Youth in Action, in collaboration with Sankofa, offered a Canoeing event on September 20th for youth ages 12-29.

We appreciate the support of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the City of Toronto, and Park People who made this event possible. They allowed us to provide youth the opportunity to experience Canoeing for the first time in Canada.

The event was a success and the group participated in a great adventure, exploring the wilderness. Most of the participants had never been on a canoe. With the guidance of the experts, we helped them build basic skills such as start ̶̶ keeping the boat straight, maneuvering and switching paddling sides. “This was my first time canoeing and I had a lot of fun and it was a new experience for me” (Lasana). All participants expressed that they feel motivated to continue exploring canoeing in Toronto. “It is always fun to attend to CultureLink’s events! I always make new friends and get a great time with friends”(Hienok).

Being immersed in nature and participating in outdoor activities such canoeing helped youth to increase their mindfulness, decrease their stress levels, interact with their peers and have fun!