How is AORE Actively Supporting Outdoor Facilitators (Behind the Scenes)?

AORE advances the profession by making sure outdoor facilitators’ needs and interests are represented or brought forward on a national stage.  Because members work across the US and internationally, and are often siloed or stand alone programming, working together through AORE is a way to show the lasting impact of legislation and workforce development on our work.  AORE is involved in many initiatives, including the COA, ORR, and CVEO.

Coalition for Outdoor Access (COA) 
The Coalition for Outdoor Access advocates for laws and policies that support and encourage guided outdoor recreation and education activities on public lands and waters.
 
COA’s approach is inclusive of the needs of all stakeholders and respects the obligations of the land and water management agencies. The Coalition for Outdoor Access develops its policy positions through mutual education, transparency in process, and robust communication with stakeholders and the agencies.

Outdoor leaders and organizations play a crucial role in connecting diverse groups from different backgrounds and communities to the natural world. In order to offer these outdoor opportunities, outdoor leaders are required to obtain special recreation permits from the agencies that manage the lands and waters they plan to visit. Unfortunately, the process for obtaining these permits is cumbersome, and not flexible enough to adapt to the evolving needs of the diverse user groups seeking access to public lands and waters. This inflexibility unnecessarily restricts opportunities for the public to experience these spaces, limits outdoor job growth, and undermines the economic vitality of rural communities dependent on recreational tourism.

To confront these challenges and enhance access to outdoor experiences, a dedicated alliance of leaders within the outdoor industry has founded the Coalition for Outdoor Access (COA). 

AORE’s Executive Director, Jeannette Stawsi serves as the Chair of the COA Steering Committee. Learn more about COA here.

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR)
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is the leading business coalition advancing a sustainable and growing outdoor recreation economy for the benefit of all Americans. They are doing tremendous work in and for the industry. ORR has identified four key problem areas facing our industry:
  1. Defining Outdoor Skills and Closing the Skill Gap: There is a growing gap between in-demand skill needs in the industry and the talents of the outdoor recreation applicant pool. 
  2. Misperceptions of Outdoor Work: Many prospective applicants are simply unaware that the outdoor industry provides a sustainable career path, or if they are aware, they only think of a limited subset of outdoor recreation jobs (e.g. seasonal, participant-facing, outdoor jobs). Influential figures in career development, like parents, career counselors, and professionals are unaware of the wide variety of outdoor industry jobs across sectors.
  3. Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce: The demographics of the outdoor workforce do not match the demographics of the U.S. population, particularly in relation to race and ethnicity. This is a result of legacies of exclusion and discrimination in the outdoors that have inhibited prospective talent from considering entry to the outdoor workforce and reaching their full potential once inside.
  4. Affordability and Housing: Many outdoor jobs offer insufficient wages to afford housing and/or basic needs in the communities in which they exist due to insufficient housing supply and overwhelming housing demand. 
AORE is a member of ORR to help give voice to the challenges of facilitated recreation. Learn more about ORR here.

Center for Veteran Employment in the Outdoors (CVEO)
AORE is working to establish - which means acquire the funding and support - The Center for Veteran Employment in the Outdoors (CVEO).  CVEO exists to help service members and veterans in their transition from a military career to a career in one of the many outdoor fields such as recreation, conservation, outfitting, guiding, retail, and education. Our nation's veterans have demonstrated leadership skills that are transferable for employment in the outdoors, yet there is not a clearly defined path, support structure, or capacity built for this potentially impactful workforce. This is what the CVEO can do, intentionally, to support veteran employment in the outdoors. Doing this work will advance AORE’s mission by connecting people to the outdoors through facilitated recreation, making sure career paths are clear and elevating the industry.

Ever have a question about AORE or what we're up to? Just ask! Reach out to us at nationaloffice@aore.org!