What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 4pm

Wilderness Youth Project

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Santa Barbara, CA
Wilderness Youth Project

Wilderness Youth Project (WYP) connects kids to nature in small groups guided by mentors year-round. This means far more than "equal opportunity" to us.

VISION

WYP envisions teaching the next generation to be peaceful, respectful and confident stewards of our world. We believe that outdoor time and caring mentors provide the essential nutrients children need. CORE VALUES

INCLUSIVENESS (East) We believe a connection with Nature is needed by everyone and for this reason we are committed to making our programs available to all children by bridging

socioeconomic or cultural barriers. Inclusiveness requires an active effort on our part to create and maintain overlap between WYP culture and the cultures that contain and surround us. In this way, our programs are nourished by diverse perspectives and our entire community benefits from the teachings we offer. NATURE MENTORING (South)
We use tools called "Coyote Mentoring" and "The Eight Shields Model" to engage people in place-based education and deepen their relationship with nature. Our curriculum includes naturalist and survival skills, animal tracking, edible and medicinal plants, and interpreting bird language. Our students are immersed in nature, utilizing all of their senses. We maintain a low student to teacher ratio of 4:1 to facilitate individual mentoring. Nature Mentoring develops stewards, mentors, and leaders who will foster sustainability for humanity and the earth. COMMUNITY (West)
We nurture an awareness of the vital interdependence of nature, community, and self. We encourage genuine relationships, service to community, and a lifestyle in rhythm with nature. PEACEMAKING (North)
We strive to begin our interactions with thanksgiving. We have a commitment to cultivate peace in ourselves and to communicate honestly and clearly. In this way, we steward the earth and our children toward peace and well-being of body, mind, sand spirit.

08/18/2026

Let’s let them fall in love with nature 💕 Dejemos que se enamoren de la naturaleza

08/06/2026

Stories from the Wild is coming 🎤
📅 Thursday, August 13. 6–8 PM.
📍2040 Alameda Padre Serra, Santa Barbara
🎟️ Free tickets: wyp.org/rsvp-stories/

Bring your own blanket, your own chairs, your own people. We'll bring the rest.

Gather. Listen. Imagine. Kids and grown-ups together under the same sky, remembering that we're not separate from the wild, we're woven into it.

Picnic-style seating, so come as you are. See you there. 🌿

Historias de la naturaleza está por llegar 🎤
📅 Jueves, 13 de agosto. 6–8 p.m.
📍2040 Alameda Padre Serra, Santa Barbara.
🎟️ Entradas gratuitas: wyp.org/rsvp-stories/

Traiga su manta, sus sillas, a su gente. Nosotros traemos el resto.

Reúnase. Escuche. Imagine. Niños y adultos juntos bajo el mismo cielo, recordando que no estamos separados de la naturaleza, sino entrelazados con ella.

Asientos tipo picnic, así que venga como está. Nos vemos ahí. 🌿
Nota: El evento se presentará en inglés.

#805

07/24/2026

The Santa Barbara Foundation is celebrating the power of belonging, the welcoming spaces across Santa Barbara County where every person can breathe, play, and feel at home with a sweet Wilderness Youth Project photo.

Parks and open spaces are community infrastructure. During National Park and Recreation Month, we're celebrating the power of belonging, the welcoming spaces across Santa Barbara County where every person can breathe, play, and feel at home. (Photo: Wilderness Youth Project)

If you're working to protect and expand those spaces, our Conservation, Environment and Public Trails Grant Program is now accepting applications for projects supporting environmental sustainability, land conservation, habitat restoration, public trails, and ecosystem health — grants up to $25,000, deadline August 6. More info here: https://sbfoundation.org/nonprofits/2022-cept-grant-guidelines/?preview=true

07/20/2026

“Connecting with nature, with one another, and with ourselves is at the heart of what we encourage children to experience every day,” said Lauren Winnewisser, development director of Wilderness Youth Project. “This partnership helps make those connections possible while supporting several organizations that strengthen our entire community.”

A summer wellness series combining yoga, Pilates and meditation in Santa Barbara's outdoor spaces is continuing through August

07/19/2026

Today & the next two Sundays! Yogalates For Good in Nature with Sacred Garden Wellness 🧘🏽

📅Sundays, July 19, July 26, and Aug. 2
⌚️3:00 pm
🌳La Mesa Park: 295 Meigs Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93109

Walk-ins welcome! Suggested donation of $20. Pay what you can. Donations to benefit WYP, &

07/14/2026

Open for Fall: Bluebirds After-School 💙Meeting on Thursdays at Oak Park 🌳Bluebirds (Grades 4–6) is a special after-school program created for girls and nonbinary youth who feel comfortable in female-identifying spaces. Designed as a fun, supportive bridge between our Dragonflies program and our teen adventures, Bluebirds helps participants build confidence, deepen friendships, and strengthen their connection to the natural world through relationship-based outdoor mentoring.

Grab a friend and register for Fall online today register.wyp.org! If you'd like to learn more about Bluebirds group, please contact Cielle at [email protected].

Abierto para el otoño: Programa extraescolar Bluebirds 💙Nos reunimos los jueves en Oak Park 🌳Bluebirds (Grados 4–6) es un programa especial extracurricular creado para niñas y jóvenes no binaries que se sienten cómodas en espacios dirigidos a personas que se identifican como mujeres. Diseñado como un puente divertido y de apoyo entre nuestro programa Dragonflies y nuestras aventuras para adolescentes, Bluebirds ayuda a las participantes a desarrollar confianza en sí mismas, fortalecer amistades y profundizar su conexión con el mundo natural mediante un acompañamiento al aire libre basado en las relaciones personales.

¡Inscriba a su hija junto con una amiga y regístrela hoy mismo para el programa de otoño en línea en register.wyp.org! Si desea obtener más información sobre el grupo Bluebirds, comuníquese con Cielle en [email protected].

07/09/2026

Play at any age 🙏 Jugar a cualquier edad

Address

2040 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite 224
Santa Barbara, CA
93103

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

(805) 964-8096

Website

http://www.wyp.org/

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