Elevate Youth is on a mission to empower youth to explore the outdoors alongside mentors, sharing awe and the richness of our natural world. Our vision is to spark a lifelong love of the outdoors through equitable access and routine immersion in nature as a way to foster agency and lead holistic, healthy lifestyles.

Our Model works by collaborating with Boston area schools, community organizations, and volunteer mentors to facilitate outdoor programs for underserved youth as a way to foster agency, encourage holistic, healthy lifestyles, and equip youth with critical life skills so they can reach their full potential. Each month we focus on a new outdoor activity, such as rock climbing, skiing, fishing, outdoor cooking, hiking, etc.

Each of our programs meet on a specific day of the week, and we’ll spend the first 3 sessions of the month on site at the school focused on hard skills such as winter clothing layering, knot tying or fly-casting, but also soft skills such as patience, teamwork, leadership & resilience. These “enrichment sessions” occur from 4-6PM Monday-Thursday.

The last session of the month will always be our field trip, in which students are released early from school, hop into our 14 passenger van, and we travel to local outdoor recreation areas within 1 hr of Boston. Typically, these field trips will begin around 2:30PM and run till 5:30PM.  EY programs are 100% free for all youth & volunteers, and include transportation, clothing & equipment, expert instruction, and healthy lunches & snacks.

The Elevate Youth Outdoor Mentorship program is a means for adults to become mentors for underserved youth in an Elevate Youth program. The program is designed as a group mentoring model; each individual will be paired with a group of approximately 12-15 youth and will support the kids both in classroom enrichment sessions and on outdoor trips.

Mentors will be matched with a school and a single youth group that meets weekly on a specific day of the week. Mentors are strongly encouraged to attend weekly sessions, but will be required to attend a minimum of one day of programming per month (either field trips, enrichment sessions, or both) for a minimum of 6 months.

Details

• We ask mentors to commit to a minimum of 9 months (October - June), and will be invited to participate during the summer months as well (July & August) have the Summer Program separate but invite mentors to stay on.  
• Mentors will receive formal training prior to the start of their commitment (September).
• Mentors will never be the sole adult responsible for the youth; Elevate Youth Outdoor Instructors will always be present during programming and will be in charge of facilitating the lesson or activity.
• Youth will primarily be in 5th and 6th grade (ages 10-14), and have diverse backgrounds. Some kids may be English language learners..  
• Outdoor activities may include: hiking, fishing, rock climbing, outdoor cooking, orienteering, farming/gardening, surfing, sailing, kayaking, skiing, cross country skiing, skating, snowshoeing, or camping.
• The outdoor mentor will provide at least 24 hours notice  prior to any cancellation. More than two unplanned cancellations within your six month commitment will lead to an exit from the Outdoor Mentor program.  
• Right now, school sites are located in Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, and Allston. All schools are accessible by train or bus, and there is limited street parking at all program sites.

• For off site field trips, mentors will have the choice to meet at the school and travel with the group in the van, or meet the group at the outing location.
• Mentors will never be expected to provide their own gear for an outing.

• Mentors are encouraged to come to more than one activity per month if they are able to, but this is not required.

2023/2024 Program Sites

Outdoor Mentor: Please sign the below to indicate you’ve read & agree to these conditions.

Program Site                                                         Start Date                                

Commitment:

• 3 Months
• 9 Months (school year)
• Summer

Volunteer Name                                                                                         

Signature                                                         Date