Thread
Finding their footing
Inside Take a Hike’s approach to youth mental wellness
Through land-based learning and trusted relationships, Take a Hike is supporting youth mental health while opening pathways to confidence, community and possibility in Greater Victoria and beyond.
Amid the caps, gowns and congratulations at a high school graduation, a youth paused in front of their counsellor with something they needed to say. The words that followed carried an apology to their counsellor for the difficult moments, gratitude for the consistency and an acknowledgement of what had been missing for them before: supportive adults and a community that sought to understand them.
For Tristan Tjosvold, Take a Hike Foundation Program Manager and registered clinical counsellor, the moment felt full circle.
Take a Hike supports youth in Grades 10 to 12 who are experiencing mental health challenges through a blend of land-based outdoor learning, counselling and relationship-centred education. The organization began its work on Vancouver Island in 2019. In the early days of the youths’ experience, their struggles were evident. On hikes, they often fell behind, overwhelmed and discouraged. But by their second year, signs of change began to emerge.
On land-based learning adventures, they moved from resistance to participation, and eventually into leadership. The same youth who had once questioned their ability to complete a hike began guiding others. Now, that former youth is preparing to return to the program where they will stand in front of a new group of youth, sharing what they have learned and the hope that lies ahead.
“Once youth enter the program, the relational work really gets to begin. There is a ton of intentional structure built into programming to help support connection,” said Tjosvold.
“Land is a healer, time spent outside, being embodied and being together is fundamentally good for us.”
Tristan Tjosvold
Take a Hike Foundation Program Manager
Reaching youth where they are
At first, support might appear as lighthearted, trust-building conversations or gentle encouragement to tackle a challenging hike, helping youth build confidence and trust in their own bodies. Later, when trust is more established, it becomes deeper work that unpacks social anxiety, grief, anger and the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences.
Because counsellors work with a small group of youth, often over several years, relationships grow deliberately and steadily. The program is purposefully small with about 15 youth per cohort. Take a Hike currently serves about 30 youth in Greater Victoria, with one cohort in Sooke and another in Saanich.
For Indigenous youth, the program opens space for cultural re-connection, where they can witness their culture as something honoured. They have the opportunity to learn from Elders, harvest cedar, make drums, walk the land with intention and hear stories that affirm identity and belonging.
Growing community connections and opportunity
When Take a Hike first starts working within a school district, Tjosvold explained that it’s often understood through the lens of its name and seen mainly as an outdoor education program, which shapes early referrals.
Over time, as relationships develop, communities come to recognize it as a land-based learning program focused on youth mental health and well-being. That shift leads to more diverse referrals, stronger partnerships and greater integration that opens pathways into trades programs and post-secondary opportunities.
The Victoria Foundation was able to join Take a Hike youth for a day at the Malahat Skywalk, with the impact of this work clearly visible.
“I have a deep appreciation for the Malahat Skywalk for providing this opportunity. It’s a regionally renowned experience that many of our youth would otherwise not be able to access. It’s lovely seeing youth who are sometimes shut down come alive on days like this, when they get to experience something new and be outside,” said Tjosvold.
Expanding impact through trust-based support
Rachael Lipetz, Director, Corporate & Institutional Giving with Take a Hike, explained that “there is significant need for youth on the island, including a disproportionate representation of Indigenous young people, who now make up a meaningful portion of youth enrolled in Take a Hike.”
Whether on the hiking trail or in their personal growth, youth come to realize they are capable of far more than they ever knew. Guided by compassionate and trained adults, this form of care and connection is what Take a Hike seeks to nurture on a small scale, with impacts that ripple outward as youth carry these practices forward in their lives. To learn more about Take a Hike Foundation, visit takeahikefoundation.org.
In 2025, Take a Hike was supported with a $30,000 grant through the Victoria Foundation’s Vital Grant Stream, which provides eligible organizations with flexible, general operating and program funding. This support was complemented by top-up funding from the Indigenous Priorities Fund, including $6,500 in 2023 and $4,000 in 2025.
The trust based relationship that Victoria Foundation has with us is really special and it allows us to do truly significant things.
Rachael Lipetz
Take a Hike Foundation, Director, Corporate & Institutional Giving