Young Adults Who Overcome Life Challenges through Education + Job Training San Jose Conservation Corps

One third of San Jose Conservation Corps students lack secure housing, so to meet this challenge, we have developed an innovative, cost efficient program to house students, provide job training and help low income families.

The program is called: Housing Solutions: Youth Housing Promise and here’s how it works:

Under the guidance of master instructors, students learn to build Portable Dwelling Units or PDUs. PDUs are basically tiny homes on wheels with each unit having a fully functional living space containing a kitchen, bathroom and flexible living area for eating, studying and sleeping.

Students receive paid job training to learn valuable construction trade skills.

Students that are housing unstable, can qualify to live in one of the units at significantly reduced rents, they can afford.

Having a safe place to live means students won’t have to worry about where they will sleep at night and can focus on school, work and their well being.

PDUs will be placed in backyards of host families at NO COST to the homeowner.

Rents will be restricted to about $1,000 per month so that each student pays only $500.

Host families will receive $500 a month in rent, which for seniors and low income homeowners will serve as a vital barrier to displacement because of the high cost of living.

Students and host families will be carefully matched and our staff will provide support services to ensure both the host family and students have a positive experience.

Housing Solutions: Youth Housing Promise is a win win for all!

Students obtain stability, pride and marketable skills.

Homeowners gain a much needed passive rental income.

Stemming homelessness and developing self-sufficient young men and women with a positive outlook on life will be a huge benefit to our entire community.

San Jose Conservation Corps members along with AmeriCorps members provided essential services as essential workers on the front lines in Santa Clara, California during the recent pandemic. Providing food safety by packaging and distributing food to community members in need as well as working in facilities to help those home challenged among the community. Also assisting along public roadways to keep public transportation routes safe and to mitigate fire hazard for upcoming wildfire season. 

Tanisha Glenn, Education Navigator at The San Jose Conservation Corps + Charter School talks about the 360 degree approach of support given to students to help them get their High School Diploma no matter what the obstacles!

At critical times in their lives, Paula and Jasmine realized they needed to change things. That  meant first getting their High School Diplomas! The San Jose Conservation Corps + Charter School provides the perfect environment for them to succeed. 

Founded by San Jose City Council members Susan Hammer and Shirley Lewis in 1987, the San Jose Conservation Corps was one of the first urban conservation corps in the country. With strong support from the City of San Jose, SJCC+CS began operations with over 20 Corpsmembers in January 1988. Since then SJCC+CS has grown, opening its charter school in 2002 and expanded to two campuses in 2010.

In 2001, SJCC+CS established a YouthBuild program, in partnership with the Department of Labor and AmeriCorps, helping to build affordable housing in San Jose while training students in the construction trades. While SJCC+CS no longer has a YouthBuild program, it continues to receive AmeriCorps funding, enabling current students to earn scholarships that can be used toward post-secondary education or vocational training.

Over the past thirty years, SJCC+CS has grown and modified its programs to meet the needs of the over 10,000 young adults who have benefited from our services. Each SJCC+CS graduate graduates with the potential to earn $400,000 over the course of their lifetime.

Since 2002, 3,134 youth have earned their high school diploma at SJCC+CS, creating a combined increased lifetime earnings of $1.25 billion.

Members of the San Jose Conservation Corps provide critical services to protect roadways from wildfires and falling trees. 

A young new mom speaks about the new responsibilities and challenges that pushed her to get her High School Diploma.