The Banff-based Bow Valley Cares Centre, a program of AIDS Calgary Awareness Association, is offering two new programs to give young adults opportunities to network, make friends, build a support network and gain leadership skills.
Better yet, it should also be flat-out fun.
The first group, OUThere, is designed to create an open-minded and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth and straight-alliance youth, according to Ken Fierheller, Bow Valley Cares Centre project manager.
OUThere, which had its first meeting earlier this week, will offer free adventures and events, such as ski or camping trips, skating, barbecues and bowling.
“We’re looking to provide community events for this group and to also provide key messaging around prevention and safer-sex while at the same time help build community,” Fierheller said.
“This is just a great way for people to meet other people. There’s a lot of things to do in the valley, this is a niche in some ways, in a sense of the type of individuals.”
Fierheller said OUThere gives members of the LGBTQ community living in the Bow Valley a way to engage in the community and participate in exciting opportunities.
Gravity, meanwhile, is a team-building partnership with BanffLIFE that has the goal of providing young adults of any nature in the Bow Valley a volunteer role that allows them to make a difference in the community.
Fierheller and Christine LaRoque of BanffLIFE are seeking 12 to 14 people, which will be divided into two teams and given a challenge.
This challenge, based on the key ideas of both organizations, require the participants meet four times to design an event. Each participant is expected to commit to attending at least three of the four Wednesday planning sessions.
Each team will have a budget of $300 and their events will take place in early August.
Both events will be judged and the winning team will be awarded a two-to-three-day backcountry trip, which Fierheller said could be mountaineering or whitewater rafting, for example.
The goal, Fierheller said, is to help the participants develop creativity, leadership, motivation and planning skills.
The hope is Gravity will become a bi-annual program run in summer and winter.
“That’s how I envision this down the road if it has legs or wings, it’s a valuable resume builder for kids who come down here,” Fierheller said.
Overall, Fierheller said the intent is to help participants make a difference in the community while having fun at the same time.
“We want it to be collaborative but at the same make it competitive.”
For more information about OUThere or Gravity contact Fierheller at 403-762-0690 or email at [email protected]
