The youth volunteers from our RiseUp! Island Cohort shared some wonderful moments from the Regional Gathering at the Sacred Cedar Centre in Cowichan.

The hosts, Hwiemtun and Lekha, led them through a rich and dynamic afternoon of self-reflection, skill building, and cultural learning. Youth participants got hands on in the preparation of fresh salsa and pressure-canned salmon.

The group heard from guest speaker, Jake Thorburn of Earthcraft Farms, who shared an empowering message about resilience and innovation in farming.

Then the day wrapped up at Kin Park Youth Urban Farm in downtown Duncan, touring the thriving gardens and creating space for reflection and connection.

Thank you to our hosts and staff for a wonderful afternoon adventure full of learning and connections!

We are starting to plan our Island Regional Gathering for Cohort 2 youth participants in the summer. Stay tuned for more details to come!