is not expected.
Book Your Crew
Request a quote to define your project scope, contract, and implementation timeline.
