A program introduced to Vernon schools two years ago is celebrating a successful start in bringing new forms of learning, and improved mental health, to local youth.

The Take a Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation set up a program in Vernon in September 2023, partnering with the Vernon School District to bring intentional, continuous clinical counselling and land-based learning to local classrooms. The goal was to support vulnerable youth in Vernon and help steer them towards personal growth at a critical transition point in their lives. 

The pandemic intensified mental health challenges for youth everywhere, but youth in the B.C. Interior were hit particularly hard, with Interior Health reporting almost double the rate of youth suicides compared to the provincial rate. 

But the Take a Hike program in Vernon has shown a positive impact. The Foundation says in the last year of the program, 75 per cent of youth reported strong feelings of belonging with their peers and adults in the classroom; 83 per cent reported the program was a place where they could safely express their emotions; 89 per cent felt they learned how to better care for their mental health; 95 per cent said time spent on the land improved their mental health; and 86 per cent felt they had developed the skills and knowledge to be successful in the workplace. 

Participating youth reported a greater sense of purpose, community and self-awareness, and 100 per cent of eligible youth graduated in the first year. 

Later this month, Take a Hike will be setting up camp in Vernon to celebrate the success of the program. The invite-only event will be a chance to connect, hear stories from the program, and highlight the importance of mental health supports and land-based learning for Vernon's youth. 

鈥淲e believe in the restorative power of nature, combined with clinical counselling, to help guide youth. Since program launch, our group has been busy exploring the outdoor and community building opportunities that Vernon holds. You may have seen us hiking in Kal Provincial Park, snowshoeing at SilverStar Mountain, participating in equine assisted learning at The Equine Connection and learning about local foraging and nature stewardship alongside local experts and knowledge keepers," said Lenai Moore, Take a Hike Interior program manager. "We wrapped up the school year with multi-day camping trips canoeing the Dee Lake Chain and staying overnight in Fintry Provincial Park. Excitement is building for the next adventure.鈥�

Take a Hike works with the school district to combine continuous clinical counselling with community initiatives and learning on the land. Its mental health and well-being program is embedded in an alternate education classroom. 

The program was able to launch in Vernon in large part due to the local Foord Family Foundation.

鈥淲e are grateful to the Foord Family Foundation for their generous gift, which enabled us to open the Vernon program earlier than anticipated 鈥� bringing our transformational program into the lives of Vernon youth who need it most," said Take a Hike CEO Gordon Matchett. "We are also thankful for the strong support shown by the Vernon community, which helped bring this program to life.鈥�

Learn more about the initiative by visiting .