The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) has established guidelines for developing balanced, scientifically accurate and comprehensive environmental education programs and materials. These guidelines were made possible through the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education.

In addition to using the Guidelines for Excellence to assess new instructional workshops for its Environmental Education Certification Program, North Carolina recently adapted the guidelines to create a toolkit for AmeriCorps members who are tasked with creating environmental education programs in their service areas.

The toolkit was adapted from the North American Association for Environmental Education’s Guidelines for Excellence - Nonformal Environmental Education Programs and serves as an aid to AmeriCorps members who develop and administer environmental education programs in North Carolina.

The toolkit was developed through a partnership between the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs and AmeriCorps programs hosted by Conserving Carolina (Project Conserve) and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC AmeriCorps). These AmeriCorps programs are supported by grants from the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service in the Office of Governor Roy Cooper.

Both AmeriCorps programs have extensive reach into underserved regions of North Carolina and address community needs in education and environmental stewardship. Their training equips members to be successful in their current service and in future careers in conservation and education.