ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND EXPERIENTIAL OUTDOOR LEARNING

ACCESS SUSTAINABILITY OPPORTUNITY IMPACT

Working Definitions and Benchmarks for Success

1) Access:
Ensuring that all audiences are made aware of and encouraged to participate in
environmental/experiential education and stewardship in Seattle Parks, we will
prioritize efforts to reach and collaborate with traditionally underserved communities,
understand and remove barriers to their usage of Parks resources, and develop
programming to foster their involvement and inclusion.

BENCHMARKS:
50% of our end users come from traditionally underserved communities.

2) Sustainability:
Investing our time, resources and energy to achieve relevance to our audiences which
feeds and sustains us to continue our work, to stay engaged and to grow as a learning
organization.

BENCHMARKS:
75% of end users surveyed agree the program is highly relevant to their lives.

15% of our resources ($$, material goods, volunteer time, outside staff support, etc.)
used to deliver programming comes from sources other than those allocated to
Environmental Education by the department (includes: external/internal partners,
SVNs, grants, donations, in-kind, etc.)

80% of staff members responding to an annual survey rank enjoyment and
satisfaction with work as high or very high 90% of the time.

** Program decisions will be informed by ongoing evaluative data collection, and an
annual management assessment of effectiveness and return on investment of each
Environmental Education and Experiential Outdoor Learning program that will be
based on outcome evaluation data and progress achieved in reaching adopted
benchmarks.

3) Opportunity:
Engaging communities to develop and participate in a diverse array of programming
options.

BENCHMARKS:
25% of ongoing community collaborations initiated originally from partners in or
outside the department



VERSION 4.0



25% of end users surveyed have not participated previously in environmental learning
experiences.

4) Impact:
Fostering enhanced awareness, knowledge and appreciation of the self, community and
the natural environment while engaging people in actively restoring, preserving and
caring for self, community, and the natural environment.

BENCHMARKS:
75% of end users developed an expanded awareness about the range of choices
available to support a healthy self, community and natural environment.

75% of end users affirmed they will take actions or make choices on behalf of a
healthier self, community and natural environment.

**Program decisions will be informed by ongoing evaluative data collection, and an
annual management assessment of effectiveness and return on investment of each
Environmental Education and Experiential Outdoor Learning program that will be
based on outcome evaluation data and progress achieved in reaching adopted
benchmarks.