Sept 25, 2025

This fall, YJR Outdoors joined the panel Building Belonging: Partner Perspectives on Circuit Trails Access at the Pennsylvania Greenways and Trails Conference. The session brought together community leaders to talk about something we care deeply about: how to make trails and greenways places where everyone feels they belong.

For the YJR team, belonging isn’t just an idea. It’s the kid who learns to ride a bike for the first time. It’s the neighbor who discovers the park across the street that they never stepped into before. It’s the young adult who realizes there are career paths in environmental work right here in Philadelphia.

And we’ve seen it all play out this summer in Tacony Creek Park, through our partnership with the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF).

Creating Belonging

At YJR, we think the idea of creating belonging comes down to three simple but powerful interactions:

• Extend an invitation – A lot of people won’t take that first step unless they’re asked.

• Be a trusted advisor – Someone who knows the way and can guide with patience and care.

• Support them on their journey – Encouragement to keep going, even when it gets tough.

This framework was alive in everything we did with TTF this summer. Bike & Trails Camp at the Lauretha Vaird Boys & Girls Club started with an invitation—“come ride with us.” Once the kids arrived, the coaches and staff became their advisors, fitting helmets, teaching balance, and showing the way down the Tacony Creek Trail. And the support didn’t stop there—it carried through every laugh, every cheer, and every high-five after a successful ride.

Partnership in Action

The YJR + TTF partnership gave young people the chance to explore the trails and the park in ways many of them had never experienced before. We set up obstacle courses at the Boys & Girls Club—complete with balance beams, disc cones, and even a mini seesaw—to help riders build confidence before heading into the park

The results were inspiring. As one camper, Luis, put it: 

“Hey Coach, I live right across the street and this is the first time I’ve ever been in the park and on the trail!”

That single quote says everything about why this work matters. Proximity doesn’t equal access. Belonging takes an invitation, guidance, and support to truly unlock.

And it wasn’t just the kids who learned and grew. TTF’s AWE Fellow Jermikah reflected on how the experience changed her view of environmental careers:

“Before joining TTF, I assumed environmental jobs were mostly found in rural areas—not in cities like Philadelphia. I was wrong. Learning about the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE) has opened my eyes and pathways for me in Philly.”

That’s the ripple effect of these programs—youth, interns, and staff all discovering new possibilities through shared experiences outdoors.

Why It Matters Beyond the Park: Adventure – Advocacy – Action!

YJR Outdoors is built on three ideas: Adventure, Advocacy, and Action. 

Adventure: Riding bikes for the first time on a trail with friends, exploring the woods, and spotting turtles in the creek. Those small moments of joy open the door to belonging.

Advocacy: Learning how to identify plants, understanding the difference between native and invasive species, and recognizing that the park is a living ecosystem that needs care. As Jermikah’s story shows, this knowledge changes how people see the environment around them.

Action: Stewardship turns that sense of belonging into responsibility. Kids picked up trash after rides, cleared trail corridors, and helped clean signage. As TTF intern Maiya wrote:

“This small act of service encapsulated the meaning of bike week to us; biking can be used as a means to connect with nature, so everyone can experience its importance.”

These layers show why programs like Bike & Trail Camp matter. They don’t just get kids moving—they empower them to care for their community and see themselves as part of it.

Closing Reflection

The conversation at the Greenways and Trails Conference reminded us that belonging on trails takes more than asphalt and signage. It takes people willing to extend invitations, act as trusted guides, and walk (or ride) alongside others as they discover these spaces.

In Tacony Creek Park this summer, we saw what that looks like in real life:

• A camper like Luis discovering the trail outside his front door for the first time.

• An intern like Jermikah realizing there are careers in the outdoors right here in Philly.

• A group of kids from North Philly, guided by coaches, celebrating stewardship through caring for the park.

Belonging doesn’t end with one summer camp or one ride. It grows every time a young person is invited to explore, every time a family finds a new way to connect, and every time a community comes together to care for its green space. 

YJR Outdoors will keep building on this momentum—creating spaces where adventure leads to advocacy, and advocacy leads to action.

Photos 📸: TTF, John Raisch

Some snippets taken from the TTF website and blog.

About the Greenways and Trails Conference and Panel

The Greenways and Trails Conference brought together leaders from across Pennsylvania to share ideas on how trails can be welcoming spaces for everyone. The panel Building Belonging: Partner Perspectives on Circuit Trails Access highlighted the reality that while some people feel an immediate sense of comfort in outdoor spaces, others need a clear invitation and guidance from trusted community messengers.

Panelists shared how their organizations are expanding the benefits of trails and greenways to reflect the diversity of the Greater Philadelphia region. The conversation focused on practical ways to engage under-represented groups, build meaningful partnerships, and continue increasing access to the outdoors even through challenging times.

The panel featured:

• Emilia Crotty (panel facilitator), Director of Trails & Equitable Access, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

• Ajoa Abrokwa, Founder, She Is Focused Community, Inc.

• Barron Lacy, Executive Director, 9th Street Youth & Community Center

• Connie Vandarakis, Special Projects, Disability Pride Pennsylvania

• John Raisch, YJR Outdoors & Independence Youth Cycling