Catch Youth Before They Fall
Young people are dealing with alarming levels of stress – far beyond what is ‘normal’ for their age. For youth experiencing vulnerabilities, the additional weight of trauma, instability at home, and isolation, is a heavy burden to carry. A weight that can feel crushing without the right support.
While the need to help youth is urgent… it is not always there. Sadly, the systems that are designed to protect and support young people are under tremendous strain. That was the case for Nex at his previous school:
Young people need a safe and stable environment to unlock their potential.
Give youth the support they need this holiday season.
At Take a Hike, we don’t wait until youth hit crisis. We walk alongside them now, when the opportunity for positive change is still possible.
Our full-time, classroom-embedded program blends clinical mental health care, individualized academic support, and land-based activities, in a safe, trauma-informed alternative education environment.
Your holiday gift provides vulnerable youth with life-changing support:
- A safe, consistent classroom
- Caring adults who show up, every day, no matter what
- Daily mental health support from a licensed clinical counsellor
- Time in nature to decompress and reconnect
- Individualized academic plans that lead to a 90% average graduation rate
Youth need our help more than ever. Your donation opens the door to a safe community, healing experiences in nature, and the consistent support of adults who believe in them.
Your Donation Lifts Youth Up!
From Torment to Triumph:
Nex’s Story
The bullying started in Grade 8 when Nex was in middle school. At first, he tried to ignore the small comments but by Grade 10, the verbal attacks escalated to the point where going to school felt unbearable.
Nex asked teachers, the principal, and the counsellor for help, but beyond quiet reprimands, nothing changed. He began skipping math to avoid his bully, then all classes, and by January he was failing nearly everything.
Feeling trapped, unsupported, and desperate for relief, Nex turned to cannabis to cope. When his family discovered he’d been smoking and skipping school, tensions rose and Nex shut down. Now, school and home both felt unsafe for Nex.
A friend told Nex about the Take a Hike program, which sparked hope for a safe learning environment. Though some family members encouraged him to “stick it out,” his mom supported the move. Nex joined Take a Hike in January 2022—and for the first time in a long time, felt accepted and seen.
Despite the exclusion he’d experienced, Nex always believed in the power of connection. Raised in a household of seven and grounded in his Indigenous value of inviting others in, he naturally helped build community within his cohort. He encouraged his peers to put their phones away, join group activities, and embrace the raw, face-to-face connection that weekly outings and multi-day trips offered. In therapy group sessions and while out on the trail, Nex inspired others to try new things and support each other—finding for himself a sense of belonging that felt both new and deeply healing.
Academically, though, he faced a steep climb. Years of missed classes meant he needed to complete multiple Grade 10, 11, and 12 courses in just a few months to graduate on time. With Take a Hike’s support team behind him, Nex built an ambitious study plan. He worked from early morning until midnight, pushing through burnout and using new coping strategies instead of avoidance. When he spiraled, staff met him with patience and encouragement; when he doubted himself, they reminded him how far he’d come.
On the second-to-last day of school, Nex finished his final requirements and rang the bell with his head held high. Each toll became a thank-you to those who believed in him, a tribute to every kilometre hiked and hill climbed, a celebration of his grit and hard work, awe at completing nine courses in four months, and a reminder to anyone listening that they matter—and that anything is possible with the right support.
In June, Nex stood on the graduation stage with two of his Take a Hike peers and delivered an inspiring valedictorian speech. Today, he works two jobs, is saving for a car, and is planning a year of travel—backpacking, hiking, seeing the world. Inspired by the Youth Worker at Take a Hike who supported him, Nex plans to apply to post-secondary to become a student support worker and work for an organization like Take a Hike in the future.
Let’s catch youth like Nex before they fall. Because they need us now.