Volunteer Work

Stelly's Secondary School

Outdoor Pursuits Class

I stongly believe in providing opportunities for individuals to experience the outdoors. I am lucky enough to have the chance every year to chaparone high school trips of either Grade 11s or Grade 12s into some of the amazing wilderness spaces we have here on Vancouver Island. Throughout these trips I get to know some of the amazing students and get to see how these trips change them as an individual and as a group. Though I have now hiked Mt.Albert Edward five times, completed the Nit Nat Triangle twice, and explored the Sayward Lakes Chain four times, the trips never get old because the experience of those around you is always new!

To the left is a video featuring one of the Grade 11 trips up Mt. Albert Edward that I chaparoned.

To read the paper I wrote about Paul Ledet and the Outdoor Pursuits 11 course click here.

Power to Be - Adventure Therapy

Wilderness School

In the last year I have been privileged enough to be able to volunteer with Power to Be's Wilderness School. Power to Be is a fantastic not-for-profit that works with youth in outdoor settings. They have two main programs - Adaptive Recreation which works with individuals with disabilities, and the Wilderness School which works with youth who have strong barriers in their life. My work with the Wilderness school consisted of weekend trips with a group of 7 to 10 13-year-olds. Trips ranged from hiking, to canoeing, to surfing, to climbing! All the while the participants develop wilderness skills such as setting up a tent, or building a fire. Most importantly they build social skills as they come together as a group.

Guest Speaker for Dr. Lara Lauzon

Personal Health, Wellness, & Potential

Every semester since November 2012, I return to Dr. Lauzon's EPHE 142 class as a guest speaker to share my story of how I struggled emotionally in my first year univesity, and how her class has had an impact on my life. Since I took EPHE 142 I have had a better balance in my life and have taken opportunties that I never dreamed about being able to do while in University. The highlight of these opportunites being my trip to Antarctica in January 2012.

Below is a link to comments from some students after my presentation.