Climate Action Corps began as California pilot and has spread to 12 states, guest says

Josh, a guest on the Maddy Report, described several youth-focused service programs overseen by California Volunteers and said the Climate Action Corps began as a California pilot before spreading to other states. He said the program served as the model for the American Climate Corps and emphasizes paid local action on climate resilience.

The programs Josh discussed include the Climate Action Corps, the Youth Service Corps, AmeriCorps programs and College Corps. Josh said the Climate Action Corps "was created here in California, and we actually piloted it here in the valley," and that it "has now spread to 12 other states" and influenced the American Climate Corps. He described the Climate Action Corps as paying "young people to organize in their community to make their communities more sustainable and more resilient."

On the Youth Service Corps, Josh said the program targets young people who are not on a college track and who may face employment barriers, including foster youth and people who were formerly incarcerated. "They need a second chance," he said, describing the program as providing paid roles that let participants contribute and gain work experience.

Josh also noted California's AmeriCorps programs, saying they provide educational resources in the valley, and made a scale comparison: he asserted that, collectively, the state's service programs are "bigger than the entire Peace Corps just here in California alone." The interview was a descriptive overview; no policy vote or formal decision was announced during the segment.