People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) will be receiving an estimated $226,860 of a $699,943 grant from the California Department of State Parks as the subgrantee for a new Outdoor Equity Program in Santa Barbara County.

The full grant was awarded to the Regents of the University of California and the project will be carried out by the 4-H Youth Development Program in Santa Barbara County with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, in partnership with PSHH, Camp Keep, and Project Learning Tree.

The Outdoor Equity Program is focused on increasing access to the outdoors for students in underserved communities, with an emphasis on those with limited English proficiency. This funding will provide engaging outdoor experiences at state parks and other public lands to improve health and wellness.

Students will receive access to educational and recreational activities, service learning, career pathways, and leadership opportunities that strengthen a connection to the natural world, as well as an expanded science curriculum and college readiness courses that encourage careers in STEM.

“This program offers one-of-a-kind funding that will support hands-on learning opportunities for our students, that will benefit them for years to come,” said Joanna Dominguez, PSHH director of education. “We look forward to expanding access to nature through this collaborative effort.”

The program will include 109 activity days in the community and 35 trips to natural areas throughout its four years. Curriculum is set to start later this fall for PSHH students in Goleta, Carpinteria and Santa Barbara, as well as any interested community members.

Activities will include: Know Before You Go: Outdoor Preparation, Coastal Discovery and Coastal Geology at Morro Bay, Rock Adventure at Pinnacles National Park, Storytelling Through Art at Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, and White Water Rafting.

To learn more about People’s Self-Help Housing, visit pshhc.org. To read more about the Outdoor Equity Grant, visit parksforcalifornia.org/project/22351.