Over the past seven years, Nature PhotoHikes has not only organized hiking and camping tours for travelers and locals, we’ve also worked with lower mainland’s youth. By collaborating with Vancouver charities, we’ve organized hikes for at-risk, refugee and newcomer youth and their families.
As a youth immigrant myself, I am extremely grateful to benefit from similar programs. I spent my junior high and high school years not only attending summer camps and hikes organized by local organizations, but eventually organizing, leading and training other youth during my university years in Calgary, Edmonton and Chicago.
Upon moving to Vancouver 16 years ago, I continued to work with the youth of DTES – the poorest postal code in Canada. I would soon realize the challenge of hiking with at-risk attendees, and the liabilities involved with their safety. Thankfully, we found an already existing organization, Take a Hike Foundation, that aligned with our goals of giving back.
The next project for the youth came about during my visit and charity work with Syrian refugees in Turkey, back in 2014, 2015 and 2016. When Canada welcomed those refugees into our country, I signed up with local organization, ISSofBC to assist in any way I can. After a couple of years of organizing hikes for the families I was ‘sponsoring’, and gaining the trust of the families and organization we finally initiated the Hiking Series With Youth in 2018.
Since then, Nature PhotoHikes has organized multiple hikes for refugees and newcomers alike. This summer, we’ve teamed up with NatureLink to organize hikes through their subsidized transportation program. This project is even more critical as we slowly ease out of the pandemic restrictions, and allow our youth to venture into safe, outdoor spaces.
In the coming months, we’ll be posting these events and seeking volunteers and funds for our trips, so please stay tuned.
For a listing of our other projects for charity, give Hiking for Charity a read.
