HOPE Crew

HOPE Crew

Empowering a new generation of preservationists through Hands-On Preservation Experience

Preservation Need

Across the nation historic places are fading, eroded by time, weather and neglect.
+ Youth Corps Energy

Meanwhile, thousands of young people are eager to learn skills that can lead to well-paying and rewarding jobs
= HOPE Crew

HOPE Crew is the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Hands on Preservation Experience” program

HOPE Crew - Hands-On Preservation Experience

Engaging a New Generation of Preservationists

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has launched an initiative to train more young people in preservation crafts while helping to protect historic cultural sites on public lands. Named “HOPE Crew” for “Hands-On Preservation Experience,” the program links preservation projects to the national youth corps movement. It brings the potential for thousands of crew members to work on hundreds of sites, learning preservation craft skills while rehabilitating historic places.

Partners Unite

In partnership with The Corps Network, we are bringing together places in need with HOPE Crews at preservation projects nationwide. The Corps Network is the national association of 100+ Service and Conservation Corps, representing 27,000 youth who provide 13.5 million hours of service annually.

Preservation Experts Train Crew Members

To enable the youth corps to successfully complete rehabilitation projects at historic sites, the Trust coordinates support from its broad network of partners and preservation experts in order to provide a preservation advisor and a craft expert for each project. The advisor, working pro-bono, helps guide each project by answering preservation-related questions as well as helping the crew members understand and appreciate the historic significance of the project. The craft expert, paid through the project’s budget, helps train the corpsmembers on techniques such as repointing, carpentry, and window restoration. We are always on the lookout for experts to add to our database as this is an essential part to getting a project off the ground. If you are interested in serving as either a craft expert or preservation advisor on an upcoming project, please submit your information here.

America’s Past Preserved for the Future

HOPE Crews bolster local economies and help breathe new life into historic places in need of revitalization. The rehabilitation work the Crews perform at historic places ensure that key pieces of America’s past are preserved for the benefit of future generations.