Educators Outdoors
Providing outdoor training, gear, and trip planning support to youth educators and community leaders.
Enjoy These Educators Outdoors Benefits
Gear Loans
From 8 locations across the Northeast
Outdoor Skills Training
Leadership and professional development
AMC Destinations
Reduced rates for youth groups
Ongoing Support
Trip planning resources and coaching
Transforming the outdoors, thanks to the educators and their young people.
Educators Outdoors is an outdoor education, professional development, and social justice program of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
With the goal of equitable access to the outdoors, we offer a series of Outdoor Leadership Trainings across our region for educators from schools and youth organizations in lower-income communities and communities of color. These trainings focus on the technical skills and leadership development needed to successfully lead outdoor experiences for young people.
Educators who complete one of these training courses are eligible for:
- Gear loans from AMC’s eight gear rooms, located across the Northeast
- The opportunity for future professional development through AMC workshops
- Continued support from AMC staff, who are available to review trip itineraries and answer questions
- Need-based subsidized rates at AMC huts, lodges, and camps
- A personal two-year AMC Membership
Educators independently lead outdoors adventures and help to achieve the developmental goals of their youth's schools and organizations. Their stories, success and learnings are informing the way AMC supports the future educators. Join the movement of transforming the outdoors today!
Interested in Educators Outdoors support?
Check out our upcoming trainings
Already completed Outdoor Leadership Training? Log in to the Educators Outdoors Hub.
Our Story
Inspired by the principles of the Civil Rights movement, Educators Outdoors (formerly known as the Youth Opportunities Program) was founded in 1968 in the City of Boston to offer Outdoor Leadership Training to youth-serving agencies in Roxbury, MA. Those trained took their new skills and additional resources from AMC to lead youth on outdoor adventures in New Hampshire.
Today, the program continues to work with communities that face historic and current barriers to outdoor recreation opportunities. Our approach is to “train-the-trainer,” putting skills and resources into the hands of community leaders. This train and support model has successfully grown to sustain over 400 educators per year, who in turn engage thousands of young people with outdoor experiences across New England and the Greater New York City region.
FAQ
Our gear libraries* are located across the AMC region, with a focus on serving urban areas.
Current locations:
- Boston, MA
- Blue Hill Reservation, MA
- Harold Parker State Forest, MA
- Worcester, MA
- New Haven, CT
- Brooklyn, NY
- Harriman State Park, NY
- Delaware Water Gap, NJ
*Please note that only educators who have completed an OLT can access this gear.