Inlakech, Spring 2002

Multifaceted Support to Youth Workers

by Alicia Gray,
BAWT Program Director

BAWT's equipment library is our best way to support youth workers leading trips into the wilderness with their youth groups, but BAWT support does not end with the equipment library. We know that it takes much more than just equipment to get a group of youth into the wilderness. Last year at the BAWT retreat in February, the program workshop focused on the question of how to better support WLT participants in taking their own trips with youth. Many of the great suggestions rely on using people and knowledge that are already part of BAWT's community resources. The program committee and BAWT staff have begun the work of implementing some of the suggestions.

BAWT's Website as a Resource

Trip Ideas- With your help BAWT has started to put together its own list of trips with information that is specific to the BAWT community and to leading youth on trips. These trips are currently listed on our web site under "trip ideas". There is a template that I urge WLT participants to fill out completely for each of the trips you take. This trip idea section on the BAWT web site can be a great resource to you but will only grow with your help. Please visit and add your trips to the site! www.bawt.org

Maps and Guides

One of the problems youth workers face when they are planning a trip is the eternal question "where to go?" In fact, BAWT has a library, in the office, full of guidebooks and maps available to WLT participants to check out or photocopy. A full list of the resources in our library will soon be available on our web site under a "resources" link.

Regional Workshops

This year, for the first time, we will be holding half of our one-day workshops in San Jose. This is in answer to the requests that participants have made about always having to travel to San Francisco for workshops. Hopefully these workshops in the south bay will be a popular addition to our programs.