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2015 FINAL REPORT

YOUTH MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE PROGRAM

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS 2006 - 2015

YMAP is a program of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s

Appalachian Mountain Club The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the nation’s oldest conservation, education, and recreation organization. Founded in Boston in 1876 by Harvard University astronomer Edward Pickering and a group of outdoor enthusiasts, AMC initially focused on building hiking trails and its first high mountain hut in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the late 1800s; launching its publishing operations with the first edition of the historic AMC White Mountain Guide in 1907 (still in print today); and taking the lead in regional conservation advocacy efforts. In the early 20th century, AMC established a research division, a mountain leadership training school, youth education programs, a recreational facilities network that includes lodges, cabins, huts, campsites and shelters throughout the Northeast, and 12 volunteer chapters that now engage thousands of individuals from Washington, D.C. to Maine. Today, AMC is a nonprofit organization with over 150,000 members, advocates and supporters who are dedicated to promoting the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the Appalachian region. AMC is guided by the strategic initiatives outlined in its Board-approved Vision 2020, which includes a goal to provide outdoor experiences for 125,000 youth. The Youth Opportunities Program (YOP) and its Youth Mountain Adventure Program (YMAP) play a key role in AMC’s efforts to reach this ambitious goal.

Youth Opportunities Program Since the 1960s, AMC’s Youth Opportunities Program (YOP) has been helping at-risk, urban youth gain self-esteem, teamwork, and leadership skills through hands-on experiences in the outdoors. YOP serves more than 35,000 youth per year and supports over 200 youth agencies throughout the Northeast. YOP serves as a regional resource center for urban youth agencies and schools, providing the training, structure, and support necessary to help professional youth workers and teachers become comfortable taking their youth into the wilderness for life-enhancing adventures. Services available to participating youth groups include Outdoor Leadership Training, on-going professional development, free equipment and clothing loans, financial subsidies, trip planning assistance, and reduced lodging rates at AMC destinations. By providing outdoor skills training to youth workers who then lead the adventures, YOP is cultivating a new generation of outdoor leaders, and supporting trips that are integrated into a broader programmatic context and become a new means for youth leaders to build relationships with the youth they serve.

Youth Mountain Adventure Program The Youth Mountain Adventure Program (YMAP) is an initiative of YOP for youth organizations in Greater Boston. The mission of YMAP is to promote positive youth development by exposing youth ages 11-18 to the wonders of the outdoors on wilderness adventures. Through three components – Winter YMAP, Summer YMAP, and Local YMAP – the program now serves over 1,000 urban and at-risk youth each year. YOP provides the trip’s food, lodging, transportation, and general organization, while youth agencies select participants. YMAP trips are co-led by YOP Adventure Instructors and a YOP-trained youth worker who works in partnership with the YOP staff. With these added resources, YMAP trips are a chance for YOP groups to participate in longer, more challenging trips than would typically be possible for individual agencies to lead alone. YMAP staff also model best practices and help youth workers gain confidence in their trip leading skills. Activities include hiking, backpacking, camping, swimming, canoeing, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. The curriculum focuses on leadership development, communication skills, and teambuilding. Through fun and educational outdoor experiences, YMAP fosters self-esteem, a spirit of adventure, leadership, teamwork, and a sense of community.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY We are proud to report that by the end of 2015 the Youth Mountain Adventure Program (YMAP) will have served a record 1,080 youth who participated in 100 outdoor adventures. These young people have significantly benefited from their YMAP wilderness experiences, which featured outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and canoeing to develop leadership, communication and teambuilding skills. YMAP staff co-led four winter adventures in the heart of the White Mountains and served 33 diverse and appreciative young people. In the summer, YMAP conducted eight adventures for 63 youth in New Hampshire’s Lake District at Mt. Cardigan. Through YMAP’s Local Adventures an additional 389 young people participated in adventures that took place in close to home destinations such as the Blue Hills Reservation, Harold Parker State Forest, and Boston’s Harbor Islands. In total, YMAP staff co-led 51 adventures! An additional 49 outdoor experiences, led by YOP-trained youth workers in reciprocation for their YMAP adventure, will give approximately 595 more youth the opportunity to get outdoors before the end of the year. This year also marks YMAP’s 10th anniversary. The program began in 2006 by offering six summer experiences to 40 youth. Over ten years the program has grown significantly in partnership with our generous donors, adding winter trips and local adventures. In recent years we have also asked our youth agency partners to lead a “reciprocal” trip in exchange for their free YMAP adventure, providing more opportunities to deepen the learning and leadership experience. YMAP has also prioritized program improvement alongside growth, carefully tracking our lessons learned and refining the leadership curriculum. As the chart below indicates, since its founding in 2006 YMAP has served over 3,700 youth and supported nearly 400 trips!

