Activities are meeting goals through instruction that connects to nature experience and environmental stewardship, as well as community outreach and civic engagement. The youth leaders meet at Wassup Wednesdays to plan out priority service projects activities, such as designing and printing their own YOL uniform T-Shirts, preparing a Farm to Table meal, speaking at the Parks Commission on issues regarding parks, open spaces and cultural inequities, and presenting their cultural artwork through the Latino Affairs Commission. Objectives for all activities are measured through successful participation and qualitative survey feedback. Skill based activities such as learning to swim and leading younger youth activities are measured through individual testing, certification and observation. Participants in ecosystem activities continue to report (as measured through family surveys) having more comfort in the natural outdoor environment and interest in sharing their new skills and interest with others, thereby creating more responsible park users and nature stewards. The youth leaders have completed a full Learn-To Swim series, along with a summer Pool Guards program. Program Parents also took part in a water safety course and reported increased comfort in and around our ocean and creek ecosystems. As they learn how to be safe and enjoy nature to the fullest, the youth have participated in multiple opportunities to teach others about these resources. The youth leaders have enjoyed Brommer Park as a safe space where they can celebrate community by learning cultural dances, art and music among other rich traditions. In particular, a series of Cultural Art classes at Brommer resulted in a series of public presentations, strengthening public speaking and presentation skills. The first presentation of the sculptural artwork was for parents and neighbors, outdoors at Brommer Park. Soon after, youth presented their art at the County Fair, and finally were invited by the Latino Affairs Commission to present and display their work at the County Government Building.

Each of these experiences built on the last, building leadership and public speaking skills. Our Natural Area trips have been a hit, including parents and siblings as well as the full youth cohort. We were able to visit Quail Hollow County park not only for the Perseid Meteor Shower, but also to complete a service project alongside an AmeriCorps team. Additionally, our visit to Big Basin, hosted by CA State Parks interpreters, was made even more meaningful with the invitation to participate in “Reimagining Big Basin,” a community design session. All Natural Area trips include planned time for participant self-discovery through journaling and reflection activities, exploration, and opportunities to form a personal connection to nature.

Activities met goals through instruction connected to nature experience and environmental stewardship, as well as community outreach, civic engagement, healthy lifestyles and sound nutritional habits. Youth planned service projects, such as tree planting, speaking at Parks Commission, presenting cultural art forms, and creating the meal plans for Natural Area Trips. Objectives were measured through successful participation, qualitative survey feedback, individual testing, certification and/or observation. Youth completed the Jr Lifeguards, Camping 101 and reported increased comfort in and around water and forest ecosystems. Youth enjoyed Brommer Park as a safe space to celebrate community with year 2 of Cultural Art, which led to award-winning displays at the County Fair and a performance at a local festival All Natural Area trips included planned time for self-discovery through journaling & reflection activities, exploration, and opportunities to form a personal connection to nature.

Our partnerships continue to be our strength. Our Community outreach and intake partner has continued to provide family support before, during and after activities. Our County Parks partners continue to provide vans, access to the pool, waived activity permits and staff as planned. Our State Parks partners have invited and provided interpretation, waived fees, offered guidance and planning support.

The land managing agencies named in the grant have continued to help plan for potential career opportunities, collaborative internships etc. Additionally, new opportunities have emerged through partners, such as sending youth to Outdoor Youth Connection and professionals to Outdoor Recreation Leadership.

Another new partnership is with the Latino Affairs Commission, who honored the Youth with an invitation to display artwork from cultural art classes at Brommer Park at our County Government Building. It has been a pleasant surprise how many partners are excited to work with our youth; that invitations to new and varied projects seem to be increasing. Therefore, we have learned to pause before accepting new ideas so we can consult with the youth themselves to determine when to engage. This has become an unexpected, welcome part of their leadership process and our program.

Our existing partnerships have continued to be strong: C2C, County Parks, Friends of State Parks and The Land Trust, CA State Parks OCI led are amazing. New partnerships have emerged, such as Barrios Unidos providing gathering space for unplanned rainy days. CA Watermen provided surf lessons at discount. Ecology Action hosted sessions on bike safety, repairs, how to ride, free bike accessories, and more. Jenny Robles Jarkim, freelance Folklorico Teacher with Senderos, volunteered to teach dance using the diablo masks the students made, and helped us put on a cultural performance at a local festival. Homeless Garden Project led a tour. ParkRx provided no-cost swim lessons for those who had not previously passed them. The Shady Ladies community group partnered for the tree planting. Ventures Youth Financial Health Division provided us with 4 free workshops on financial health for our senior leaders.

It is essential that the organization have enough cash flow to run the program even with long delays in reimbursement. For example, we have recently reeceived reimbursement for work completed in Q1 and Q2 of 2023, and we funded the program costs up front. This may be difficult for many orgs focused on equity, as capacity for the demanding Admin may be a barrier. Organizations, especially smaller ones, should clearly understand that significant time will be spent on administration for reimbursement.

We recommend offering a simple assortment of in community activities that can be available/repeated at multiple dates and times, rather than one time or very limited offerings. This will ensure that many community members have the opportunity to participate and build trust for Natural Area trip participation.

We recommend building in, inviting presentations and involvement by visiting professionals who are representative of the community. This has been a very popular and impactful part of our program and has added great value to the understanding of career pathways. Whenever possible, consider programming options for parents and siblings to join. By planning this way, we have not only served 2224 youth, but also an additional 929 family members for a total of 3153 people.

Working with youth and families has been a resounding success! We incorporate nature exploration and foster social responsibility. We embrace diverse backgrounds, including neurodivergence, with various levels of support, ensuring our approach is adaptable, inclusive, equitable, and compassionate. We plan carefully based on community input, w/ frequent surveys for best days/times, transportation, etc. This helps us lead with intent, using every activity to build resilience, providing opportunities for artistic expression, personal reflection, introspection, and immersion in nature. A big challenge has been food for In Community Activities. In the community we serve, it is essential to provide food. If kids come with empty stomachs, they are distracted from learning and enjoying the activity. For future grants, we strongly recommend including budget for food at ALL activities. Addressing this structural barrier is critical for equitable access and effective program delivery.