The Development of Educating Young People About Water and Give Water A Hand
– Steps to Involve Youth as Partners
Step 1 – Assessing Needs
After collecting more than 1,000 youth water education materials, we sorted the curricula and reviewed them for priority water management topics. Our 1992 report described curricula strengths, provided guidance for federal investments in water curricula development, and created a network among national groups and agencies promoting youth water education. We continued (through 2008) to review new curricula and add them to the database. The database is no longer accessible but the curricula information has been archived in a non-searchable resource.
Step 2 – Filling the Gaps
Concern about the lack of youth awareness prompted us to study how to make education more effective. We reviewed research studies, sponsored a national symposium, and informally evaluated approximately 80 successful water education programs providers. We published our results in Educating Young People About Water, a series of program planning resources focused on community-based planning for youth water education. We also created Give Water A Hand, a new action guide for youth. These resources help watershed or community teams facilitate youth involvement and select curricula and strategies that fit their needs.
Step 3 – Supporting Youth Action
Since 1995, we have worked in cooperation with our partners to provide leader education. Our outreach efforts focus on the need to carefully plan education activities so that youth can help accomplish community water goals. We design training strategies to meet specific needs identified by each of our water education partners.
The EYPAW Program was supported by the Environmental Resources Center, University of Wisconsin – Madison for over 20 years. Support is no longer available to maintain or update these resources. We thank all of our partners, especially the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for contributing to the success of Educating Young People about Water.