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Totals

Trips 6 7 10 12 28 32 45 53 98 100 391

Youth Served

40 50 70 93 208 256 448 508 1,026 1,080 3,779

Days Outside

160 200 259 339 441 510 830 909 1,711 1,644 7,003

Programs Offered

Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer

Winter Winter Winter Winter Winter Winter Winter Winter

Local June-Aug

Local June-Aug

Local June-Aug

Local June-Aug

Local May-Oct

Local May-Oct

In 2015 participating youth came from diverse racial backgrounds: 34% African American, 30% Caucasian, 25% Latino, 6% Asian, and 5% Other (with a majority being Cape Verdean youth from Dorchester). Ages ranged from 10 to 20 and the average age was 15. YOP-trained youth workers from each agency were selected based on level of need, the population to be served, and their organization’s ability to successfully participate and build on the experience through one or more reciprocal trips. Without the programming and support provided by YMAP, these youth likely would not have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through participation in outdoor experiences. Most young people had never spent a night in the woods prior to their YMAP adventure. The Appalachian Mountain Club is profoundly grateful for our partnership with all of YMAP’s generous donors who continue to make outdoor adventures like YMAP accessible and affordable to our community’s most at-risk young people. We are delighted to share all we have achieved in the following report.

5 Youth Mountain Adventure Program ▪ Final Report 2015 5

2015 HIGHLIGHTS

YMAP served 1,080 youth and supported 100 trips. YMAP trips took place from May to

October, providing low income youth that do not often leave city limits with impactful outdoor experiences. These youth spent a combined total of 1,644 days outside. This includes trips co-lead by YMAP staff as well as independently led “reciprocal” trips.

YMAP is successfully reaching new youth workers and organizations, expanding our reach. In 2015 nine of the twelve organizations that participated in YMAP Summer and Winter trips had leaders who were in their first year with YOP. We are pleased that YMAP trips are enabling youth groups to quickly and affordably increase their skills so that they are far better prepared to continue to offer these experiences in the future.

YMAP’s “reciprocal trip” model continues to be effective in expanding our impact and encouraging our partners to lead more outdoor experiences independently. All youth groups that are selected to participate in YMAP are expected to lead at least one additional trip on their own. Through YMAP’s Summer and Winter programming, our longest and most intensive experiences, YMAP staff directly co-led 12 trips which served 96 youth, reaching our goal to average 8 youth per trip. These youth spent a combined total 355 days outdoors. Importantly, these trips also enabled 11 additional “reciprocal” trips for 186 youth who spent 386 days outdoors. In total, Winter and Summer YMAP and its reciprocal trips served 282 total on 23 trips and who spent 691 days outdoors.

Hiring and supporting excellent staff is vital to this program’s success. AMC is fortunate to have a highly skilled and experienced staff to support YMAP. In addition to the full time Coordinator who oversees the program we were fortunate to hire two exceptional seasonal staff this year. One staff member returned from last year and built on last year’s success by focusing on leadership development activities and empowering youth. Our second staff member is a former teacher and brings a wealth of experience to the role of Local YMAP Instructor and has proven to be an essential member of our team, building strong relationships with our agency partners.

YMAP reaches youth from immigrant communities: three of the eight summer trips served youth that were new to the US or first generation US citizens.

Local Adventures continue to be a valuable way for newly-trained YOP Members to lead youth

on outdoor trips with the extra support of YOP staff. Seven Local Adventures trips were co-led

with newly trained YOP Members. We are pleased that all of these new members have led at

least one independent trip following their Local Adventure, and two went on to lead three

independent trips. While Local Adventures are typically day trips, eight were overnights and

took place in five different locations: AMC Ponkapoag Camp, Harold Parker State Forest, the

Boston Harbor Islands, AMC Noble View Outdoor Center, and the AMC Highland Center.


