You do not need outdoor experience to begin. Attend a New Volunteer Orientation, then join outings alongside experienced NYC ICO volunteers.

Four steps to get involved

1. Attend an orientation. New Volunteer Orientation is held online or in person at Norrøna in SoHo. Email nycico.newvolunteer@gmail.com for the next date.
2. Complete onboarding. After orientation, prospective volunteers receive the current application and Code of Conduct directly. Intake and operational forms are not published on the public website.
3. Join the Sierra Club. Membership is required for volunteers participating in Sierra Club outings.
4. Go on trips. Approved volunteers receive access to the private trip calendar and volunteer communication channels.

Becoming a certified leader

Leaders are trained from within the volunteer community. Current requirements include:

• Current Sierra Club membership
• Required background screening
• Basic First Aid and CPR, or Wilderness First Aid for trips where emergency medical services would take more than one to two hours to reach the group
• Outdoor Leadership Training
• Mandated Reporter Training
• Respectful Leadership and Intervention Training
• Equal Opportunity Policy Training
• Shadowing two trips and provisionally leading one trip
• Chair approval

How training works

• Wilderness First Aid is offered yearly.
• Outdoor Leadership Training is offered annually as either a one-morning hybrid course or a two-day in-person weekend course.
• New leaders learn the planning process by shadowing experienced certified leaders.

Current leaders

Current leaders can access the private Sierra Club Campfire workspace. Google Drive access is shared during onboarding. If you need access restored, email sierraclub.nycico@gmail.com.

Ready to start?

Email nycico.newvolunteer@gmail.com to ask about the next orientation.