The YES Coalition is a group of 15+ organizations located in or working along Colorado’s Front Range that engage youth in environmental stewardship. While such a network has long existed for stewardship organizations statewide, youth organizations have been largely compartmentalized or participating in small-scale collaboration.
The YES Coalition was initiated in the spring of 2017 by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers to bridge that gap with the intent of establishing best practices, determining partnership opportunities, and maximizing our impact through collaboration. The Coalition is led by four guiding organizations: Colorado Young Leaders, The Greenway Foundation, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, and Wildlands Restoration Volunteers.
The coalition involves a diverse group of stakeholders, including:
- Organizations like Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado who focus primarily on stewardship and restoration;
- Environmental education organizations such as Cal-Wood and Environmental Learning for Kids, which incorporate stewardship into their broader educational goals or are working to begin doing so, such as Colorado Mountain Club and SOS Outreach
- Youth voice-led organizations that introduce youth to opportunities to lead and uncover their passions in action like Colorado Young Leaders
- Organizations that provide paid opportunities for youth, such as TEENS, Inc. and the Colorado Youth Corps Association
- Several programs that operate out of local governments, such as Boulder County’s Lefthand Outdoor Challenge.
A complete list of participating organizations can be found HERE.
Youth Exploring Stewardship 