Forest Park Conservancy Partners with Trailkeepers of Oregon on Equity Training for Volunteer Leaders

Forest Park ConservancyUncategorized

We are excited to announce our partnership with Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO) on an upcoming release of a workshop series focused on antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

These three-hour sessions will be designed for a volunteer/environmental stewardship audience. Participation in at least one workshop will be mandatory for volunteer leadership positions to remain in good standing. Leadership positions include FPC’s Volunteer Crew Leaders (VCLs), Forest Park Ambassadors, and Discovery Hike Leaders.

Because this is the first year of the program and a new requirement, currently active FPC Volunteer Leaders will have until the end of the 2021 calendar year to complete their training.

Not a current FPC Volunteer Leader but interested in this training opportunity? After the initial period of getting all our volunteer leadership to speed, we will open these workshops to our broader volunteer community.

Forest Park Conservancy x Trailkeepers of Oregon: A Natural Partnership

Trailkeepers of Oregon is the perfect partner for this work. Like FPC, TKO is invested in centering DEI issues as part of their environmental stewardship programs to ensure opportunities that are inclusive, safe, and accessible. They also have their hands in exciting trail projects region-wide and engage volunteers all over the state and they’re darn good people.

Right now, FPC staff and board are working closely with TKO to put the finishing touches on these workshops before the first workshop goes live in June. After that, workshops will be offered on a rolling basis by both organizations throughout the summer, fall, and beyond. Each workshop (1, 2, and 3) build on one another, so folks will be encouraged to attend them sequentially to get the most out of each one.

Responsible Community Leaders

Although performing a “dance test” on a rock wall and properly planting a native shrub are important skillsets, the responsibilities of leaders and teachers in our community run so much deeper than that.

Leadership is about making one-on-one connections while guiding an entire group; teaching folks the skills required to be successful; learning from those you lead, and making judgment calls that will protect everyone’s safety and well-being. We believe that inspiring and empowering our leaders to recognize and interrupt racist, harmful behavior with respect, empathy, and love, is critical to ensuring a culture in Forest park where all people feel safe, welcome, and have equitable access to all the benefits Forest Park provides.

Giving Back to Volunteers

Our fantastic volunteer community has given so much time and effort to our organization and to the land we care for. By offering this series of workshops, we hope to give back to our volunteers in a way that will not only improve interactions and experiences within the park but may also have an impact on the personal and professional lives of attendees. We hope that these workshops will inspire and activate you to see the world, and your place in making it better, a little bit differently.

Requiring VCLs, Ambassadors, and Discovery Hike Leaders to attend at least one DEI workshop each year is part of a larger plan to offer more robust skill-building opportunities for our volunteers, including both “technical” and “soft skills” trainings. We are fortunate to have so many folks who want to help, and in response, we’re committed to offering more ways to get involved at whatever level of time and energy commitment works for you.

As time goes on, FPC volunteers who take on leadership and teaching roles are only becoming more important to the work we do—and we’re working to ensure their success and growth as community leaders.

If you are a part of one of the groups for whom workshop attendance will be mandatory, thank you for your commitment to the health of Forest Park and connecting people to the land. You will receive updates as soon as registration is open, and you can email Ingry with any questions until then.