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Educator Development Program

Our Educator Development Program will return! While our Educator Development Program (EDP) is temporarily suspended due to COVID shutdowns and program dormancy, we expect to host another cohort in 2023. In the meantime, it is vital for us to continue to support educators from historically marginalized populations and reduce the barriers to becoming an environmental educator. If you are looking for a training program, or an entry-level position in EE, we recommend the below organizations and/or positions.

NatureBridge: Coastal Camp Counselor (Seeking applicants for summer 2022)

Justice Outside: Outdoor Educators Institute (Seeking applicants for 2022) 

  • “The Outdoor Educators Institute (OEI) develops the next generation of culturally relevant outdoor leaders by building competencies and leadership skills in young adults who have encountered hurdles or lacked the resources to work in the outdoors. The Outdoor Educators Institute is, at its core, advocacy for the inclusion and centering of underrepresented populations, especially those that have had historic and systemic barriers to accessing the outdoors.”
  • The OEI team prioritizes removing barriers to access for all people. If you feel like the program may not be accessible for you, please reach out! The OEI team is dedicated to finding solutions for you to participate. 
  • For inquiries, contact Program Coordinator Lau Hernandez: lau@justiceoutside.org

Outward Bound Adventures: Diverse Outdoor Leaders Institute (Seeking applicants in the Greater LA area for Spring 2022)

  • “The Diverse Outdoor Leaders Institute (DOLI) is a unique training program within OBA in collaboration with federal agencies designed to develop and train a cadre of elite outdoor leaders of color that will expose youth of color to our national parks, forests, and other wilderness areas.”
  • Accepting applications beginning in January 2022 for a March/April start

For educators who are currently in the field, but are looking for additional training that is accessible for folks with full-time jobs, check out:

Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE)’s Environmental Educator Certification Program (EECP)

  • “The benefit of an established certification process extends to the individual, the public, and the field itself. Having the EECP enhances the legitimacy of the profession by building a uniform foundation in effectively teaching about the environment. Additionally, through participation in the certification program, educators will expand their professional networks, make important connections across the state, and better understand the full spectrum of environmental education careers available.”
  • Applications open Spring of 2022
  • Partial scholarships (tuition assistance offered at 50%) are available for individuals that identify as a member of a community that has historically and systemically been marginalized in the field of Environmental Education (EE). Two of the scholarships are specifically designated for individuals that identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC).

Do you know of another great program? Let us know at info@naturebridge.org and we will try to post the information!