Youth Community Access Internship

The California Natural Resource Agency (CNRA) is a California state agency whose mission is “to restore, protect and manage the state’s natural, historical and cultural resources for current and future generations using creative approaches and solutions based on science, collaboration, and respect for all the communities and interests involved.”

On November 8, 2016, Californians voted yes on Proposition 64, which legalized the sale and recreational use of cannabis to people over the age of 21.

This proposition created the Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account (YEPEITA) into which the State Controller deposits 60 percent (60%) of the tax revenues from marijuana sales for youth programs designed to educate about and prevent substance use disorders and to prevent harm from substance use.

On 15 November 2023, all grant awardees were invited to celebrate the new Outdoors for All Strategy plan that aims to provide equitable access to natural resources and outdoor spaces to all Californians regardless of their background, community and socio-economic status.

This internship program was developed for youth who come from underserved communities and/or who have been disproportionately affected by past federal and state drug policies more famously known as the War on Drugs. 

The communities most affected by the War on Drugs were communities of color and low-income communities. These communities suffered from mass incarcerations, decreased access to social services, loss of educational attainment, loss of access to public assistance and the separation of families. 

Through this YCA internship program, SERG aims to be a bridge for youth of the communities who are still experiencing the multi-generational impacts of the War on Drugs.

All interns will be paid an hourly rate of $22.70, allowing them to focus on advancing their education and trade skills without having to choose between a better future and a paid job due to financial need.

SERG interns will be starting out with a competitive salary for various reasons. A higher starting salary can help them enter higher paying jobs in the future, it can give them negotiating leverage to secure higher compensation in new job offers, and it can help them stand out to future employers positioning them as valuable assets to any company, ensuring they are rewarded fairly. 

Our purpose is to level the industry standard salary for youth who come from underserved communities, ensuring equal opportunities for career advancement and the acquisition of trade skills and experience.

SERG interns will have the opportunity to cultivate soft and hard skills relevant to the habitat restoration field.

The core soft skills of the SERG non-profit– philomathy, synergy, emotional intelligence, creative thinking and cultural empathy– are integral to becoming compassionate stewards of this land and will be cultivated in all interns.

The hard skills developed at SERG will equip interns with technical expertise and practical knowledge necessary to thrive in environmental careers. Below is a list of some of the hard skills interns will cultivate during this internship (this is not an all-encompassing list):

• Plant identification of Southern California native and non-native flora
• Various habitat restoration models and techniques to help identify the most effective methods for rehabilitating degraded ecosystems
• Collect native seed & plant material for propagation, sow seeds, and transplant (repotting) young native plants
• Recognize and address plant needs and common plant pests in a nursery/greenhouse setting
• Participate in vegetation surveys using monitoring techniques appropriate to each habitat type and plant composition 
• Participate in the preparation and delivery of technical reports (similar to scientific reports)
• Data management, data entry and data analysis across various projects
• Safe use of pesticides in compliance with California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CA DPR) laws for effective weed abatement
• Safe use of hand and power tools most commonly used for weed abatement purposes (i.e. pruners, loppers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers, weed whips)
• Native plant outplanting, irrigation installation and outplant maintenance

If this internship sounds like a great fit for you, you may be wondering if you meet the qualifications. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be between the ages of 18-26
• Reside in a household where combined earnings are 80% or less of the area median income (AMI). According to recent data, the median household income in San Diego is approximately $65,753. Therefore, an annual income of $52,602 or less.
• Reside in a low-income, underserved, and immigrant community and/or a community of color, including or coming from a Native American or Indigenous community
• Identify with a minority group and/or be a person of color (POC)
• Show an interest in pursuing a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), natural resources and/or life sciences
• Be currently enrolled or show interest in enrolling in an accredited 2-4 year institution upon completion of internship program
• Be available for full-time employment between May-October 2025, start and end dates may vary

If you are interested, but are currently enrolled in school and think you might have scheduling conflicts, contact us at jdiegohernandez@sdsu.edu with the subject “YCA Internship Question”