WORDS FROM YMAP YOUTH

I learned about leadership, teamwork, and power on the trip. This experience was, to be honest, one of the best things that ever happened in my life. I learned that being a leader is awesome and makes me feel nice. I would encourage my friends to experience camping in order to change their perspective about their self and nature. I really had a good experience with others and trying new things that I had never done before. My favorite part was getting to the top of Cardigan and seeing what I’ve never seen before. I’ve grown physically and mentally. I am a leader. My favorite part was seeing everyone trying, and that they weren’t giving up. The trip opened me up to being a better leader and working with others. When I climbed the mountain, I felt like I could do anything. I learned to work together and take care of each other, and that I can push myself. I feel like a stronger person now, it was awesome. I was glad to have leaders who wanted us to step up. You wanted us to be mature and have the power. I learned how to survive without electronics. What we did yesterday, so many others will never get a chance to do so when I say thank you for the trip, I do so graciously and sincerely… I know that I will never forget this experience.


WINTER YMAP 2015

Agency

# of Y

ou

th

Male

Female

Average A

ge

African

A

merican

Cau

casian

Latino

Asian

A

merican

Oth

er

Metco with Sudbury Public Schools Sudbury, MA

9 22% 78% 13 78% 11% 11% 11% 0%

Excel Academy East Boston, MA

8 50% 50% 13 0% 0% 88% 0% 12%

Urban Scholars, UMASS Boston, MA

8 75% 25% 17 38% 0% 12% 0% 50%

Prospect Hill Charter School Somerville, MA

8 75% 25% 17 63% 25% 12% 0% 0%

Total 33 55% 45% 15 45% 6% 33% 3% 15%

WINTER TRIP STRUCTURE Each trip starts with a required pre-trip meeting, a fun and informational session intended to educate youth about winter gear, calm anxieties, and begin the group bonding process. The group meets for the first time, gets to know each other, and sets expectations and boundaries for the upcoming trip. The first day the group arrives at Pinkham Notch in New Hampshire and begins to build trust and community on a snowshoe hike to Square Ledge. The hike challenges the youth, as they kick-step up a steep section of trail to a glorious view of Mt. Washington or the Wildcat Range. Along the way youth lend a hand to teammates, take a turn leading the group, and assume responsibility for navigation. In the evening, after an AMC family-style dinner, the group hikes in the moonlight to Crystal Cascades. For many, this is their first night hike, and the stars are the brightest they have ever seen. The next day, everyone learns to cross country ski at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center. YMAP instructors teach the basics and then the youth learn to lead and navigate the trail system. In late afternoon the reward of snow tubing is enjoyed by all. On the last day the group once again straps on snowshoes and heads to Lost Pond for some fun on the frozen pond. Throughout the experience youth are on the look-out for animal tracks and nature while exercising muscles they didn’t know existed.


Winter YMAP trips give youth a deep and meaningful first wilderness experience. Not only do they learn new outdoor skills, but they tend to let their guard down and act like “kids”: having snowball fights, building snowmen, laughing when they fall, wanting to “bottom slide” down a hill. Youth workers have a unique opportunity to bond with their youth during this time. The physical and mental challenge of being outside of their comfort zone provides young people with personal growth and leadership opportunities, which are highlighted in group debriefs and check-ins that happen throughout the trip.

SAMPLE AGENDA

PRE-TRIP MEETING: What to Expect; Full Values Contract; Comfort Zones; Slideshow; Clothing; Equipment Sizing DAY 1 Morning Drive to Pinkham Notch, NH

Afternoon Trip Introductions & Overview Name Game / Ice Breaker / Cooperative Game Clothing & Layering Workshop Youth-Led Discussion & Decision Making Process Snowshoe Hike to Lila’s Ledge (modeling leadership)

Evening Night Hike to Crystal Cascades Debrief the Day DAY 2 Morning Group Energizer & Leadership Development (Leaders of the Day) Introduction to Cross-Country Skiing

Mid-Afternoon Nordic Skiing at Great Glen Youth pick ski route and navigate (Leaders of the Day)

Late Afternoon Snow Tubing at Great Glen Debrief the Day (Community Web)

Evening Teambuilding & Leadership Activities DAY 3 Morning Group Energizer & Leadership Development Move out of Lodge Snowshoe Hike to Lost Pond Final clean up

