POBS Executive Director Justin Ennis laid out the Advancing Access to the Outdoors goals and plans.

On a recent spring morning at the Discovery Center in Strawberry Mansion, the Philadelphia Outward Bound School marked the local launch of Advancing Access to the Outdoors — an Outward Bound USA initiative now taking root across all Outward Bound schools nationally. For POBS, it represents a three-year commitment built around a single ambitious goal: serve more than 25,000 Pennsylvanians through transformative outdoor learning experiences by 2028, with a particular focus on young people who have historically faced the greatest barriers to getting outside.

The numbers behind the initiative tell part of the story. By 2028, POBS aims to log 500,000 screen-free hours in outdoor spaces across Pennsylvania, cover 5,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail and Delaware River, and help students climb a collective 200,000 vertical feet – the equivalent of scaling Mount Everest nine times. Nearly 900 day programs annually and more than 150 multi-day wilderness expeditions will drive that progress.

WHAT WE’LL ACCOMPLISH BY 2028

But the case for this initiative starts with a harder number: only 10% of families can afford an Outward Bound course without financial support. That gap is what Advancing Access to the Outdoors exists to close.

Why This, Why Now

Research consistently shows that outdoor experiences have measurable impacts on young people’s mental health, resilience, and sense of belonging. Eighty-two percent of Pennsylvanians agree that outdoor recreation supports mental health and well-being — and every dollar invested in Outward Bound programming generates nine dollars of social, economic, and environmental value in return.

For a city like Philadelphia, where green space is unevenly distributed and expedition-based learning remains out of reach for too many families, a coordinated three-year push matters.

WHY IT MATTERS

How It Works

Advancing Access to the Outdoors is organized around four areas of focus:

1. School Partnerships: Working with schools across the region to bring experiential outdoor learning to more students directly through their curriculum and school day.
2. Educator Leadership: Equipping teachers and school leaders with experiential learning tools they can carry into their classrooms long after a POBS program ends.
3. Community Access: Expanding free and low-cost outdoor experiences at the Discovery Center in Strawberry Mansion and throughout the region.
4. Regional Collaboration: Partnering with organizations and agencies across Pennsylvania to extend outdoor opportunities beyond Philadelphia and into communities statewide.

Pennsylvania DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn has been a driving force on equitable outdoor access.

The Community Showed Up

The launch event drew educators, community partners, and donors who have been part of this work for years. We were honored to welcome Pennsylvania DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, who offered remarks on the Commonwealth’s commitment to expanding equitable access to outdoor spaces. Her presence — and that of so many DCNR colleagues — reflected the kind of statewide alignment that makes an initiative like this more than an aspiration.

POBS alum Shaalin Gamble-Sarfo spoke about her experiences on multiple Outward Bound expeditions and what they meant for her growth, her resilience, and her relationship with the natural world. Her words were a moving reminder of exactly why this work matters.

POBS alum Shaalin Gamble-Sarfo spoke beautifully about her time on several Outward Bound expeditions

A Partnership That Makes It Possible

Advancing Access to the Outdoors is made possible in part through the support of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, which has partnered with Outward Bound USA to expand access to outdoor learning nationally. We are grateful for their commitment to ensuring these experiences reach the young people who need them most.

What Comes Next

The goal is 25,000 by 2028. The work to get there is already underway.

If you’re interested in bringing POBS programming to your school or organization, or in supporting this initiative, we’d love to hear from you!  Explore Partnership Pathways with POBS >