Opportunities From: Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado

 Why it's Important: Being prepared for the unexpected can save lives. The Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course teaches students the skills to anticipate risks and hazards, identify medical, traumatic, environmental problems, recognize life-threatening issues, initiate basic care and deliver a cohesive report. VOC projects and trainings often take place in remote areas, and participating in this training is a great way to increase the safety of your crew.

What you'll learn: This learning experience forces students to think creatively, adapt to ever changing situations, and learn valuable leadership, decision making, and communication skills. Some topics covered in this course include:

Essential Details:

If you have questions or concerns please contact Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Are you interested in being a VOC Crew Chef? Learn tips and tricks from seasoned VOC Crew Chefs about how to cook for VOC volunteers in the great outdoors.

Volunteer Crew Chefs play a fun, yet vital role on VOC projects. They ensure that volunteers stay well-fed and well-fueled! If you are an organized individual with a passion for food, sign up for this online webinar to learn more about supplying and/or cooking meals for volunteers in some of Colorado's most spectacular places. We will cover the basics of the Crew Chef role including proper meal planning, safe food prep, camp set-up and clean-up, zero waste methods, and many other topics related to managing an outdoor kitchen.

If you have questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

VOC projects require a variety of tools and equipment to be successful. Behind every major VOC project is a tool manager who plans and manages the tool requirements. Tool managers work with the project team to determine which equipment and tools are needed, and ensure tools, project supplies, and crew chef equipment are transported to the project site, and that volunteer crews have proper and operable equipment.

For this FREE morning training, we'll gather at VOC's Operations Center in Lakewood to talk about how tool managers work with the rest of the project planning team, assemble a tool list, transport tools to and from the site, stage tools for crews, help with camp setup, and more.

This training will take place on Saturday, March 21 from 10:00AM-12:00PM.

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

In this Saturday afternoon workshop, you will receive a universally applicable certification training in Adult CPR, AED, and First Aid to deliver life-saving care in the outdoors. Signs and symptoms of common injuries and illnesses will be demonstrated in sample scenarios and accompanied by the recommended steps to aid the patient while emergency medical services are en route. With a small class size, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and practice your training in a hands-on setting.

Essential Details:

For questions please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

In this Saturday afternoon workshop, you will receive a universally applicable recertification training in Adult CPR, AED, and First Aid to deliver life-saving care in the outdoors. This course is for folks who have been previously certified in First Aid and CPR. In this course you will review signs and symptoms of common injuries and illnesses will be demonstrated in sample scenarios and accompanied by the recommended steps to aid the patient while emergency medical services are en route. With a small class size, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and practice your training in a hands-on setting.

Essential Details:

For questions please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Why it's important: Training for Crew Leadership for trails is an essential part of building the capacity for stewardship in Colorado. This is a great way to take your environmental stewardship to the next level. As a Crew Leader, you will gain an understanding of trail terminology, methodology, and fundamentals of the functionality of a trail. Crew Leaders are an key component of projects; they follow the instructions of Technical Advisors and motivate a strong team of volunteers to complete that work.

What you'll learn: Through pre-workshop preparation online, classroom sessions, field exercises and role-playing, Crew Leader Trainees will learn the fundamentals of trail maintenance, construction, restoration, and erosion control. Trainees will also learn about tools and tool safety including tool identification, carrying, use, and storage. Trainees will learn about how to assess risks to avoid injury, individual learning styles, listening skills, and conflict and dispute management. A successful Crew Leader will be able to assess the individuals that make up the crew, understand motivational types and be able to effectively communicate the components of sustainable trail maintenance to their team. By the time the course concludes, Crew Leader Trainees will know how to motivate individuals to produce the desired end results in a safe manner, while utilizing the varied skills offered. All trainees will receive a crew leader manual, access to online modules, and a set of quick reference cards for a successful and fun experience.

Where you'll be: This training will be at Castlewood Canyon State Park. The exact location of the training and a detailed schedule will be provided once you have paid for the training.

