Light the Fire Recap

This summer’s Light the Fire camp on Cortes Island was a beautiful gathering full of creativity and self-discovery. It feels as though this gathering gets juicier and juicier every year. We had over 40 participants join us at Linnaea Farm to make magic and create an intentional community, where we learned from one another, engaged with creativity and the arts, and worked to find ways to impact our home communities in positive and meaningful ways.

A facilitator at this camp came up with the metaphor of participants being “messages in a bottle” sent back to their home communities carrying their learnings and passion for change with them wherever they go. Thank you to all who made this camp possible, and to all the “messages in a bottle” for doing the incredible work of using your voices and passions for positive change in your lives and the lives of those around you.

Camp Movie by Youth

Over two workshops at camp this summer, a group of youth learned how to make a storyboard and then they acted in and filmed this mini-movie.

Registration open for upcoming Earth Arts camp

This October we will be partnering with our sister organization IndigenEYEZ to hold a weekend-long camp in Sooke on Vancouver Island.

The focus of this weekend camp is to support the emotional wellbeing of young people – giving them the skills and inspiration to overcome the challenges they face, to navigate the divisions in society, and to lead confident, healthy and purposeful lives. Using the arts as a catalyst for personal growth and connecting authentically, our deeper work addresses the themes of anxiety and depression that so many youth struggle with today. Our amazing network of highly skilled facilitators from diverse backgrounds will offer a range of exciting arts-based workshops for youth to choose from. We value inclusion, belonging and community building.

Earth Arts Camp details:
When: October 5th – 7th
(5 pm drop off on Friday and 11 am pick up on Sunday)

Where: Camp Thunderbird, Sooke
Who: Youth ages 14-19
What: Three days of connection to self, others, and nature (and workshops).

Cost: True cost is $400 per person (no one turned away for lack of funds)

Must be able to register and confirm attendance by September 24th

Maria Squance Scholarship for Youth with Developmental Disabilities

We have recently learned that a long-time supporter of Power of Hope is leaving this world. It is with grateful, but heavy hearts, that we are sharing the request Maria left with her daughter, who contacted us on her Mother’s behalf:

On behalf of our family, I wanted to thank you for your willingness to host a scholarship fund in my mother’s name. As a long-time member of the Gettin’ Higher Choir; a lover of nature, music, and the arts; and a former school teacher, Mom believed wholeheartedly in the work of your organization.

She also devoted much of her adult life to advocating for community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities, and the opportunity to link that work to the Power of Hope was something she was really excited about in her final days. We are so grateful to you for helping us make this happen.

We are honored that Maria has chosen to help us provide opportunities for these youth to attend our transformational camps–we have set up a scholarship fund in Maria’s name.

Upcoming Creative Facilitation Training

In this 2-day experiential training, you’ll learn the art of presenting yourself to a group, gaining credibility, reading the needs of your group, and bringing out the strengths of each participant. You’ll also learn the science of structuring your programs for success.

Heart of Facilitation Training

Heart of Facilitation is an in-depth, experiential training for youth workers, facilitators, counselors, trainers, educators, and other leaders of groups and trainings. You’ll learn proven techniques for bringing depth, relevance, and lasting impact to your programs, classrooms, or teams. Embark on a powerful learning journey with a supportive, creative community of fellow changemakers.

Photo:  Andre Monteiro

Become a Monthly Donor

We are seeking 5 new monthly donors to join our inner circle support team.

Would you consider it? There is no monthly minimum requirement. Your monthly commitment can be ongoing for any length of time. This way of donating is incredibly helpful to us in having monthly financial security that sees us through winter months between grants and other major donations.

Learn more

Happy Fall,
Sarah Downey
Executive Director
With Johanna Robertson, Chair, and The Power of Hope Team

Our mailing address is:
Power of Hope Canada
1318 Thurlow Road
Victoria, BC V8S 1L6
CANADA