Boston Climate Youth Corps advances climate action

“This initiative shows how climate action and workforce development go hand in hand, empowering young people to protect their communities while building the green and blue careers of the future. Investing in our youth is investing in a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable Boston.”

As a pilot programme, the Boston Climate Youth Corps is a key component of the City’s sector-based youth employment strategy. The initiative allowed the City to test new models for integrating climate goals into youth jobs programming, track outcomes, highlight best practices, and assess opportunities for long-term expansion.

While PowerCorpsBOS remains Boston’s flagship year-round green workforce development program for young adults ages 18-30, the Climate Youth Corps focuses on younger participants through summer youth employment and is built around trusted, community-based organisations. PowerCorpsBOS continues to serve as an anchor and next step for young people seeking long-term careers in the green sector.

“Boston’s commitment to climate action goes hand-in-hand with cultivating a skilled, diverse green workforce,” said Oliver Sellers-Garcia, Green New Deal Director and Environment Department Commissioner. “The Boston Climate Youth Corps is a vital investment in our young people, giving them the paid, hands-on experience needed to build climate resilience and drive environmental justice in our neighbourhoods. Climate action is not just about the environment; it’s an economic win for Boston and for Boston’s workers.”

Boston cannot have a climate-ready city without a climate-ready workforce. Over the next 25 years, Boston will need approximately 160,000 workers across 45 occupations to design, build, and operate a thriving green economy.

“The Boston Climate Youth Corps is a vital investment in our young people, giving them the paid, hands-on experience needed to build climate resilience and drive environmental justice in our neighbourhoods”

To achieve this, the City is taking coordinated action to strengthen what is working, identify growth opportunities, and create partnerships to further drive progress. Various local green industry organisations are already shaping the city’s next generation of climate leaders through youth programming. Recognising the importance of this work and building on the success of the City’s youth employment model, the Boston Climate Youth Corps works to unify these organisations.

Boston Climate Youth Corps partnered with five local organisations: Alternatives for Community and Environment, Cathleen Stone Island, Eastie Farm, Piers Park Sailing Center, and Speak for the Trees. This past summer, these organisations employed a total of 215 young Bostonians in hands-on green industry jobs that lead to quality, high-paying careers and address the negative impact of climate change.

The programme has been funded largely in the fiscal 2026 annual operating budget with support from state YouthWorks grant and leveraged the partnership of trusted youth employment partners to deepen young people’s exposure to climate careers.