SCA Members in New York State have a comprehensive chain of supervision:
On-Site Supervisor: Your go-to contact for issues or questions pertaining to lodging, position responsibilities, daily activities, coworkers, travel, and time log approval.
SCA NY Program Coordinators Zachary Russell, Helena Mazurek, Andrew Crowe: If you feel uncomfortable bringing something up with your PARKS/DEC supervisor, have issues with your supervisor/workplace, or need assistance with SCA administrative responsibilities/ trainings, contact Zachary.
Program Coordinator Andrew Crowe (Hudson Valley Corps): 419-575-6416, acrowe@thesca.org
Program Coordinator Helena Mazurek (Hudson Valley Corps): 585-690-4835, hmazurek@thesca.org
Program Coordinator Zachary Russell (New York State Parks Corps): 203-209-5214, zrussell@thesca.org
SCA NY Program Manager Joel Rake-Marona: If you feel uncomfortable bringing something up with the above two contacts, reach out to Elizabeth Young or Joel Rake-Marona.
Program Manager Joel Rake-Marona 703-952-1677, jrakemarona@thesca.org
Program Manager Elizabeth Young 845-270-1367, lyoung@thesca.org
Respectively, the SCA NYSPC and SCA HVC program schedules includes SCA mandatory trainings/events, SCA optional trainings/events, and trainings/events facilitated by PARKS, The DEC, or other partners. Your Program Coordinator will provide Members with an initial program schedule during New Member Orientation. An updated copy of the schedule will be on the shared HVC or NYSPC Member Drives.
Throughout the season SCA New York will offer members a range of mandatory and optional trainings. When a training is several days long and mandatory, overnight accommodations and food will be provided. Here is a sample of trainings offered by SCA New York:
New Member Orientation
Wilderness First Aid & CPR
Mental Health First Aid
Leave No Trace Level 1 Educator
SCA Professional Development Sessions
And More!
Your SCA Program Coordinator will be conducting three official check-ins: a virtual meeting in the early spring or after your start date, an in-person meeting in the late spring/ early summer, and another virtual meeting in the early fall.
Each week, a SCA New York Program Coordinator will send out the "Monday Member Minutes," a long-form update covering the SCA, AmeriCorps, the Hudson Valley Corps, and the NYS Parks Corps. Please monitor your personal and host site-provided (if applicable) emails for these each week. There is often event notifications, event sign-ups, and alerts about service opportunities around the state!
SCA NY Members can use $100 of professional development funding throughout their term. The Professional Development Fund must be used for relevant, purposeful, useful, educational experiences. To use:
Research the educational opportunity.
Contact your SCA Program Coordinator for clearance.
Pay for the course yourself.
Submit the receipt(s) through the provided portal for reimbursement.
Members often have access to partner vehicles for service activities. Members in SCA NY programs hosted in DEC or partner positions must complete the SCA GHRR check, be over the age of 21, have held their license for over three years, and complete the SCA Driver's Education course. Members in SCA NY programs hosted in OPRHP positions must be over the age of 21, and have held their license for over three years, and complete the OPRHP Driver's Education course.
In most cases, OPRHP, The DEC, or our partners will provide a Member suitable transportation for SCA NY events. If given the option, always use a OPRHP, DEC, or partner vehicle over a personal vehicle. If a OPRHP, DEC, or partner vehicle is not available for a SCA NY event, (with prior approval from your Program Coordinator) the SCA will pay for mileage reimbursement at the current going rate. Contact your Program Coordinator for reimbursement.
For some positions in New York City, The SCA has a deal to reimburse Members (or Site Supervisors) for MTA fees encumbered on the OMNY (One Metro New York) system during service. This is for specific cases, and Members that receive this benefit will be provided further instructions.