Cairn Program: Youth & Mentorship

Monthly programming for front range students

(14-18 YEARS OLD)

COnnect with nature.

grow through service.


Founded in 2008, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado’s (VOC) Cairn Program is a 9-month youth leadership and environmental stewardship program for high school students along the Front Range.


Each school year, 20–25 students take part in monthly outdoor activities and hands-on stewardship projects, ranging from trail building and habitat restoration to planting and conservation work across Colorado.


Guided by adult mentors, students build leadership skills, form lasting friendships, learn about environmental issues impacting Colorado, and explore career paths in conservation and natural resources. The program culminates with students planning and leading their own stewardship project, giving them real-world experience and a tangible impact on the places they care about most.

WHAT STUDENTS GAIN


  • Make friends and build community
  • Learn about environmental issues impacting Colorado and beyond
  • Build leadership skills through hands-on projects
  • Earn community service hours while spending time outside
  • Strengthen your résumé and earn letters of recommendation
  • Explore careers in natural resources and outdoor fields
  • Make a real, visible impact


STUDENT REQUIREMENTS


  • Must be 14–18 years old and enrolled in grades 9–12 
  • Commit to attending once-a-month activities hosted September – April 
  • Have an interest in environmental stewardship 
  • Attend Student Orientation on August 22nd (2 hours in the evening) 
  • Students may participate over multiple years, though annual applications are required 

WHY MENTOR WITH VOC


  • Make a real difference in the lives of local Colorado youth
  • Teach stewardship through fun, hands-on experiences
  • Grow your leadership skills and strengthen your résumé
  • Get early project registration and OSI training discounts


MENTOR REQUIREMENTS


  • Prior experience working with and leading youth
  • Must be at least 21 years of age or older
  • Must successfully pass reference and background checks 
  • Attend a 2-hour in-person training in August
  • Commit to attending once-a-month activities September – April (approx. 7-10 hours/month) 
  • Willingness and ability to transport students in large passenger vans or pick-up trucks to events
  • Willingness and ability to lead students in activities throughout the program (i.e. team-building, ice breakers, outdoor stewardship, etc.)


Mentors may serve for several years if they are invited back into the program.


Our award-winning high school program guides and challenges students to become caretakers of Colorado's natural resources.


Applications are currently closed.

scholarship opportunity

The Grossman Scholarship helps make educational dreams possible for those who have demonstrated a commitment to caring for our environment's natural resources.

Grossman Scholarship applications open each winter, with recipients notified the following spring for awards applied to the next academic year.