CAEE 2024 Conference eeVoices: The Power of Stories

Join us at the first annual eeLeaders Forum, a specialized conference session designed for individuals with five or more years of professional experience in developing environmental education (EE) and interpretive programs, supervising education staff, and managing educational or interpretive sites. This forum provides a unique opportunity to network and connect with fellow managers, directors, and leaders of environmental and outdoor learning programs. This year, we will focus on the crucial areas of recruitment, hiring, retention, and the culture of EE teams, encompassing staff, volunteers, and other contributors. Participants will gain valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance their team's effectiveness and cohesion.

The forum will give participants the opportunity to:

• Connect with other environmental and outdoor learning managers and leaders
• Ask your most burning questions about recruitment, hiring, retention, and team culture to a panel of HR Experts
• Engage in small group discussions with peers to brainstorm strategies that will work at YOUR organization

This session equips educators with strategies to adapt existing tool kits for broader accessibility. Join the staff from Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) to discuss techniques for fostering inclusivity while enhancing students’ observational, questioning, and analyzing skills. Attendees will gain actionable insights through engaging narratives and practical examples on how to empower learners of all backgrounds in their exploration of the natural world.

Ever noticed how some people dominate conversations? While it seems convenient, not speaking up means your ideas, values, and needs go unheard. What if there was a solution? Join our interactive session to gain three tools for speaking up, even for introverts. Unlock your voice and make an impact today!

The CLEAN collection is an online database of nearly 1000 free, peer-reviewed, and ready-to-use resources for teaching about climate and energy. In this workshop, learn about the collection and recent additions including activities that focus on climate mental health, teaching climate in multiple subjects, and the Fifth National Climate Assessment.

We know you know the why of taking kids outdoors. Let us help you with the how. From finding peer-to-peer groups to build community and work with like minded practitioners, to pedagogy, to the everyday operational basics, our goal is to help you make your passion into a workable reality.