Feel Good Friday - The Venture Out Project

Not only is June LGBTQ+ Pride Month, it’s also summer and a perfect time to get out and explore nature. What a great day to learn about today’s organization, The Venture Out Project.

Founded in 2014 by Perry Cohen, and headquartered in Florence, Massachusetts, the mission of The Venture Out Project (TVOP) is “to provide a safe and fun space for queer, trans, and LGBTQ+ people to experience the outdoors.” They do this by leading backpacking and wilderness trips for the queer and transgender community, and by conducting transgender inclusion workshops for educators, adventure professionals, and summer camps.

You can sign up for overnight adventures like campouts, rafting or forest bathing or if you’d like to test the waters before bringing your tent, there are plenty of volunteer-led day hikes across the country and skill building workshops in New England. This 15-minute documentary produced by REI gives a great overview of the trips and how impactful it can be for people to show up as their full selves in community with others. Participants get to enjoy nature and forge lifelong bonds while making unforgettable memories.

In addition to leading these outdoor adventures, TVOP “offers educational programs and services to those looking to make their existing programming more inclusive and affirming of trans and gender diverse people.”  

Since they began, The Venture Out Project has become a nationally recognized nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ community building and challenge-based personal development outdoors. TVOP volunteers have led over 50 adventures for more than 500 LGBTQ+ participants from across the globe.  

If you’re interested in getting outdoors, take a look at the trip descriptions and sign up for one that fits your schedule and your interests. If you’re Wilderness First Aid certified, consider becoming a volunteer and leading a trip. Or, if you prefer to support TVOP from the comfort of home, there ways you can do that too. Shop for merch, make a donation and amplify their work on social media by following The Venture Out Project on Facebook and Instagram.

Feel Good Friday - SOS Outreach

Posting one more Tahoe-related Feel Good Friday before I head home and highlighting the work of SOS Outreach. 

Founded in 1993 as the Snowboard Outreach Society, the original purpose of this Colorado-based organization was to improve negative perception of snowboard culture. They began by taking 15 kids from Denver to Vail Mountain and teaching them to snowboard.

 

In the 28 years since, SOS Outreach has grown into a national nonprofit with offices in 15 locations, including both South and North Lake Tahoe. Their programs “combine outdoor exploration, positive adult mentorship, leadership skills and community service to help youth discover joy, feel included, overcome challenges, improve their mental health, and become strong leaders.” Their vision is “to make sure every kid we meet gets stronger”.

 

The programs run by SOS Outreach are structured in three phases. Phase one is for youth in grades 4-12. It begins with an introduction to skiing or snowboarding and the core values of “courage, discipline, integrity, wisdom, compassion, and humility.” Phase two is a 4-year mentor program where groups of 3 to 5 participants are matched up with an adult mentor and a peer mentor. They continue the outdoor activities and add a focus on peer bonding, life skills and leadership development. Phase three is an option for interested youth to become peer mentors and continue developing their leadership skills. There are also summer programs such as rock-climbing and backpacking that teach basic wilderness travel skills along with the core values.

 

Since they began 28 years ago, SOS Outreach volunteers have worked with over 70,000 kids at 22 mountains in 9 states. To hear directly from participants about how this has changed them, you can watch this short video.

 

If you’d like to help young people gain confidence and leadership skills by spending time in the great outdoors, there are many ways you can support SOS Outreach. Make a donation, become a volunteer and amplify their message on social media by liking their Facebook page and following them on Instagram.