Cooperative Agreement L23AC00379

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: L23AS00168FUNDING OPPORTUNITY GOALS TEXT: WILDERNESS INQUIRY ADVENTURES BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO OUTDOOR EDUCATION, RECREATION, AND CAREERSWHILE CONNECTING YOUTH, ADULTS, AND FAMILIES TO PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS COAST-TO-COAST. OUR CANOEMOBILE AND YOUTH PROGRAMS RANGE FROM SINGLE-DAY INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES TO MULTI-DAY WILDERNESS ADVENTURES AND OFFER DEEPENING LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, 8,000 YOUTH AND FAMILIES WILL RECREATE, LEARN, AND ENGAGE WITH BLM AND OTHER PARTNERS ON PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS AND IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THESE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS REPRESENT THE NEXT GENERATION OF USERS, STEWARDS, AND ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERWAYS, AND THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS INTRODUCTORY EXPERIENCES THAT LEAD TO REPEAT AND LIFELONG ENGAGEMENT IN THE NATURAL WORLD. ADDITIONALLY, WILDERNESS INQUIRY SPECIFICALLY SEEKS TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES THAT FACE BARRIERS TO OUTDOOR PARTICIPATION INCLUDING YOUTH WHO IDENTIFY AS BIPOC AND OR LGBTQ , FAMILIES THAT EXPERIENCE FINANCIAL INEQUITY, AND INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS HAVING A DISABILITY SO THAT PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, IDENTITIES, AND ABILITIES CAN ACCESS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE OUTDOORS. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BLM, WILDERNESS INQUIRY WILL PROVIDE ENRICHING OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES FOR 8,000 DIVERSE YOUTH AND FAMILIES, WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITIES THAT FACE BARRIERS TO OUTDOOR ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES OF THIS PARTNERSHIP INCLUDE: BUILDING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS WITHIN YOUTH THROUGH CANOEMOBILE AND YOUTH PROGRAMS. THROUGH OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS, WE PARTNER WITH EDUCATORS TO ENGAGE YOUTH WITH DIVERSE LEARNING STYLES, SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THROUGH PLACE-BASED LEARNING, AND INCREASE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) CAPACITIES. OUR 2022 YOUTH PROGRAMS EVALUATION SHOWED THAT 72 OF YOUTH PARTICIPANTS IN CANOEMOBILE, POSITIVELY ENGAGED AUTHENTICALLY, A KEY BEST PRACTICE SHOWN TO PROMOTE SEL GROWTH, AND 76 OF YOUTH REPORTED THAT THE PROGRAM, POSITIVELY CHALLENGED GROWTH. BRINGING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER FOR INCLUSIVE, ACCESSIBLE, AND SUPPORTED OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. WILDERNESS INQUIRY DELIVERS SAFE, COMMUNITY-BASED OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES. AFTER PARTICIPATING IN A FAMILY TRIP, MORE THAN 80 OF PARTICIPANTS REPORT A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEMSELVES. CONNECTING PEOPLE TO SAFE, COMMUNITY-BASED OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES, PUBLIC LANDS, AND THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF NATURE. THE NOVEL CHALLENGES OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ARE AN IDEAL SETTING FOR PARTICIPANTS TO DISCOVER AN INCREASED BELIEF IN THEIR OWN ABILITIES AND THE ABILITIES OF OTHERS. FOR 80 OF PARTICIPANTS, CANOEMOBILE IS THEIR FIRST ORGANIZED OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE. PROMOTING OUTDOOR EQUITY IN ACCESS TO AND PARTICIPATION IN THE OUTDOORS.