We are 100% Volunteer Run!
Inner City Outings is a Sierra Club program that is completely run by volunteers. The heart of our program is getting inner city kids involved with our natural world.  We welcome new volunteers to the New York City ICO group and there are many ways to become involved as an ICO volunteer.  To start, volunteers go on trips with the kids under the leadership of a more experienced ICO volunteer who is a certified outdoor leader.  Volunteers with a little experience can become assistant leaders.  And, since we are expanding the number of organizations we work with, we need more certified leaders. We have a program to train volunteers to fill this role.  There are also many roles within the NYC ICO organization that need to be filled in addition to working on the trips themselves.

So, we welcome your participation. There is lots to do and lots of fun doing it. And be assured that whatever you give will be returned to you many times in satisfaction and good memories

1. Join the Sierra Club. Click here to join.
2. Print and complete the Volunteer application, available in Word and pdf format.
3. Attend a new volunteer orientation. See the Special Events page for the next ICO meeting.
4. To get regular postings of what's going on in New York ICO, subscribe to the NYICO listserve by sending a message to LISTSERV@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG. Leave the subject blank, and put INFO OA-ICO-NYC-FORUM in the body.
   To get off the OA-ICO-NYC-FORUM list, send any message to:
   OA-ICO-NYC-FORUM-signoff-request@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG.
   Alternatively, to get on or off the list serve or to change your settings, visit this page.
   Once you are on the list serve, you can post messages by sending email to the address:
   OA-ICO-NYC-FORUM@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG.

And thanks for considering joining us on this wonderful adventure.

Volunteer Requirements

Tier One: Basic Volunteer Requirements

For anyone (including Guests, Administrative Volunteers and Committee Coordinators) who would like to attend an ICO trip

o      Current member of Sierra Club

o      at least 18 years old

o      Complete and/or sign the following forms:

¤       ICO Volunteer Application

¤       ICO Code of Ethics

¤       Sierra Club Outings Volunteer Agreement

Once a Basic Volunteer has attended a minimum of two ICO outings, they may begin working on Tier Two certification requirements and become an ICO Assistant Leader!!

Tier Two: Assistant Leader Requirements

For all volunteers (including Administrative Volunteers and Committee Coordinators) who would like to become an Assistant Leader with ICO

o      Complete all "BASIC" requirements

o      Complete Basic OLT-101 online training

o      Commit to regular attendance on outings for 1 year

o      Get a criminal background check through the NYC ICO Chair

o      Become linked with a mentor hiking leader

o      Assist on at least two ICO outings (including pre-trip meetings)

o      Receive favorable evaluations from the trip leaders

o      Receive official invite to be an Assistant Leader of ICO by ICO Chair!!

Tier Three: Certified Leader Requirements

For any volunteer who would like to become a Certified Leader for a specific agency

o      Complete all "BASIC" and "ASSISTANT" requirements

o      Gain WILDERNESS FIRST AID certification

o      Participate in advanced OLT-101 training weekend

o      Provisionally lead at least one ICO outing and receive positive evaluation from the Certified Leader

o      Be familiar with the ICO Leader Training Manual (Purple Book)

o      Have a thorough understanding of the responsibilities of ICO volunteers, agency personnel and the participants

o      Have outing participant skills appropriate for the activities of the trips being lead

o      Have CPR certification (for water trips only)

o      Receive official invite to lead outings from ICO Chair!!

Certification requirements, including conditional certification and national ICO requirements (Word format)