Afternoon Debrief the morning Closing Activity (Group Shuffle) Lunch and Trip Evaluations Drive back to youth agency


SAMPLE WINTER TRIP DESCRIPTIONS Metco The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) was founded by urban and suburban educational collaborators to give all children access to quality education in suburban school districts. The Sudbury Public School system gives Boston youth a chance to enroll in their district, and funding comes from state grants and is limited. The participating YOP Member and Academic Advisor wanted the students in the program to have a winter experience similar to what many of their classmates experience with their families during the holidays. This was also an opportunity for these youth from different Boston neighborhoods to bond as a group as they sometimes feel isolated in the school system. The program selected two high school students along with seven middle school youth to participate, having the older youth lead many aspects of the trip and answer questions for their younger peers about Sudbury High. The group really meshed, which was evident with the patience shown by part of the group as they waited for those struggling on cross country skis and by having a blast together on the tubing hill. The YOP Member went on to lead an independent camping and hiking trip for six youth in June. Excel Academy Excel Academy is a regional charter middle school serving East Boston, Chelsea, and surrounding communities through an open lottery. The school population is 77% Latino and represented by over 23 different nationalities with 79% of students coming from low-income households. The YOP Member was trained in June 2014 and her goal was to engage youth in the outdoors by using YMAP as a catalyst for a deeper level of school commitment. The group braved the elements, skiing in six inches of fresh snow, and had an epic drive back to Boston which was under a foot of snow. The group has scheduled a day hike at a local Boston park for later this year for their reciprocal trip. Prospect Hill Charter School Prospect Hill is a lottery-based non-selective and non-discriminatory school open to all Massachusetts residents with preference given to Somerville and Cambridge residents. The school reports that 61% of students are low-income and the student body is 58% Black, 19% Hispanic, 13% White, 7% Asian, 3% mixed race. In addition, 40% of students come from homes where English is not the primary language spoken. The trip engaged the school’s outing club which takes youth on a few excursions a year. “I learned while snowshoeing that I can endure a lot more physical difficulty than I previously thought,” said one junior of the experience. Another youth wrote a thank you letter a few weeks after the trip to say “Something about us all working together at challenging things really made us closer together and seeing each other struggle let us all get more comfortable with being ourselves in each other’s company…. I have no doubt in my mind that this is a memory I’m going to keep forever and I just wanted to thank everyone who made this trip possible.”


SUMMER YMAP 2015

Agency

# of Y

ou

th

Male

Female

Average A

ge

African

A

merican

Cau

casian

Latino

Asian

Oth

er

Boston International Newcomer’s Academy, Boston International High School Boston, MA

7 86% 14% 16 43% 14% 29% 14% 0%

Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School New London, CT

6 50% 50% 13 100% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Community Day Charter Public School Lawrence, MA

8 50% 50% 13 13% 25% 62% 0% 0%

Dynamy Youth Academy, You Inc. Worcester, MA

15 47% 53% 16 21% 13% 40% 13% 13%

Teen Center at St. Peter’s Dorchester, MA

6 100% 0% 13 0% 0% 0% 0% 100%

Snowden International School, Boston Public Schools Boston, MA

4 50% 50% 16 100% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Lowell High School, Outing Club Lowell, MA

8 38% 62% 15 12% 12% 38% 38% 0%

LEAP New Haven, CT

9 100% 0% 16 100% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Total 63 63% 37% 15 43% 9.5% 25% 9.5% 13%

SUMMER TRIP STRUCTURE The basic structure of each four-day Summer YMAP trip is consistent. Monday is a logistics and planning day for the instructor, and includes a fun and informative pre-trip meeting with the trip participants at their youth agency. Tuesday is the start of the adventure! The group is picked up at their agency in the YMAP van. They drive up to New Hampshire and spend the day getting to know each other. An introductory hike to Welton Falls takes place in the afternoon and the group sleeps in the lodge to ease their transition to the new and unfamiliar


environment. Wednesday is a more challenging hike to the summit of Mount Cardigan with the opportunity to spend the night at High Cabin, located near the summit. Thursday is spent canoeing on nearby Newfound Lake and setting up a campsite for the last night. Friday focuses on processing the experience, cleaning up, and celebrating before the group heads home with many stories and accomplishments to share with family and friends.

