INTRODUCTION
BECOMING AN INCLUSIVE CORPS: TAKING INTENTIONAL STEPS TO BE INCLUSIVE
CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND LESSONS LEARNED
1. Lessons Learned – Utah and Minnesota Conservation Corps
2. Disability Benefits and AmeriCorps
RESOURCES
APPENDIX A: Project Examples
APPENDIX B: Training Materials
1. Disability Awareness Training Script
APPENDIX C: Additional Tools

I. Introduction

Overview and History of the UCC Inclusive Projects

The UCC inclusive crews have focused on the following two main project areas: 1) accessibility surveys and transition plans for the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service, and 2) the development of an accessible community garden.

Accessibility surveys are a critical first step in the development of transition plans. During the survey, each portion of a structure is compared to accessibility standards or guidelines, and compliance and deficiencies are recorded. Every Forest Service unit in the nation is required by law to have transition plans in place, however, many do not. The UCC inclusive crew has demonstrated that it is an effective partner in addressing this federal mandate and making developed areas on federal lands accessible to users of all abilities.

Since the inception of the UCC's inclusive program, crew members have conducted accessibility surveys on 16 trails and 40 campgrounds. In 2009, the UCC inclusive crew assisted the U.S. Forest Service on the national level in the development of a new accessibility information database that will provide the public with information on accessible campsites, facilities, and services. The accessibility information gathered and entered into the database automatically feeds Forest Service District web portals that are accessed by the public. Conservation Corps throughout the country will now be able to enter accessibility information into the new database in a consistent manner, making the inclusive crew program model easily replicable by other corps. Quintin, a UCC crew leader who is blind, worked very closely with database developers to ensure that data entry could be completed by someone who uses a screen reader. Many people with disabilities, such as blindness and mobility impairments, rely on a screen reader to use their computer.

The crew not only surveys accessibility and identifies barriers for trails and campgrounds, they are also an active part of the solution. Inclusive crews are trained in trail maintenance and construction, making it possible for them to remove some barriers while the crew is on-site. For example, sections of trail can be widened, rocks can be removed, and vegetation can be pruned. The UCC crew has worked hand-in-hand with the Cache National Forest to develop ways to make trails and campgrounds more accessible. At Tony Grove Lake, the crew helped install accessible door handles on restrooms and conducted trail work to remove barriers. Quintin Williams, a UCC inclusive crew member who is blind, is developing an audio interpretive tour of the Logan River nature trail.

In addition to the Cache National Forest in our backyard, the UCC inclusive crew also worked with the Evanston Ranger District, Ogden Ranger District, and Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. On the Evanston Ranger District, the crew surveyed a trail at Bridger Lake in the Uinta Mountains. The crew’s recommendations are being used to make this trail accessible. On the Ogden Ranger District, the crew surveyed Anderson Cove campground at Pineview Reservoir. This is a new campground that was designed to be accessible; however, there is no accessible path to the beach. Swimming and water recreation are the main reasons people visit the Reservoir, so this access is a critical part of the experience. The crew will be working with the Ogden Ranger District designing and assisting in the construction of an accessible trail to the beach.

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