Climb and Conquer, an organization dedicated to supporting at-risk youth build leadership skills through rock climbing mentorships is expanding this summer. The following is an excerpt from the Squamish Chief.
The group’s goal is to expand its programs to get more vulnerable youth out into the backcountry and ascending and rappelling Squamish rock faces.
At a budget workshop just prior to the Christmas holidays, leaders from the non-profit The Climb and Conquer Project appeared before mayor and council for the first time to present their plans and request grant in aid support.
“We bring youth out climbing and do a lot of one-on-one mentorship,” Climb and Conquer’s spokesperson, Joseph Wong, told The Squamish Chief.
The group has run two or three summer youth camps in Squamish for the past two years, but are now looking to expand to 13 weekend camps to bring in more vulnerable youth, Wong said. About 30 youth from Grades 7 to 12 camp per weekend.
“We set up camp and then we bring them camping and climbing and rappelling. We cook together and play games,” he said.
The young people are referred to the camps by social workers, counsellors or from the schools.
“Our real vision for the programs that we run is to provide opportunities for kids who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Either they don’t have enough money for programs… or they don’t have the parental support,” said Jeff Yoo, one of the directors on the Climb and Conquer board and an emergency physician in Vancouver.
For the full article, please visit The Squamish Chief.