Groundwork USA's National Experiential Learning Program

Groundwork USA is a national nonprofit that supports and strengthens grassroots efforts to create healthier, greener, more just, and resilient communities. Our mission is to provide opportunities for young people from urban communities to connect with public lands through experiential learning, workforce development, stewardship, and recreation. Through our National Experiential Learning Program, youth and young adults from Groundwork communities across the country convene in National Parks to build relationships with each other and nature, increase their sense of belonging in spaces they may not feel welcome, and learn professional skills to access living wage careers in the green economy.

Our network of 21 place-based Affiliates works to restore the environment in frontline communities while building pathways for more inclusive economic, social, and political systems. A core focus of our work is empowering the next generation of environmental leaders; each of our local Affiliates offers paid programs for youth and young adults to gain experience in community education and organizing, creating and maintaining green spaces, installing and stewarding green infrastructure, conducting community science projects, and more.

Because we work exclusively in under-resourced urban neighborhoods, many of the youth we support have never had a chance to travel to National Parks, nor do they have regular access to outdoor spaces. Many of them feel disconnected from, or unwelcome in, public lands and green spaces. Groundwork’s youth programs are designed to meet young people “where they are”, both figuratively and literally, to build connections between young people, their community, and the environment. This serves to increase their sense of belonging in the environmental community and cultivate professional networks and career opportunities in the conservation, environmental, and community development fields.

Our National Experiential Learning Program builds upon our community-based youth programming by convening youth from across our network in iconic National Parks—like Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Indiana Dunes, and Glacier—for week-long experiential learning programs each summer. They have opportunities to explore environments much different from their home cities, where they can build connections to the outdoors and gain knowledge in advanced construction, trail maintenance, and historic preservation skills. To encourage careers in public land management and stewardship, youth can also practice soft skills such as public speaking, resume building, interviewing, financial management, and networking.

These trips are an essential part of our efforts to help our young people connect and interact with the broader conservation movement, with peers from other communities who share their lived experiences and passion for conservation, and with park leadership to explore careers that may not otherwise be evident in an urban environment. Groundwork alumni have gone on to access careers in the park service, the trades, environmental sciences, and politics and policy.

Through this program, we invest in the future of individuals to effect change in themselves, the built and natural environments in which they live, and our society as a whole. Our goal is to continue expanding our National Experiential Learning Program by offering more spots for young people to participate and organizing programming in more parks across the country. 

Contact James Foster, Senior Manager of Youth Programs james@groundworkusa.org (914) 218-4150 Groundwork USA

Populations Served
Low-income, urban youth and young adults; BIPOC youth and young adults

Services Offered

• Environmental education 

• Deferred maintenance and repair projects 

• Land stewardship 

• Recreation, including hiking and camping 

• Service-learning projects 

• Community science projects 

• Community outreach and organizing 

• Mentorship 

• College and employment training

Cost to Participate
National Experiential Learning Program is designed for youth and young adults already working with Groundwork Affiliates across the country. Nine-day trips cost on average between $3,000 and $4,000 per participant, but are offered free of charge to our youth. Participants earn at least $15/hour for their work.

Staff Composition
Groundwork USA has a total staff of 25 spread geographically across the country. Our Chief Youth and Workforce Officer and Senior Manager of Youth Programs organize and manage our experiential youth programs in National Parks. Each of our Affiliates has at least one staff member managing local youth programs.