While the basic structure is similar, each adventure is thoroughly unique and tailored to the specific needs of each organization and group of young people. Through a strong partnership between the youth worker and YMAP staff, we discuss and agree on the trip’s objectives. Once there is understanding about key goals, we very intentionally select specific activities that support these objectives. An “Adventure Agreement” between youth and staff lays the foundation of what is expected. These expectations are reinforced through specific teambuilding activities.

The challenge of hiking and working together as a team changes group dynamics and tests the group’s cohesiveness. We work on leadership skills, communication, trust, team building, and respect for the environment throughout the adventure. Trips end with a closure activity, a group celebration, and presentation of YMAP t-shirts.

SAMPLE AGENDA

PRE-TRIP MEETING: What to Expect; Full Values Contract; Comfort Zones; Clothing & Equipment DAY 1 Morning Pick up at agency and drive to Cardigan Lodge

Afternoon Introductions & Overview Name Game / Ice Breaker / Cooperative Game Adventure Agreement & Expectations Introductory Hike to Welton Falls (First leaders assigned) Swimming at Welton Falls

Evening – in Cardigan Lodge Group Leadership Challenge (All Aboard, a communications and trust initiative) Backpacking Workshop Debrief of the Day (Review Adventure Agreement) DAY 2 Morning Group Energizer & Leadership Development (Leaders of the Day) Depart for hike up Mt. Cardigan


Afternoon Arrive at High Cabin (Change Leaders and tasks) Summit Mt. Cardigan Move into High Cabin Group Debrief of Hike (Adventure Agreement: what word did you embody today) Individual Youth Check-ins with Leaders

Evening – in High Cabin, near the summit of Mt. Cardigan Sunset Hike to South Peak and Night Hike back to Cabin Evening Debrief (Rose, Bud, and Thorn: highlight, anticipation, challenge) DAY 3 Morning Group Energizer (Stretch and Safety Circle) & Leadership Development Hike Down from High Cabin (new leader) Set Up Tents and Change for Canoeing

Afternoon Drive to Paradise Point Sanctuary Canoeing Workshop Canoeing on Newfound Lake Tour the Paradise Point Nature Center Return to Cardigan after stopping for ice cream reward

Evening – Tent Camping Set up camp kitchen, gather fire kindling, and make dinner Fire Building Workshop S’mores and Debrief of the Day (led by Youth Worker) Stargazing DAY 4 Morning Take down camp and pack Trip Evaluations Final Debrief and Closing Activity (Appreciation of Team members, Swimming, Grilled Lunch and Games)

Early Afternoon Drive back to Agency – thank you!


SAMPLE SUMMER TRIP DESCRIPTIONS Boston International Newcomer’s Academy (BINCA) at Boston International High School BINCA embraces new immigrant, adolescent, English language learners and their families. The trip had seven youth with origins from Cape Verde, Italy, Vietnam, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nigeria and Iraq and they had an “awesome experience” as the YMAP instructor effectively co-led with the leader of the school’s Outing Club. Two of the youth had previous outdoor knowledge and were utilized as facilitators in some of the skill workshops. “My favorite part is seeing the beautiful view on top of the mountain for the first time and with the sunset too,” remarked one youth. Dynamy Youth Academy, Y.O.U. Inc., Worcester, MA The Youth Academy program at Y.O.U., Inc. provides promising but at-risk high school students in the Worcester Public Schools with the opportunity to achieve their dreams of a college education. This trip served as the group’s second week of orientation for the coming year’s program and was customized so that all 15 youth were able to participate. Adding to the adventure, the group spent two nights at the backcountry campsite located a mile into the woods of Cardigan Reservation. “Getting the youth out of their element opens them up so much. A couple of them had some internal struggles to break through, and having the time and new experiences to help with this was great,” stated one of the two YOP Members co-leading the trip.


