Reno ICO is not just about getting young people outside and going on adventures.  It is also about the community of Reno ICO Volunteers.

Why become an ICO Volunteer?

Whether your interest is in developing the next generation of environmental activists, getting outside with really cool people, engaging in a community of like minded people, or improving your outdoor or leadership skills, becoming an ICO volunteer opens up so many doors.

The most common reason people join Reno ICO is to provide access to outdoor adventure to people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience these activities. That may be due to a person’s economic situation, a self-perception that people like me don’t go to the mountains or don’t go backpacking, or maybe there is no one who has offered to lead someone on an outing.

One of the coolest things about Reno ICO is that you need no outdoor experience, no specialized gear and no money to go on ICO adventures as a volunteer. ICO will provide you with training and experiences that will help you to improve your outdoor skills and be able to become a participant or even a leader in the outdoors.

What does a Reno ICO Volunteer do?

Reno ICO volunteer tasks fall into two categories:

• Members of the Reno ICO Leadership Team work behind the scenes to make trips happen. From fundraising, coordinating clothing and gear for trips, keeping track of data, writing articles for our newsletter or website or social media, to supporting volunteers and trip leaders, the leadership team makes it happen. Serving on the Leadership Team is a great way for people to participate who want to support the cause and may not even want to go on outdoor adventures. Read more about joining the Reno ICO Leadership Team.
• Primarily, Reno ICO Volunteers go on ICO backpacking, snowshoeing, hiking, and whitewater rafting trips, and support the Trip Leader in planning and leading safe, fun, and engaging trips. There is much to do to make ICO trips a success. Here are a few of the many ways that a volunteer can help out on a trip:                                             
• • Before The Trip:
    • Join the trip leader in going to our gear storage and organizing clothing and equipment for the trip.
    • Help plan the menu and/or shop for food.
  • During The Trip
    • Serve as the lead or sweep on the trail, making sure that everyone stays together.
    • Help the group to cook and clean up from meals.
    • Help youth learn everything from fitting snowshoes, pitching a tent, using a compass, to paddling technique.   
  • After The Trip
    • Clean and return gear to storage
    • Write an article about the experience, including pictures.

Volunteer tasks can often be customized around your interests. Often times it is “learn by doing” with support from the Trip Leader or another volunteer. It is important to note that ICO adventures are participatory – everyone takes part!  So volunteers are mainly teaching and supporting youth as they experience the outing. For safety reasons, all volunteers who go on an ICO Adventure with youth must consent to a background check.

Becoming an ICO Volunteer…

These are the steps to becoming an ICO Volunteer.

1. Join the Sierra Club ($15 per year – scholarships available)
2. Fill out a few forms.

Read more about volunteering for ICO

Click here to become an ICO Volunteer.

To get on the Reno ICO mailing list for the Retreat or for questions about becoming a volunteer, please contact Reno ICO Volunteer Coordinator, Tracey Pomeroy at pomerot@gmail.com.