Big City Mountaineers (BCM) received a $200,000 grant from the Foundation for Youth Investment (FYI). The grant will be used to manage a workforce development program called the Outdoor Educators Institute, which will strive to develop young urban adults who demonstrate high interest and aptitude in the outdoors into competent and effective outdoor educators.
The Outdoor Educators Institute, a strategic initiative of FYI, is an in-depth instructor training program which will focus on young adults primarily from urban, low income, under-served, and culturally-diverse communities. The Outdoor Educators Institute will focus on building competencies and leadership skills, and creating pathways for a career in the outdoor education field.
“The Outdoor Educators Institue participants will reflect the changing demographics of our nation and address a critical need in the industry for diverse and culturally competent instructors,” says Lisa Mattis, BCM executive director. “As we move forward with FYI in this initiative, BCM will manage and deliver the program through partnerships with fellow outdoor education institutions. We're thrilled to take on this new project and help underserved youth become employed as outdoor and environmental leaders in a wide variety of organizations.”
About Big City Mountaineers
Big City Mountaineers (BCM), which serves youth in 8 cities across the country, was founded in 1989 to instill critical life skills in underserved urban youth through transformative wilderness mentoring expeditions. BCM's model is to partner with a vibrant network of youth-based agencies that work with under-resourced, racially diverse young people who often have no experience outside of their neighborhoods. BCM expeditions provide under-resourced youth with the tools and positive reinforcement needed to overcome obstacles and strive for a better future. BCM leverages the challenges inherent in wilderness adventure with a 1:1 mentoring model and time-tested curriculum designed to teach and empower youth.
