Field Scan: Environmental Education and Collective Impact Environmental Education Collaborative Meeting January 31, 2012

Who is in our field? Bay Area Environmental Education Evaluation Learning Community: Over 200 providers CREEC Resource Guide: 233 listings for Alameda County

Who is in our field? Criterion 1: Definition of Environmental Education Environmental education provides people with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment, and skills needed to protect and improve the environment.

Who is in our field? Criterion 2: Key Characteristics of Environmental Education Uses the outdoors as a learning environment. Is a lifelong learning process. Is interdisciplinary and draws upon many fields of study and learning. Is relevant to the needs, interests and motivations of the learner. Is based on accurate and factual information. Presents information in a balanced, unbiased manner. Inspires critical thinking and decision-making. Motivates people to take responsible action.

Who is in our field? Criterion 3: Area of Impact Area of Impact Way of Measuring Transportation Commuting , Vehicle Miles Traveled Natural Assets Protected Land, Brownfields, Water Use per capita, Ecological Health of the Bay , Ecological Footprint Resource Use Energy Use, Carbon Emissions, Ozone, Particulate Matter , Waste Disposal and Diversion Civic Engagement Voter Participation, Voter Behavior

Who is in our field? Criterion 4: Method of EE Program Delivery* *NSW Council of Environmental Education Survey, 2003 Method % Responding Community education/advocacy 35% Information services 26% General education curriculum 20% Social marketing Outdoor education 19% Vocational education & Workplace training 16% Community development 14% Extension 11% Vocational education & educational institution training 9% Labor force training program 5% Cultural/eco tourism 3%

Typology of Environmental Education Providers in the Bay Area Who is in our field? Typology of Environmental Education Providers in the Bay Area *NSW Council of Environmental Education Survey, 2003

Environmental Education Collaboratives Bay Area and Non-Bay Area Examples *NSW Council of Environmental Education Survey, 2003

Collective Impact: Strive Partnership Early Care and Education Advocates District Superintendents College and University Presidents Community Funders Business Leaders Service Providers

Collective Impact: Strive Partnership - Members organized into 15 different Student Success Networks (SSNs) by type of activity (such as early childhood education or tutoring) - Each SSN has met with a coach and facilitator for two hours every two weeks for the last three years

Strive Partnership Goals Birth Kindergarten 4th Grade 8th Grade 12th Grade Graduate Goal 1: Prepared for School Goals 2 & 3: Supported In and Out of School & Succeed Academically Goals 4 & 5: Enroll in College & Graduate and Enter a Career “From Cradle To Career”

Strive Partnership: Core Functions Work that happens in each SSN: - develop shared performance indicators - discuss progress - learn from each other - align efforts to support each other

Strive Partnership: Learning 5 conditions required for a successful collective impact initiative: Common agenda Shared measurement Mutually reinforcing activities Continuous communication Backbone support organization

Collective Impact: Lessons from the Field Costs $ (broad base of support to make Strive work) Funders more interested in short-term solutions Must be led by credible leaders who can serve as conveners and who genuinely “understand that every community needs a common table;” their job is to catalyze the process and set the right tone, It takes time to build trust (measured in years, not months)

Collective Impact: Trends To date, common focus of collective impact has been on “cradle to career” and children’s issues, with much of it tied directly to education Promise Neighborhoods (federal initiative that propelled collective impact model) is increasingly looking at environmental and social factors that influence health.

Collective Impact: Local Example East Bay Promise Neighborhood Management team composed of CSU East Bay, Chabot College, Hayward USD, the City of Hayward, 4C’s of Alameda County and the Eden Area Regional Occupational Program A number of other regional partners also contribute to the planning process as part of the Advisory Board, including public safety officials, government groups, non-profit organizations and local residents. The partnership focuses on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and developing pathways to college.

Collective Impact: Local Example Redwood City 2020 Participants: Redwood City Elementary School District City of Redwood City County of San Mateo – Human Services Agency and Health System Sequoia Union High School District John W. Gardner Center For Youth and Their Communities, Stanford University Sequoia Healthcare District Kaiser Permanente

Collective Impact: Local Example Redwood City 2020 Participation Guidelines: Members must commit to consistent and ongoing participation in Redwood City 2020’s governance structure. Members must contribute annual membership fee. (At this time it is $25,000) Members must be ready to contribute resources (fiscal, in-kind and /or staff) to actively support the priorities and key strategic activities identified by Redwood City 2020

Systems Change: Considerations Systems tend to be resistant to change Systems have tipping points Knowing the cause and effect between the parts (feedback loops), enables one to change a system effectively Managing system change requires multiple perspectives