The mission of cityWILD is to provide Metro Denver youth with experiential and outdoor learning opportunities that promote personal empowerment, leadership, and community participation. cityWILD motivates participants to reach their potential at home, in school and within their community.
cityWILD’s Leadership Program includes the After School Program, Weekend Adventures and Expeditions. The After School Program operates on-site at Wyatt-Edison Charter School, Bruce Randolph Middle School, and the Blue Spruce Housing complex for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. The program provides after school services that focus on group activities, leadership development, outdoor skills, and community focused environmental service learning. Activities include hiking, rock climbing, river rafting, water quality testing, door-to-door canvassing, gardening, swimming, campcraft, and first aid. Students also participate in service projects throughout their neighborhoods giving volunteer service to their communities on a regular basis. And most importantly, through a structured curriculum, they learn skills and develop tools for effective communication, leadership and group interaction that will carry them successfully through adolescence and into adulthood. In 2003-2004, an average of 19 students attended each day, with over 111 total students enrolled.

The Case Management team consists of one professional social worker and three graduate level interns who provide each participant with individualized support such as family interventions and counseling, weekly school contact, job coaching, and the development of behavioral contracts, in addition to other services. The team works with each family to identify any needed service and link them with these providers in the community. Team members also provide crisis services as needed. In 2003-2004, 105 youth and their families received case management services.

cityWILD Ventures works with youth and adult service organizations across Colorado to provide other youth and adults not in cityWILD’s program with river rafting and outdoor adventure experiences. Other agencies purchase these experiences from cityWILD to encourage the development of environmental awareness and outdoor leadership skills. Crew Leaders from the Leadership Program help facilitate these trips and demonstrate the leadership and wilderness skills learned there. In 2003-2004, 162 youth from other community agencies and schools participated in cityWILD Ventures. In addition, city WILD Ventures served 91 nonprofit adult staff, and 62 commercial clients for a total of 153 adults served. In summary, cityWILD Ventures served a total of 315 youth and adult clients.