National Park Service Grant: Canoemobile Program for Urban Youth Engagement

The objective of this Agreement is to work with the park’s partner, Wilderness Inquiry, to engage urban youth the Twin Cities in jointly developed educational and interpretive programs with the Minneapolis and Saint Paul public school system. The programs are canoe-based day camp and/or overnight experiences with educational activities that lead to the understanding of the natural, historical and built environments within the Mississippi River corridor.

RECIPIENT AGREES TO:
A. The Recipient agrees to:
1 Provide canoe-based and land-based programs for inner-city youth in coordination with the National Park Service, youth service organizations and local school districts, and include key park staff in the development of programs, coordination with the schools and local park partners, and training of recipient’s outdoor educators.
2 Provide necessary equipment for these programs – including large voyageur canoes, personal flotation devices, other safety gear, tents, and other materials needed for the programs – and training for participants in safety and use of equipment.
3 Provide staff and training to staff in the implementation and execution of the programs.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AGREES TO:
1. Provide park rangers and/or other NPS staff as available to work in coordination with recipient’s staff in delivering these programs.
2. Provide leadership in conducting educational programs that connect participants to the natural, historical, cultural and recreational resources and stewardship of the Mississippi River corridor; train Wilderness Inquiry staff and volunteers on interpreting the nationally significant resources of the Mississippi River corridor and addressing academic standards.
3. Assist recipient’s staff in providing joint training in program delivery, educational standards, and interpretation.
4. Provide training and certification to safely operate canoes, and adhere to all established protocols for canoe and camp programs.

The Recipient and NPS, jointly, agree to:
1. Develop program goals, educational objectives, curricula and logistics.
2. Implement and deliver high quality educational and recreational programs that serve the objective of this agreement.
3. Coordinate program development, collaboration with youth groups, schools and other partners, training, staffing, evaluation, and all other aspects of the program partnership through weekly meetings between key staff of both organizations.
4. Collaborate to ensure that safety is given the highest priority in decisions related to the programs, monitoring river conditions and cancelling or moving programs to safer locations if conditions do not allow programs to be safely delivered on the river, and ensuring through training and testing that all staff are qualified to safely operate canoes carrying youth.