LEAP (Leadership, Education, Athletics, Partnerships) New Haven, CT LEAP’s programs engage low income youth ages 7-12 in academics, the arts, and athletics and also gives youth ages 13-20 the opportunity for employment through their Counselors in Training and youth counselor positions. The selected YMAP group included 9 young men with ages evenly spread from 12-20 as they wanted the youth to be able to mentor each other and grow as leaders. One youth particularly embraced what YMAP is about: “I was glad to have leaders who wanted us to step up; you wanted us to be mature and have the power. You all trusted us on the trip.” This revelation, shared by the campfire during the final debrief meeting, perfectly summed up YMAP’s leadership development model. Lowell High School Outing Club, Lowell, MA Lowell High School is the state’s second largest high school with a very racially diverse student body. The city also has the second largest Cambodian population in the United States. The Outing Club goes on 5-6 excursions a year and has developed a leadership component with student officers helping to promote and run the trips. The Outing Club has historically attracted many immigrant new comers and provides a friendly and welcoming entry point to the large school community. This YMAP trip was used in part to train the student officers. Two returning officers and other more experienced club members taught rising freshmen about the outdoors along with their newly trained teacher. A unique focus for this trip was an emphasis on written self-reflection. Students were given a journal and the YOP Member led writing exercises throughout the trip.


LOCAL YMAP

As a part of our growing Local YMAP initiative, YOP worked with 21 different Boston area youth groups and co-led 39 trips with their YOP-trained staff. Local YMAP programs are typically day trips that take place in state and local parks: close-to-home green spaces that are more easily accessible and affordable for youth agencies and schools. Locations in 2015 included the Blue Hills Reservation, Harold Parker State Forest, and the Boston Harbor Islands. In exchange for these free trips, each youth agency is expected to independently lead a second trip for their youth before the end of the year. This “reciprocal” trip model enabled YMAP to serve an estimated 789 youth in 2015, including additional trips happening through the end of the year. Originally launched in 2010 as day trips on Mondays in the summer when the YMAP van was not in use, these trips now take place May to October on week days and weekends. YMAP provides a mix of programming, food, and transportation as resources and need dictate.

Trip Type # Trip

s

# o

f Trips

# of Y

ou

th

Average A

ge

Male

Fem

ale

African

A

merican

Cau

casian

Latino

Asian

Oth

er

Local YMAP 39 389 14 56% 44% 41% 22% 25% 9% 3%

Reciprocal 37 409 15 55% 45% 29% 30% 21% 9% 11%

Total 76 798 14.5 55.5 44.5 33.4 27.2 22.6 8.7 8.1

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES Boston English High School, Boston, MA

Adventures in Learning, Pawtucket, RI

Compass, Inc., Dorchester, MA

YOU, Inc., Worcester, MA

Academy of the Pacific Rim Middle School, Hyde

Park, MA

Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety

and Health, Dorchester, MA

Boston Center for Youth and Family Services,

Boston, MA

Youth Grow, Worcester, MA

New Liberty Charter School, Salem, MA

Dorchester Boys & Girls Club, Dorchester, MA

Boston College High School, Boston, MA

Charlestown Boys & Girls Club, Charlestown, MA


Groundwork Lawrence, Lawrence, MA

Lawrence Community Works, Lawrence, MA

Citizens for Citizens, Inc., Fall River, MA

Mission Safe, Roxbury, MA

Brookline Recreation, Brookline, MA

Child and Family Services, Newport, RI

South Coast RAPPP (Responsible Attitudes towards Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention), New

Bedford, MA

Lincoln Middle School – METCO Program, Lincoln, MA

National Park Service – Stewards of the Future Program, Brookline, MA

DESTINATIONS YMAP youth are introduced to outdoor recreation areas which are close to home but rarely visited by local youth. In 2015 these trip destinations included:

Harold Parker State Forest

Boston Harbor Islands

Blue Hills Recreation Area

Arnold Arboretum

Ipswich River

Mt. Monadnock State Park

Noble View Outdoor Center

SAMPLE LOCAL ADVENTURES Examples of some 2015 adventures are described below.

A. Boston Harbor Islands Campout with the Southcoast

RAPPP Program

The Southcoast RAPPP program (Responsible Attitudes towards Pregnancy, Parenting, & Prevention) has partnered with YOP for several years to train leaders and get youth outdoors. In August, we worked with their newly trained YOP Member to take a group of nine teenage boys camping on the Boston Harbor Islands. They had a chance to explore the culture and history surroundings the islands through a photo scavenger hunt around Fort Warren before taking the ferry to camp on Grape Island. It was two days full of community building and learning as the boys worked together to set up camp, build a campfire on the beach, hike the trails around the island, and explore the tide pools. They kept their positive attitudes and senses of adventure even through a downpour on the second morning, eagerly putting on their rain jackets to brave the weather for a hike!

