Take a Hike Cowichan
In partnership with SD 79.
Opened in 2020 and serves up to 20 youth.
For intake information, please contact the CVOLC Main Office at 250.746.6052 (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 79 in 2020 to open the Cowichan program at Cowichan Valley Open Learning Co-Op. 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.
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:
100%
Graduation rate in the Cowichan Program in 2024
96%
of youth reported learning skills and knowledge to be successful in the workplace
99%
reported having safety in expressing their feelings at Take a Hike
Youth in the Cowichan program regularly explore nature and build connections to the land, each other, and themselves through activities like indoor climbing, ocean canoeing lessons, and hikes to Sombrio Beach, Holland Creek, and Heart Lake Trail. Longer trips, such as a canoe journey through the Main Lakes on Quadra Island, provide opportunities for teamwork, reflection, and growth, helping youth develop confidence, resilience, and a stronger sense of belonging. Within this supportive environment, youth are encouraged to set goals and follow through at their own pace, with milestones like ringing the school’s old brass bell at graduation honouring their progress and relationships. This past year, Cowichan celebrated a 100% graduation rate, reflecting the impact of consistent support, caring staff, and a program designed to meet youth where they are.
