Outdoor recreation program helps youth build confidence outdoors

A South Shore environmental stewardship charity is breaking down barriers that often keep young people out of nature while building confidence, leadership and lasting friendships in the process.

Coastal Action’s GO Crew program is a youth recreation program delivered in partnership with a junior high school in Lunenburg County. It offers free, accessible outdoor programming during school hours and is designed to reduce barriers to participation, including financial limitations, transportation challenges or family circumstances.

The program has had various funders over the years and, in 2024, GO Crew received $3,500 via Nova Scotia Health's Community Health Board wellness fund to support its fall session.

The funding helps cover healthy snacks and activity costs, said Julia LeBlanc, Coastal Action’s environmental education program manager. This included a tree‑climbing excursion at a local adventure park and visits to a nearby horse farm.

“GO Crew allowed these participants to get outside and participate in free, quality outdoor programming while gaining hands‑on natural experiences, enhancing teamwork skills and fostering new connections,” LeBlanc said.  

GO Crew was created after staff noticed participation in another Coastal Action program, Trailblazers, skewed heavily toward boys. LeBlanc said the team wanted to create a space specifically for girls and non-binary youth to feel comfortable with the outdoors.

The program began in 2020 after staff held focus groups with students to shape the program’s design.

“We really wanted this project to be designed with participant input, along with the school’s input too,” LeBlanc added.

Most sessions take place on school property, where students gather in a forested area with benches, hammocks and trails. One of the more popular activities included fire‑building (when permitted).

The program typically works with a single junior high grade each year from Hebbville Academy, with about eight to 12 participants per session. Holding the program during school hours is intentional, LeBlanc said, because it removes transportation barriers and ensures all students can participate.

Beyond outdoor skills, LeBlanc said the program’s most meaningful impact is the sense of belonging it creates. Participants often arrive as strangers and leave as close friends, transitioning into friendships that continue in the hallways long after the program ends.

“We get to see them open up and get more comfortable throughout the sessions,” she said. “Getting young girls and non-binary youth outside and seeing them gain confidence is so important.”

LeBlanc said she hopes the program’s influence extends beyond the participants themselves.

“We expect that these participants will be more likely to spend time outside and willing to participate in the activities experienced through GO Crew,” she said. “We hope this interest spreads to their families.” 

Photo of GO Crew participants attend a Lunenburg County farm.