Urban Ventures’ Newest Program
We believe that nature—and its power to foster community, self-discovery, and personal development—should be open and available to everyone. This summer, Urban Ventures is launching a new program: Urban Ventures Outdoors. The program will provide access to wilderness experiences for students and young adults in our community.
Urban Ventures Outdoors is an expansion of a pilot trip taken last summer: a five-day wilderness canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). The trip, which included UV staff, college students from UV’s Act Six College Scholarship Program, along with adult mentors was a big success, and left us excited to expand our programming. This summer Urban Ventures will send four separate student/mentor groups on similar BWCA canoe trips.
How it Works
Each BWCA canoe trip will pair UV supported college students with adult mentors from the Twin Cities area on a six-day wilderness expedition. The trips have a twofold mission:
provide students with a wilderness expedition that can boost their confidence, promote mental and physical wellness, develop new skills, and foster self-discovery;
use the trip as a catalyst for the students to build durable relationships with the adult mentors that can serve as a continued resource for them as they move into their adulthood and professional careers.
The trips will be outfitted by the non-profit Wilderness Canoe Base, which operates a camp and outfitter service at the end of the Gunflint Trail on Seagull Lake at the edge of the BWCA wilderness. Wilderness Canoe Base will be providing us with professional guides, equipment and meals, as well as lodging at their Island base camp at the beginning and end of each trip.
Each of the four trips this summer will be gender specific, and include the following nine members:
1 Professional Guide from Wilderness Canoe Base
1 Adult Staff Member from Urban Ventures
2 Adult Volunteer Mentors
5 College Students from the Act Six Scholarship Program
Based on the success of last year, Urban Ventures is excited for what this summer’s expansion will bring. You can help make these trips possible by making a donation today.
