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Youth Stewardship
The Volunteer Division’s Youth Services team coordinates and runs a variety of programs that offer youth and educators opportunities to connect with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s parks and open spaces city wide.
Youth Stewardship Program (YSP)
The Youth Stewardship Program (YSP) runs from November through May and engages youth and school groups, grades K-12, in environmental education and service-learning field trips in parks citywide. Our program mission is to foster an understanding of their important role in building healthy social and natural communities.
YSP exposes urban students to an outdoor learning environment that proves to be engaging and challenging. Each trip is 2.5 hours long and includes an environmental education and restoration component. Students are taught science, environmental education, local natural and cultural history, social responsibility, a personal connection to their communities, and fundamental life skills.
The program is free of cost. Teachers can register their classes beginning in the fall of the school year, using the button below, and the program is usually full by the end of December.
Our program is already full for the 2023-2024 school year. Click the button below to learn more about alternative opportunities with SF Rec and Park or join our mailing list.
Self-Guided Options
Not able to schedule a trip this year, but keen to explore our parks? Plan your own visit to the park with the help of these printable PDF guides!
by Karah Fisher An activity book for your young person to complete in any SF park ¡Un Día en el Parque! Actividades de Exploración del Parque (PDF) | by the 2021-22 YSP Team A bird guide for the lakes and wetlands of Golden Gate Park | Ethnobotany Card Guide by the 2021-22 YSP Team A guide to some of the most popular SF Native Plants | Birds of Heron's Head Park by Eliz Ismailoglu A guide to our feathered friends at Heron's Head Park |
Program Links
- Youth Stewardship Program 2022-23 Annual Report
- YSP Summary in Numbers 2022-23
- Youth Stewardship Program's 2021-22 Annual Report
- YSP Summary in Numbers 2021-22
- Youth Stewardship Program FAQs
Group Community Service Projects
To organize a service-only project for your group or class year-round, please complete a Group Park Volunteer Request Form .
Not sure how or where you’d like to volunteer? No problem! Get in touch with staff at recparkvolunteers@sfgov.org.