About Us
Our Non-profit Status
OBA Inc. is a public non-profit supporting underserved teens, and young men and women with Purpose, Compassion and Stewardship. Here is our 501(c)(3) non-profit IRS Tax designation document.
OBA Program Outcomes and the Roadmap
The 8-Day Progression is an overlay that can be applied to any OBA Program. This is one way for us to employ a key OBA principal called "Longitudinal Engagement". Simply put, this is a way for OBA to stay involved in the lives and the development of the youth that we serve.
Our Programs
GET OUT AND LEARN (GOAL)
GOAL participants develop life skills through a series of progressively challenging nature-based learning expeditions over a period of 6 months. GOAL courses progress from 1-day experiences, focusing on building a foundation of effective communication, teamwork and leadership skills, to 2-day courses focusing on assessing and further developing those skills. The GOAL experience culminates with a 5-day expedition into the wilderness to challenge participants to employ their new skills.
TEACH ME TO CAMP (TMTC)
Designed as a weekend camping trip, TMTC is to provide low-income urban families with a family bonding experience on private natural preserves, land trusts and state parks.
OBA provides all necessary equipment and designs and delivers a program dedicated to teaching first-time campers proper use of camping equipment, environmental awareness and family teambuilding. Campers are then presented with resources to plan their own future camping trips.
AFTER SCHOOL/IN SCHOOL “YOUTH AT-Risk” Programs (Gang Prevention, Drop-out Recovery, Youth Leadership)
OBA provides a series of programs that specifically target an at-risk student populations to deliver a whole suite of academic, life and self mastery skills.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION TEAMS (ERT)
ERT is a first-time employment program for urban youth. Working in teams of 5 to 8, ERT members gain environmental awareness through environment-related work, while simultaneously developing increasingly effective work ethics.
ERT operate weekends and after school during the school year and transition to full-time work during school breaks. Some past ERT projects have included reconstructing trails, rehabilitating campgrounds, wildlife habitat restoration, energy savings projects with low-income housing, and urban reforestation
YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL (YAC)
The YAC is designed for students who have completed OBA programs and who wish to continue and deepen their involvement. Through engagement in regularly scheduled activities - serving to develop leadership and citizenship skills oriented towards serving Pasadena and Los Angeles communities - students learn fundamental skills necessary to become future OBA instructors. YAC members meet biweekly to coordinate and implement fundraising events, attend staff trainings, educational workshops, and budget for student-planned adventures.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
ESP is an after-school and school-break environmental education program. ESP is separated into learning modules that examine contemporary environmental issues through engaging learning activities, media presentations and weekend field trips. Embedded into the environmental education components are citizen and leadership development curricula serving to develop the students' academic and social skills.
WOODS TO WATER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Woods to Water seeks to help students define leadership through contribution to community and effective self-expression. Students spend 5 days in the wilderness in small teams of 10, developing skills to become caring and effective citizens and community leaders. On the 6th day, students board a tall ship, where they apply, reflect upon and improve their newly acquired leadership skills. Parents and guardians are invited to join their youth on the 10th day of the expedition on Catalina Island, from where they sail back to Los Angeles under the leadership of their emerging young person.
