By Rachel Wendling / Washington Trails Association

This fall, the Washington Trails Association surpassed a goal to bring more youth outdoors.

The WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training program recently marked 10,000 outings. These trips, led by the 331 graduates of the program, have been engaging young people with the outdoors and inspiring the next generation of hikers, outdoor educators and public land stewards since 2014.

When on an OLT trip, many kids have an opportunity to experience something completely new. For some, that might be strapping on a pair of snowshoes or lighting their first camp stove. For others, that might be as simple as walking a trail. Those experiences can stick with them for a lifetime.

But making that kind of experience a reality is a whole lot of hard work.

Teachers, club advisers and youth group leaders — they all have a lot on their plate. And, while we all know the positive impact the outdoors can have on youth, sometimes those community leaders need a little help to make it happen.

“I think it would be a great experience to take my students hiking, but I don’t know where to start.” “The young people we work with just don’t have the appropriate gear to enjoy the outdoors.” “Our youth group would love to volunteer with WTA, but we don’t have transportation to get to the trailhead.”

Back in 2014, those are just a few of the comments the WTA received from organizations and schools interested in leading outdoor trips for kids. While the association wanted to help in any way it could, it lacked the resources to do so.

The conversations got them thinking, though: Was there a way that WTA could provide the tools for youth groups hoping to get outside? Could it break down the barriers keeping youth from getting outdoors?

Krista Dooley, WTA’s community partnerships and leadership development director, decided that yes, they could. She made it her mission to see just how WTA could play a role in bringing more kids outdoors.

After meeting with local educators, community organizations and youth groups, Dooley realized there are four common barriers to getting youth outdoors: lack of training, gear, funding and support.

With Dooley’s help, the WTA joined the Outdoors Empowered Network, which works to connect all youth to the outdoors by breaking down barriers.

Through the network, the WTA receives a wealth of resources for the OLT program. Members also get to share the how they built an outdoor leadership program, serving as a model for starting similar programs.

Today the Outdoor Leadership Training program offers workshops on outdoor skills and planning trips, access to a free gear lending library, mini-grants to cover associated trip costs and ongoing community support to foster connections and crowdsource solutions to common problems.

The WTA aims to reach organizations serving youth who attend schools where 40% or more of the students qualify for free or reduced price lunch and/or schools that have a student body with at least 40% students of color. But the program is open to all leaders who work with youth in any capacity.

Teachers, youth ministry leaders, Girl Scout troop leaders, club advisers and more have signed up for the workshops.

“As a leader, I felt very empowered to recognize not just safety concerns but the need to have the learning environment be fun and comfortable,” said Claudia Augustine, a Girl Scout troop leader. “I felt very supported by WTA in making those choices.”

With this model in mind — the WTA built out a curriculum focused on adult leaders and featuring four distinct workshop topics: hiking, camping, backpacking and snowshoeing. The workshops are offered all year long, and are held at various public lands throughout Western Washington.

This past year, the WTA welcome its first cohort of volunteer instructors to the team — and they say they can’t wait to bring their enthusiasm and experience to future trainings. With the help of volunteer leaders, the hope is to reach to an ever greater number of youth organizations.

The next stop to a successful outing? Access to all of the necessary gear to make kids feel comfortable, safe and itching for more adventure.

The upfront cost of acquiring enough gear for a day outside is a massive hurdle for many youth organizations. Plus, for groups who only take a handful of trips a year, if often doesn’t make sense to store 20-plus sleeping bags.

A gear lending library seemed to be the key — and it would need to be completely free. Through the help of the Outdoors Empowered Network, the WTA secured enough gear to open a lending library in Seattle in 2013. What started as a small collection of backpacks, jackets and boots has grown to include everything from snowshoes to complete backpacking kits.

The WTA expects to open a second lending library in Tacoma next year.

“Students used the snowshoes to access areas at Paradise in order to complete a snow science activity and also to hike in snow,” said Amy Wilson of the Mount Rainier Institute. “Students walked away understanding from hands-on experience how important the snow pack is for our region.”

Gaining access to the library is simple. After completing one OLT workshop and gear orientation with WTA, leaders can check out any gear they need for outings. The gear is available all year long.

Even with access to gear, there are many additional costs associated with a trip. Transportation, campsite fees, food and permits are just a few of the more common ones. To help minimize the funding barrier, OLT leaders are eligible to apply for mini-grants of up to $500.

Through the OTL program, the WTA provides its own network for idea-sharing between leaders across the region — helping to break down the silos that can make you feel alone in this work. Beyond the workshops they attend, the WTA supports leaders through an online forum to share trip ideas, ask questions, learn about upcoming events and stay connected with others working with youth.

On any given weekend of the year, up to 11 youth groups are checking out gear for their outdoor adventures. From snowshoeing at Gold Creek Pond and maintaining trails at Mount Rainier National Park to giving lessons and cleaning up debris at Ruby Beach, kids are out exploring Washington’s wild places and making lasting memories.

Ten thousand outdoor trips later, the comments the WTA has been receiving from community leaders have changed for the better.

“The positive impact of this trip was deeply felt by all,” said Rae Parks of Young Women Empowered, which serves females ages 13-26 and is one of the groups that checks out outdoor gear from the WTA. “Youth reported that they had found newfound strength in themselves, connected deeply with others in new and unexpected ways, and felt more closely connected with nature.”

“All of the students wanted to go snowshoeing again after the trip,” said Talia Hirch of Young Women Empowered. “They had so much fun, especially during a snowball fight between teachers and students. The most positive impact was the relationships being formed between teachers and students outside the classroom.”

“Upon seeing the Milky Way for the first time, one (child) said, ‘I’m going to cry. This is the best night of my life,’” said Jim Cubbage of Wild Grief, another group that works with the WTA. It helps grieving youth through nature programs.

“They were all changed by the trip,” he said.

Washington Trails Association promotes hiking as a way to inspire a people to protect Washington’s natural places. Get inspired to go hiking and learn how you can help protect trails at www.wta.org.