Finding your footing after school is not always straightforward. For many young people, the transition from university to meaningful work can feel discouraging, isolating, and overwhelming. That’s why we created the Youth Career Catalyst (YCC) program, to help youth build confidence, gain practical skills, and access real work experience while being supported by a strong community. Through hands-on learning, outdoor experiences, and paid placements, YCC helps participants move forward with clarity and momentum. Eva was one of them, and she now shares her story with us:
For a long time, I felt stuck. I had a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, but after graduating, I spent almost two years unemployed. During that time, I applied to hundreds of jobs and sent out countless resumes and cover letters, without securing a position related to what I had studied. It was discouraging and exhausting, and I started to doubt myself and my abilities.
Joining the Youth Career Catalyst program with Outward Bound Canada changed everything for me. This experience was unlike anything I’d done before, in the best possible way. For 24 days, I lived and learned alongside the same group of people. What started as a group of strangers quickly turned into close friends as we shared long days together and supported one another through new challenges
FROM STRANGERS TO A TIGHT-KNIT GROUP
The program began at the Kinark Outdoor Centre, in Ontario. On our very first day, we did not know each other at all, but within the first hour, after creative and energetic games implemented by the facilitators, we had already learned each other’s names. Those games became one of my favorite memories from Kinark. They were fun, but also incredibly helpful as icebreakers and made it much easier to start talking and connecting.
Kinark itself was an amazing place. The scenery was beautiful, the food was great, and the people who ran the program were all supportive, fun, and easy to be around. The indoor portion of the program was incredible: we spent a lot of time together, laughed constantly, played games, and made unforgettable memories. We also took part in useful daily workshops, including a first aid program that provided us with a free First Aid certification. Those were some of the best days of my life, I honestly cannot remember a single bad moment.
LEARNING THE HARD (AND FUN) WAY OUTDOORS
As enjoyable as the indoor portion was, the outdoor portion was what I was most excited about, and it ended up being the part that changed me the most. I went into it feeling confident, maybe a little too confident. I thought canoeing would be easy, camping felt familiar, and survival skills seemed like common sense. I was wrong.
That realization hit me on our very first day canoeing in Temagami. When my friend asked if I wanted to sit at the front or back of the canoe, I chose the back without hesitation, not realizing that the person in the back was responsible for steering. Within minutes, our canoe was spinning in circles in the middle of the lake. I felt frustrated and embarrassed, and suddenly very unprepared.
With calm guidance from my mentor Milton, my friend and I switched seats in the middle of the lake. Slowly, we started moving forward. At the time, it felt like failure, but looking back now it feels like the beginning of real learning. By the end of the trip, I was steering confidently, something I never imagined I’d be able to do.
That same day, when we reached our first campsite, I was responsible for making the fire. Again, I thought I knew how, but my mentor showed me a much more effective method using birch bark and small branches, and the fire started in less than a minute. From that moment on, the outdoors became my classroom.
The trip wasn’t easy. We paddled in pouring rain, slept through cold nights, carried heavy canoes and food barrels, and dealt with endless mosquitoes. There were moments when we all wanted to quit and go home, but now those difficult moments are the ones I remember most clearly and smile about. They were challenging, fun, and meaningful in ways I didn’t expect.
Spending less time in front of a screen and more time in nature had a noticeable impact on my mental well-being. I didn’t expect that, but it ended up being one of the most powerful outcomes of the program. Those 24 days had an incredible effect on me, both physically and mentally
FROM THE YOUTH CAREER CATALYST TO PAID WORK
After returning from Kinark, everything started to change quickly. Within less than two weeks, OBC helped me secure a three-month contract as a Project Assistant at the Outdoor Council of Canada. It was the first role I had landed that was directly related to my studies, and it felt almost unreal after such a long period of unemployment
I worked with an amazing and supportive team, and my supervisor played a huge role in my learning. She was organized, clear, and approachable, and she trusted me to work independently rather than micromanaging. That trust motivated me to do my best work. My responsibilities included entering and managing budget data in Google Sheets, researching outdoor organizations, organizing shared documents, and supporting grant applications by gathering and entering required information. I learned so much and genuinely enjoyed the work.
Even after my contract ended, OBC continued to support me by helping me look for new job opportunities and regularly sending openings my way. My instructor also offered support with my resume and cover letter, which meant a lot to me after everything I’d gone through
Looking back, this program helped me in ways I never expected. I built strong friendships, discovered how much I love camping and canoeing, and gained confidence in both the outdoors and the professional world. There were many challenges along the way, but every single one was worth it. This experience remains one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I would choose to do it again without hesitation. Honestly, I would even do it again this year if they let me!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eva is a graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a participant in Outward Bound Canada’s Youth Career Catalyst program. Through the program, she gained hands-on experience and completed a paid placement as a Project Assistant with the Outdoor Council of Canada.
