Take a Hike is an alternative education program that engages at-risk youth through a unique combination of outdoor experiential learning, academics, counseling, and volunteer work. The program supports at-risk youth in making positive change in their lives through exposing them to the outdoors, working through their issues, building confidence & improving academic abilities.
The Take a Hike program operates out of John Oliver Secondary School and consists of a grade 10 and a grade 11/12 class. In partnering with the Vancouver School Board, the Take a Hike Youth at Risk Foundation provides at-risk youth with the grounding and path to graduate through self-paced learning. The Take a Hike staff develop individual plans that lead to graduation.
who participates
Participants in Take a Hike struggle with personal issues that inhibit their success in the mainstream school system. Take a Hike accepts 40 students annually. Candidate characteristics include drug and alcohol dependencies, legal troubles, and self destructive behaviors that often result in suspensions and long absences from the school system. Their backgrounds can include addiction, physical and mental abuse, low self-esteem, depression, and trauma.
Take a Hike students have either chosen to join the program or have been referred by school counselors or social workers for a chance to make lasting change in their lives.
inside take a hike
The ultimate result of the Take a Hike approach is that barriers to learning are minimized, personal issues are addressed, and students achieve a greater level of success. The program combines the following four aspects:
Adventure-Based Learning (ABL): An ABL Specialist guides the Take a Hike students through outdoor day trips and multi-day expeditions during the school year. ABL uses physical activitiesto help youth develop self-directed goals, trust, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. It also provides a safe, supportive environment for building self-esteem and adopting new perspectives. More...
Therapy: Students meet with a program therapist on a regular basis to work through their issues. Therapists also work with the students’ families and conduct addiction counseling for those in need. During their tenure with Take a Hike, students consistently demonstrate an overall increase in their self esteem, conflict resolution, communications skills, and connection to school life – better equipping them for success in their studies, employment and relationships.
Academics: At the beginning of the year, the teachers meet with each student to assess their academic level and work with them to come up with a plan that will lead to graduation. Since September 2000, 84% of the students enrolled in Take a Hike have graduated, some having been out of school for up to two years. More results...
Community Involvement: Every student in the Take a Hike program performs a minimum of 60 hours of community service a year. The goal is to encourage the youth to realize that, as members of a community, they have a responsibility to others and that their help is needed.
This unique multi-faceted approach has been very successful in helping at-risk youth work through their emotional issues and addictions, as well as develop confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills, and graduate. View youth testimonials