Take a Hike Mission
In partnership with SD 75 and based at the Fraserview Learning Centre.
Opened in 2024 and serves up to 20 youth.
For intake information, please contact Tom Nguyen, Principal at 604.814.3717 or Tom.nguyen@mpsd.ca
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 75 in September 2024 at Fraserview Learning Centre to open the Mission program. Together, we engage up to 20 youth per school 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.
90%
of eligible Grade 12s graduated
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 Mission program explore the outdoors through hands-on experiences that build confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging. Whether hiking to the Lower Falls at Golden Ears, biking in Pitt Meadows, or visiting the Vancouver Aquarium, each outing offers opportunities to learn, reflect, and grow together as a group. This year also marked the program’s first overnight trip, a one-night adventure to Alice Lake where youth experienced camping, connected with nature, and built trust with their peers. These experiences help youth step outside their comfort zones, engage more fully with themselves and each other, and create shared memories that strengthen their sense of community.
