Take a Hike Central Okanagan
In partnership with SD 23 and based at George Pringle Secondary School.
Opened in 2023 and serves up to 25 youth from grades 8-9.
For intake information, please contact Jodie Everett , Principal at jodi.everett@sd23.bc.ca (available September – June).
Applicants will be interviewed and notified of their status. Upon acceptance to the program, youth must sign a medical clearance form before attending classes.
Take a Hike empowers vulnerable youth through a full-time mental health and emotional well-being program embedded in an alternate education classroom. Over the past 25 years, Take a Hike has supported over 1,000 youth, to change the trajectory of their lives.
Take a Hike partnered with School District 23 in September 2023 to open the Central Okanagan program at George Pringle Secondary School. Together, we engage up to 20 youth each year by combining high quality education with intentional, continuous clinical counselling, community initiatives, and land-based learning. We empower youth with the skills and resilience they need to graduate high school, build healthy relationships, and achieve success – however they define it.
The pandemic intensified mental health challenges for youth everywhere, and nowhere more so than in the Interior, where the health authority reports almost double the rate of youth suicides compared to the provincial rate. As the youth mental health crisis continues to grow across Canada, the demand for Take a Hike’s transformative program is rising. Take a Hike demonstrates the powerful combination of mental health supports and land-based learning, as youth report a greater sense of purpose, community and self-awareness, and are more likely to graduate high school.
While in the Take a Hike program:
99%
reported having safety in expressing their feelings at Take a Hike
90%
of eligible Grade 12s graduated
96%
of youth reported learning skills and knowledge to be successful in the workplace
Youth in the Central Okanagan program regularly explore nature and engage in community building opportunities that the area offers, such as waterfall hikes, front country camping, foraging with a local guide and visiting Fintry Manor. These activities allow the youth to connect with their surroundings and meaningfully support each other when overcoming challenges and learning new skills.