Essential Details: 

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado is teaming up with Mending Mountains Collective to offer a training on  Indigenous Environmental Stewardship. The goal of this training is for volunteers to deepen their understanding of Indigenous land stewardship practices and values, and to help foster a welcoming, inclusive, and collaborative culture. Please join us on this half-day workshop, followed by a session of field practice. This day is designed to open doors for outdoor enthusiasts, conservation practitioners, and dedicated volunteers, wherever they may be in their careers and journeys, in understanding the truth and reconciliation of the lands known as Colorado. Participants will strengthen their competency around land stewardship from an Indigenous perspective.

This training is free for VOC leaders and volunteers to participate in. It is our goal to remove barriers and welcome as many folks as we can for this training. We hope that participating in this training will provide an important perspective on environmental stewardship that will have a lasting impact on VOC’s work and community. We thank you for joining us on this training and for being an active steward of Colorado’s outdoors!

This training will take place in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The training will take place from 9:00am-2:00pm MST.  Sign up for this training to receive the exact location.

Note: VOC is not providing food on this training so please bring your own lunch. 

Why it's important:  Rock work is an essential part of outdoor stewardship and building sustainable trails. When done properly, projects with rock work can last much longer and be more effective at preventing erosion and keeping trail users safe. In this Saturday workshop, you'll have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field, including OSI Instructors who have been building and maintaining trails for decades. 

What you'll learn: This skills training will explore several basic concepts of rock structures and appropriate applications for multi-use trails. We will practice building commonly used structures, and trainees will come away with an enhanced ability to assess trails for practical rock work solutions. Some topics include armoring, constructing a mono-wall, and more! This training is in-person but also has an online component to be completed prior to the training.

Where you'll be: This training will take place at Garden of the Gods, near Colorado Springs. The exact location of the training and a detailed schedule will be provided once you have paid for the training.

Essential Details: 

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Why it's important: Training for Crew Leadership for trails is an essential part of building the capacity for stewardship in Colorado. This is a great way to take your environmental stewardship to the next level. As a Crew Leader, you will gain an understanding of trail terminology, methodology, and fundamentals of the functionality of a trail. Crew Leaders are an key component of projects; they follow the instructions of Technical Advisors and motivate a strong team of volunteers to complete that work.

What you'll learn: Through pre-workshop preparation online, classroom sessions, field exercises and role-playing, Crew Leader Trainees will learn the fundamentals of trail maintenance, construction, restoration, and erosion control. Trainees will also learn about tools and tool safety including tool identification, carrying, use, and storage. Trainees will learn about how to assess risks to avoid injury, individual learning styles, listening skills, and conflict and dispute management. A successful Crew Leader will be able to assess the individuals that make up the crew, understand motivational types and be able to effectively communicate the components of sustainable trail maintenance to their team. By the time the course concludes, Crew Leader Trainees will know how to motivate individuals to produce the desired end results in a safe manner, while utilizing the varied skills offered. All trainees will receive a crew leader manual, access to online modules, and a set of quick reference cards for a successful and fun experience.

Where you'll be: This training will be in the City of Ouray. The exact location of the training and a detailed schedule will be provided once you have paid for the training.

Essential Details: 

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Why it's important: Training for Crew Leadership for trails is an essential part of building the capacity for stewardship in Colorado. This is a great way to take your environmental stewardship to the next level. As a Crew Leader, you will gain an understanding of trail terminology, methodology, and fundamentals of the functionality of a trail. Crew Leaders are an key component of projects; they follow the instructions of Technical Advisors and motivate a strong team of volunteers to complete that work.

What you'll learn: Through pre-workshop preparation online, classroom sessions, field exercises and role-playing, Crew Leader Trainees will learn the fundamentals of trail maintenance, construction, restoration, and erosion control. Trainees will also learn about tools and tool safety including tool identification, carrying, use, and storage. Trainees will learn about how to assess risks to avoid injury, individual learning styles, listening skills, and conflict and dispute management. A successful Crew Leader will be able to assess the individuals that make up the crew, understand motivational types and be able to effectively communicate the components of sustainable trail maintenance to their team. By the time the course concludes, Crew Leader Trainees will know how to motivate individuals to produce the desired end results in a safe manner, while utilizing the varied skills offered. All trainees will receive a crew leader manual, access to online modules, and a set of quick reference cards for a successful and fun experience.

