WILD’s mission is to provide opportunities and direction to underserved youth, using the natural world as a source of inspiration, strength, and knowledge.
OVERVIEW
WILD provides access to positive and challenging outdoor educational experiences for urban youth and young adults. The WILD program incorporates experiential education, healthy life skills, conservation, and sustainability by immersing our participants in the natural world. We provide hands-on adventure based education to create an everlasting bond with the outdoors. The program goal is to not only inspire the youth and strengthen communities, but also provide participants with ongoing development like scholarships, internships, and career opportunities. Many participants have not traveled far from their urban homes nor experienced character-building outdoor adventures.
WILD offers participants safe outdoor recreation spaces/experiences for individuals who are unable to reap the physical and mental benefits offered by nature and outside activity. We overcome barriers for youth desiring to achieve educational and career aspirations. WILD incorporates guest speakers that provide leadership skills and advice. Participants range in age from 14 to 24 years old, and over 75% of participants will qualify for free/reduced lunches and/or come from LMI households.
“Doing yoga outside in the beautiful nature helped me connect with my inner body, the sky, the trees, the birds, and also helped me focus on my breathing.”
— WILD PARTICIPANT
Connection to Nature (CTN) describes how people identify with predominantly natural landscapes and their relationships with those environments.
Positive Youth Development (PYD) focuses on development characteristics and environments that lead to positive behaviors and outcomes among young people.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.