Partnering with counselors: using photovoice to expand adolescent awareness of nearby outdoor spaces accessed for health purposes

Abstract

Minimal scholarship has investigated the possible roles counselors might play within environmental education. We piloted a photovoice collaboration between a counselor and an environmental educator with a classroom of secondary students (grades 9-12) in the southeast United States. Adolescents (N = 14) identified connections with outdoor environments and took photos representing every day, nearby nature during the COVID-19 pandemic. In analyzing their photos, the youth identified four themes: (a) wellness, (b) environmentalism and education, (c) relationships and connection, and (d) awareness-reflective. We discuss study limitations, recommendations for future research, and implications for partnerships between environmental educators and counselors.