B. Hiking and Map Skills with the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club

The Charlestown Boys & Girls Club offers urban Boston youth educational and recreational opportunities throughout the summer. This July, one of their newly trained YOP Members partnered with YOP to


bring youth outside for a day of exploring in a local Boston park. Nine pre-teen participants came for a day of team-building, outdoor skills, hiking, and map-reading in the Blue Hills. Before leaving for the hike, the group discussed outdoor topics such as proper hydration, Leave No Trace, and trail etiquette, which they practiced on their climb up to the summit. Once there, youth enjoyed beautiful views of Boston and a refreshing trail lunch while learning how to read and orient a map. On the hike back youth were given maps to apply their new skills and select a route for the group. They worked together and problem solved to find trail markers and figure out where they were at each junction. The youth decided on a longer route back because they did not want to leave the woods. As one girl described it, “It’s so peaceful in the woods; I wish we could stay out here. I wish this day would never end.”

C. National Park Service Incorporates Outdoor Leadership into Youth Development Program

The National Park Service’s Stewards of the Future program employs high school students in the Boston area to serve as a “bridge between the National Park Service and the youth community,” working in Boston’s National Historic Sites to support programming and outreach. In August, the Stewards program planned an overnight trip at Ponkapoag Camp as a professional development opportunity for their employed youth leaders. Five teenagers from the program came for two days of team-building, skills workshops, and the opportunity to hike and canoe outside of the city. The youth learned outdoor skills such as how to paddle and do t-rescues correctly, how to set up tents and cook on a camp stove, and proper trail etiquette on an exploratory hike of Ponkapoag Bog. Around the campfire they practiced their public speaking skills by giving impromptu speeches about the seven principles of Leave No Trace. During a debrief with their leaders, the youth made a unanimous decision to include this professional development experience in next summer’s curriculum. Their only recommended change was to make the trip longer!

D. Making the Outdoors Accessible for Youth in Residential Treatment Program

Child and Family Services provides residential, educational, clinical treatment, and mentorship services for youth and their families. In August, at-risk teenagers from the Portsmouth Center residential program had the opportunity to join YOP for a two day trip to AMC’s Ponkapoag Camp in the Blue Hills Reservation. Fifteen youth came the first day to canoe on the pond, learn camping skills, and enjoy a campfire dinner and night walk in the woods. Eight youth stayed overnight, sleeping in tents for the first time. The next day they cooked breakfast together on the camp stoves, then hit the trail for a challenging hike up to Eliot Tower on the summit of the Great Blue Hill. It was a time of growth for many youth as they encountered and overcame obstacles throughout the trip. One girl froze trying to get back in a canoe after t-rescues and refused to move. Another had a really tough time with the climb up to the summit and said she was going to stop in the middle of the trail. However, all of the youth ultimately realized they could overcome these challenges and were able to reflect on this later in the trip. The YOP Member at Child and Family Services is making the outdoors a consistent component in their programming, leading a “Trailblazer” outdoor skills course prior to the overnight, and has plans to take the youth to the White Mountains in the fall.


E. Students with Disabilities Experience the Outdoors

For the second year in a row, students with disabilities from Boston English High School had the opportunity to experience the outdoors in a way they never would have been able to without YMAP. Last year, English High brought several visually impaired youth for their first camping trip; this year the trip included seven teenagers with a range of mental and physical handicaps. The students learned how to set up camp and cook on a camp stove and did several hikes around Ponkapoag Pond. One student had participated in last year’s trip, and she enthusiastically helped to lead activities and share what she had learned the previous year with her classmates. One participant was fully confined to a wheelchair. His school was able to borrow an adaptive wheelchair, enabling him to camp and participate in the hike around the pond, with his classmates taking turns pushing. Another had a disability requiring him to wear braces on his legs. He was determined to complete the hike, stating, “Let’s keep going, I want to get my legs strong and make my mom proud!” Another student was mute, and only planned to stay for the day activities. Halfway through the trip he wrote on his notepad with a smile that he wanted to stay the night. This YMAP trip was the first extended outdoor experience away from home for the majority of the students. They were all very enthusiastic and eager to help out, and displayed a sense of awe and wonder at their surroundings.


