Why Winter Programs (formerly Core Program)?
In alignment with our theory of change, Winter Programs bring together a group of youth and young adults with adult mentors and coaches from a diverse range of academic, racial, cultural and economic backgrounds to engage in our tiered programs annually. Winter Programs are the official entry point to tSB curriculum for high school students. Program participants meet twice weekly for 5 – 8 weeks for youth-led skill building workshop series’ and coaching encompassing personal wellbeing and emotional regulation, community advocacy and systems change. Weekend activities during Winter Program rotate between intensive service learning projects to benefit underserved neighborhoods and challenging outdoor adventures to build confidence, resilience and leadership.
What Winter Programs are available in 2027?
In 2027, Winter programs will feature two cohort-based learning sessions and will meet twice per week. Our Winter Basics Session will run from Jan – Feb and features our legacy learn-to snowboard progression alongside social justice, personal resilience, community healing, and civic engagement exploration. Our Winter Intermediate Session will run from Mar-Apr and features intermediate exploration for participants to continue their social justice, civic engagement and career planning journeys while advancing their mountain skills beyond beginner riding.
These sessions are the best introduction to tSB for young adults between 15 and 21, as they mark the beginning of our skill and capacity progression. Both programs are 5-7 weeks long and feature:
- Youth from different schools, neighborhoods and backgrounds across King County
- 2-3 day youth capacity building outdoor retreats
- Weekly community workshops and tailored counseling or mentorship sessions centered on foundational social, emotional, mental and community health needs, topics and life skills
- Progressive, 4-5 week mountain-skills curriculum to increase culturally-aligned access to adventure, joyful movement, and safe outdoor spaces
- Youth-led service projects with environmental partners at community sites and civic engagement opportunities to represent and advocate for youth interests at the city, county and state level.
What is the goal of Winter Programs?
The goal of our programs is to support the liberation, long-term resilience and wellbeing of underserved youth, young adults and the communities facing barriers to personal wellness, skill building and opportunity in King County. Through culturally-relevant coaching and counseling, civic leadership development, and free or low cost access to challenging outdoor sports facilitated through a social justice lens, tSB emphasizes the importance of youth voice, supportive relationships and positive risk-taking in healing community and cultivating powerful and empathetic youth leaders.
Every Winter Program activity is designed in collaboration with youth to introduce and build upon our five core competencies which facilitate personal resilience, behavioral change and wellbeing in youth and young adults:
- Youth Confidence & Leadership
- Critical Relationships & Community Building
- Positive Identity Formation & Personal Wellbeing
- Positive Risk-Taking & Outdoor Adventure
- Social & Environmental Justice Engagement
Winter Programs may be a fit if you:
- Are a youth or young adult between the ages of 14-20 (Basics Session) or 17-23 (Intermediate Session)
- Are a member of or share lived experiences with an underserved group or community
- Can be present and engaged on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays during either session
- Would like to build a community support system and tools to improve your personal wellbeing
- Are interested in gaining critical life skills, access to unique opportunities, and supportive lifelong connections and relationships
- Have always wanted to try or progress in outdoor adventure activities and build community in outdoor spaces, but you face significant financial barriers and or knowledge gaps to participation
Questions? Check our FAQs or contact us directly at info@theserviceboard.org!