Where you'll be: This training will be at Golden Gate Canyon State Park. The exact location of the training and a detailed schedule will be provided once you have paid for the training.

Essential Details: 

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Why it's important: Noxious weeds represent a huge threat to all ecosystems across Colorado and are a huge challenge in the field of conservation. Learning how to control, mitigate, and safely treat noxious weeds is a valuable skill to make key contributions to environmental stewardship.

What you'll Learn: This training focuses on how to manage weeds on public lands. We will cover how to identify, inventory, map, and treat noxious weeds. There is also emphasis on the appropriate treatment protocol for individual species. There is also time dedicated to identifying common "look a likes" that can be mistaken as noxious weeds.

For questions please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

This training is designed to give you deeper knowledge into sustainable forestry management. As Colorado's climate changes, our forests face new challenges. This training gives you an introduction on how to manage our forests to be resilient and sustainable. Whether you are a sawyer, experienced volunteer, land owner, or land manager, this training will add lots to your toolbelt! 

This training will cover topics such as: climate change resilience, forest density, wildfire prevention, and pine beetle management. 

This training will take place in Evergreen, Colorado on Saturday, June 13. You must be present in-person to attend this training. This training will be a mix of classroom and field-based learning.

For questions, please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org 

Why it's important:  Rock work is an essential part of outdoor stewardship and building sustainable trails. When done properly, projects with rock work can last much longer and be more effective at preventing erosion and keeping trail users safe. In this Saturday workshop, you'll have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field, including OSI Instructors who have been building and maintaining trails for decades. 

What you'll learn: This skills training will explore several basic concepts of rock structures and appropriate applications for multi-use trails. We will practice building commonly used structures, and trainees will come away with an enhanced ability to assess trails for practical rock work solutions. Some topics include armoring, constructing a mono-wall, and more! This training is in-person but also has an online component to be completed prior to the training.

Where you'll be: This training will take place at Golden Gate Canyon State Park, near Golden Colorado. The exact location of the training and a detailed schedule will be provided once you have paid for the training.

Essential Details: 

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Why it's important: This training will go over essential skills for advanced trail work including turnpikes, rock structures, and timber steps. Building sustainable climbing turns is an essential part of outdoor stewardship and building sustainable trails. When done properly, projects with rock and timber can last much longer and be more effective at preventing erosion and keeping trail users safe. In this Friday workshop, you'll have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field, including OSI Instructors who have been building and maintaining trails for decades. 

 This training is designed to prepare volunteers for the Hogback Trail Reroute on June 27-28.

What you'll learn: This skills training will explore several advanced concepts such as climbing turns, retaining walls, and steep trail construction. Trainees will come away with an enhanced ability to construct sustainable trails.

Where you'll be: This training will be in near Granby Colorado. The exact location of the training and a detailed schedule will be provided once you have paid for the training.

Essential Details: 

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org

Why it's important: This training will go over essential skills for advanced trail work including turnpikes, rock structures, and timber steps. Building sustainable climbing turns is an essential part of outdoor stewardship and building sustainable trails. When done properly, projects with rock and timber can last much longer and be more effective at preventing erosion and keeping trail users safe. In this Friday workshop, you'll have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field, including OSI Instructors who have been building and maintaining trails for decades. 

 This training is designed to prepare volunteers for the Gilsonite Trail project on July 18-19.

What you'll learn: This skills training will explore several advanced concepts such as trail construction after a forest fire, erosion control in a flood zone, and rock structures that are appropriate for multi-use trails. Trainees will come away with an enhanced ability to assess trails for practical rock work solutions and sustainable trail construction.

Where you'll be: This training will be in near Granby, Colorado. The exact location of the training and a detailed schedule will be provided once you have paid for the training.

Essential Details: 

For questions or concerns please reach out to Benjamin Kromash at ben@voc.org