AGENCY PROFILES

YMAP partnered with dozens of youth agencies to co-lead and support 100 trips this year. The profiles below provide additional information about some of our 2015 partners. Boston Center for Youth and Family Services – Streetworker Program

The Streetworker Program at the Boston Center for Youth and Family Services has been working in Boston communities for over twenty years doing conflict mediation and de-escalation. They work specifically with at-risk youth and families, connecting them to resources and support within their communities. This summer, three Streetworkers went through YOP training for the first time, in order to incorporate outdoor experiences into their work with urban youth. YMAP helped them lead a canoe trip at Ponkapoag Pond, where youth learned paddling strokes and canoe safety. It was the first time many of them had been canoeing, yet they showed eagerness and enthusiasm to learn in the outdoors. They had a fun day playing canoe games and exploring while successfully navigating around the pond performing T-rescues. Two of the YOP Members have also since taken the Canoe Workshop training, with plans to build up to longer and more challenging outdoor experiences. Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health - Teens Lead @ Work

Teens Lead @ Work hires teenagers to work five days a week during the summer. The program helps youth to become leaders with skills, resources, and strong voices and to advocate for respect and justice on the job. Youth leaders forge alliances with unions and community organizations and provide a range of educational programs—in unions, schools, and communities—to expand protections for young workers. This year MassCOSH began a new relationship with YOP, with one of their staff members undergoing YOP training. YOP led two different canoe trips for the group at Ponkapoag Pond, so that all of the “peer leaders” had a chance to experience the outdoors and develop leadership skills. MassCOSH has now begun leading independent trips, and plans to do more with their peer leaders in the fall.


New Liberty Charter School

New Liberty Charter School (previously known as Salem Community Charter) is an alternative high school for 16-23 year olds who have struggled in the traditional academic setting. It specializes in serving students with risk factors such as mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse, and learning disabilities, among others. NLCS has a competency-based education philosophy, incorporating a variety of different experiential-based learning opportunities throughout their eleven-month schedule, rather than strictly focusing on grades and testing to measure performance. Students have to earn certain “competencies” rather than grades, such as “I am healthy,” “I am a leader,” and “I am goal-oriented”. In June, a newly trained YOP Member at the school started doing weekly outdoors trips every Tuesday to facilitate this experiential learning and keep students excited about being in school during the summer. YOP helped to lead two of these trips, including an overnight camping trip at Harold Parker, and a canoe trip down the Ipswich River. The trips were customized to allow students to use their specific strengths for leadership development and work towards their competencies. One student really liked reading a map, so he lead the night walk; several boys really enjoyed building fires and persevered through wet fire wood to get dinner cooked; one of the girls was a great leader, so she organized a fun game to play; another was strong in organization, so she lead the group in putting away gear. NLCS has since led many weekly trips on their own, such as hiking Dogtown, Castle Rock, and Crane’s Beach, and will continue to do so throughout the school year, incorporating outdoor leadership into their curriculum of competency-based education. Child and Family Services

Child and Family Services provides residential, educational, treatment, and mentorship services. At-risk teenagers in their residential program are offered life skills training, mental health counseling, and clinical care, as many of them have faced trauma and abuse in their lives. Child and Family Services aims to create empowering environments that combat these risk factors by promoting nurturing experiences and opportunities for growth and self-regulation. One of their clinicians has been a YOP Member for the past two years, and led several day trips involving hiking, fishing, and outdoor skills workshops. In August, fifteen residential youth participated in a two-day overnight, with YMAP providing all the gear, instruction, and food necessary to make this trip possible for the agency.


CONCLUSION

We are proud of what YMAP has accomplished in 2015 and over the past ten years. This is thanks in large part to the support of our generous donors. YMAP provides powerful experiences with lasting impact for both young people and their adult leaders. For youth, YMAP offers an eye-opening, life-changing experience as they experience many different outdoor activities, see a broader world, and meet new challenges with their peers. For youth workers and teachers, YMAP gives the confidence, support, and tools necessary to lead new activities, challenge themselves, and learn innovative ways to work with youth outdoors. In 2015 YMAP reached 1,080 young people. These youth participated in 100 trips and experienced over 1,600 days outside. AMC relies on generous donations from individuals and foundations to make this program possible. We greatly appreciate this support and look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.

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