The Use of National Icons in NonFormal Education Programs

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The Use of National Icons in Non-Formal
Education Programs

• Young Children Engaging Caregivers in Outdoor
  Activities

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DefinitionNon-Formal Education

• Education about the environment that takes place
  at non-formal settings such as parks, zoos,
  nature centers, community centers youth camps,
  etc. , rather than in a classroom or school. Any
  organized educational activity about the
  environment that takes place outside the formal
  education system. (The term is frequently used
  interchangeably with informal environmental
  education.)
• As defined by the North American Association for
  Environmental Education

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With a purpose

• Raising awareness of an environmental issue
  (local and/or national) or subject
• Supporting line officers outreach efforts in
  connecting with communities and groups
• Instill conservation values in youth
• Simply because it is your passion!

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Setting the Program Goals

• Clear
• Objective
• Specific
• Measurable
• Live room for unexpected outputs and
• DOCUMENT!!!!!

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So, once the program is done, what follows?

• Monitoring!
• PROVE that your objectives were met!
• And the challenge How can we keep people
  connected so they can become engaged and allied
  to our efforts?

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The Challenge

• Once the connection with your audience is made,
  how can we keep people connected so they can
  become engaged to our efforts?

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Be Smart!

• Seek advise!
• Search for support (financial and political) by
  connecting your program to a cause
• Diversify your offerings
• Think like a builder establish a strong
  foundation and start from the ground-up.
• Capitalize on national, regional, state efforts
• No need to reinvent the wheel.

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National Symbols Program and the Non Formal
Conservation Education Efforts

• Junior Forest Ranger Program Nurturing future
  conservation leaders.
• The camp connection
• The Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association
• The San Juan Mountain Association (Community
  program)
• The State of Oklahoma Forest Service
• Grey Towers
• Woodsy Owl Instill conservation messages in
  young children.
• Incorporate Woodsy Owl in your program as a
  component to outreach young children.
• Partnership with the Head Start Bureau
• To instill conservation messages and practices in
  the Head Start curricula
• Junior Snow Ranger program - Promotes winter
  ecology and recreation opportunities- Review
  coming SOON!!!
• Smokey Bear

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Pop Culture Trends

• Climate change
• Weather
• Energy conservation issues
• Child obesity
• Fostering critical thinking through science
• Growth of thousandnares philantrophy

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Last thoughts

• Be more assertive in developing and executing
  your individual development plans.
• Incorporate other disciplines in your
  professional education portfolio.
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Management
• Politics
• Economics
• Start building a DIVERSIFIED network.