Outdoors
Wilderness experiences that build resilience and lifelong mentorship
The Challenge
Many young people grow up without ever leaving the city.
Outdoor experiences build emotional resilience, leadership, and self-trust.
They teach perseverance, problem-solving, and how to be part of a team. But students who would benefit most from these experiences often have the least access to them.
Participation in outdoor activities among youth has dropped by over 20% in the past decade, with the steepest declines among students from lower-income households.
How UV Outdoors Makes A Difference
UV Outdoors provides college students and young adults with immersive, guided canoe trips in the Boundary Waters.
Each trip pairs students with trusted adult mentors for six days of wilderness challenge, reflection, and relationship-building.
Outdoor experiences have been shown to improve confidence, mental health, and social-emotional growth.
What it looks like
Groups paddle, portage, and camp deep in the BWCA, supported by trained guides and UV staff. Students disconnect from screens, test their limits, and build meaningful relationships with mentors who continue to support them long after the trip ends.
For many participants, it’s a life-changing experience. Students return more grounded, confident, and emotionally equipped for the next phase of life. Stronger self-awareness, deeper trust, and lasting mentorship carry forward into college and career.
“To be able to see nature's beauty through the eyes of someone who's maybe never experienced it before, is truly magical.”
- Volunteer mentor following a trip
UV Outdoors is creating access to the most beautiful places
💛 You Can Help Make This Possible
Programs like this are possible because of people who believe in the potential of every child and family we serve.
Your generosity fuels lasting change across our neighborhood and for the generations to come.