Outdoor Empowerment (OE) a program of Save the Kids, is dedicated to providing inclusive alternatives to violence, group-building, environmental awareness, and empowerment skills in an outdoor setting for urban youth no matter their ability in Central New York. OE takes adventure outings one step further and focuses on the process of the 3 Es – experience, education, and environment during our outings/workshops. The foundation of OE’s mission and its activities is rooted in the theory of ecopedagogy, inspired by the work of Paulo Freire. Ecopedagogy is an educational theory and pratice based on the process of teaching and sharing the awareness of social injustices and the need to protect the environment, while addressing issues of green crimes, such as eco-racism, animal cruelty, and ecological destruction. We are also rooted in Dis-Ability and Inclusive Pedagogy, which believes that everyone is different and should be respected and that in nature and the human communty there is no average, normal, or same. OE’s Uniqueness: There are three distinct characteristics that make us unique from the rest of the outdoor educational organizations.
- Our instructors have a commitment to social justice and empowerment for our participants.
- Our instructors have a formal environmental and conflict studies education background.
- Our instructors all are are highly skilled outdoors-people.
We also incorporate what we like to call the 5 Ss into everything that we do:
- Safety - Safety is always first in any activity we organize.
- Simplicity - We strive to be as low-impact on our surroundings as possible, keeping to the 3 Rs: recycle, reduce, reuse, from everything we throw away to the gear we use.
- Sustainability - Knowing that our actions have an impact on the environment around us, we aim for conscious and sustainable choices, from the vehicles we drive to the food we eat.
- Service - Our mission is to provide our skills to the public in order that our participants will be empowered to give back to their own communities.
- Social Justice – Last but not least, we believe that everything we do must foster social justice, whether that is providing free education or teaching respect for diversity.
**We do not discriminate or limit our invitations; we are open to all individuals no matter what race, gender, sexual orientation, spiritual belief, or ability.
______________________________________
If you are interested in any of the following 6 programs, please fill out our individual application form or organization application form.
While we are prepared to offer in the future: 1) min-workshops (3-5 hours long), 2) day trainings (6-10 hours long), and 3) weekend outings (2-3 days), currently, we are only offering mini-workshops and day trainings.
Note, we do not take out less than 4 and no more than 12 participants. In each training there is at least 2 instructors.
- Click here for – Gear and Equipment You Need for Weekend Outing
- Click here for – Medical Release Form
- Click here for – Liability Release Form
OE has developed curricula for 6 programs (see below) with different focus areas: 1) empowerment, 2) conflict transformation, 3) nonviolence, 4) leadership, 5) problem-solving, and 6) wilderness. Outdoor Empowerment believes in a holistic educational approach, which is represented in our six programs.
We provide all the basic camping gear, technical equipment, and workshop supplies for our participants to use during our outings and workshops. What makes Outdoor Empowerment so unique is that we offer all of our programs absolutely FREE OF CHARGE to participants!
________________________________________________________
1. Empowerment
- The Empowerment Program provides the essential workshops and skills necessary for strengthening group dynamics and sharing knowledge. Empowerment is based on uplifting the talents and knowledge of all members in the group to a respectful and equal level. This program will encourage participants to become dependent on one another in order to achieve goals set during the weekend. This program is suggested to groups that have not worked on projects prior and those that have difficulty in delegating different tasks to members of an existing group.
2. Conflict Transformation
- Based out of the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) and Help Increase the Peace Project (HIPP) from AFSC model, which started in Greenhaven prison, in New York in 1971 by prisoners and Quakers, this program is directed to people wanting to develop skills needed to handle conflict in a more constructive and empowering manner. Unlike conflict management, which merely strives to control conflict, or conflict resolution, which strives to establish an agreement, conflict transformation transcends goals, interests, and intention in hopes to create a new ending and beginning for all involved in the conflict.
________________________________________________________
3. Nonviolence
- This program is directed to street-line peacemakers and nonviolent activists wanting to expand their repertoire of skills for positive social change. Participants will learn a wide range of tactics that can be used in the struggle for social justice. This program will be provided by highly experienced and knowledgeable people with a vast amount of activist and peacemaking experience. While we would like to provide such skills for free, we believe that activists should take their education seriously and provide an economic investment and interest in it.
________________________________________________________
4. Leadership
- Unlike empowerment, which stresses group dynamics and interdependence, the leadership program focuses on individual roles and responsibilities. Participants will all be charged with leadership roles in some aspect of the trip. This program is suggested for groups and individuals who already possess well-rounded bases of knowledge and want to develop the people skills necessary to successfully lead their own groups.
5. Wilderness
- It is incredibly easy to spot areas where humans have been. Their wake of destruction is quite plain to see. But this need not be the case. Leaving as small a footprint as possible is the name of the game in this program. Participants will learn techniques such as building shelters, mapping, compass skills, first aid, and making fires. It is our hope that by the end of the trip, all will have developed an admiration and respect for the environment that goes beyond the simple “how to” and the “why” of low-impact techniques.
________________________________________________________
6. Problem-Solving
- With all well-rounded educational organizations and institutions, there exists a program that provides education on the process of solving simple and complex problems, from daily chores to negotiating one’s responsibilities at work. Unlike conflict transformation, which is among people and/or groups, problem-solving is based one individual’s relationship to a situation and/or process. Therefore, in this program we stress being creative and using one’s emotions and intelligence in order to have a positive outcome. What better place to be creative and take on personal challenges than the outdoors, with natural obstacles from cooking a meal to climbing a mountain?
________________________________________________________
