Photo from a past Youth & Education Grant
We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Youth and Education Advisory Committee, comprised of dedicated local volunteers, for their time and effort to review each application. To learn more about any of the projects below, or connect with project leaders, email jason@clayoquotbiosphere.org.
We would also like to thank the West Coast Sustainable Tourism Association for contributing $20 600 in funding to support the Ucluelet Secondary School, Wickaninnish Community School Society, Coastal Queer Alliance, and the Tofino Public Market Society’s projects. To learn more about all the initiatives they supported over the years, visit their website at wcsta.ca/projects.
Afterschool Support Worker Program | Wickaninnish Community School Society
This project provides a dedicated afterschool support worker to assist students with diverse learning, social, and behavioural needs. By offering consistent, daily support throughout the full school year, the program ensures that students who require additional assistance can safely and meaningfully participate in afterschool programming alongside their peers.
The presence of a trained support worker enhances accessibility, fosters inclusion, and supports positive engagement, helping students build confidence, develop skills, and strengthen connections within the program. The initiative has proven highly successful, increasing participation and providing families with reliable, inclusive afterschool care.
Earth Keepers: Rhythms & Perspectives Workshops | Friends of Clayoquot Sound
These workshops engage youth and young adults (ages 10–25) in creative, hands-on artistic experiences that foster self-expression, skill development, and well-being. Through diverse mediums such as music, storytelling, visual arts, and media production, participants build confidence, communication skills, and leadership capacity in supportive, community-based settings.
The program responds to growing youth interest in arts and performance while addressing rising mental health concerns. By creating inclusive spaces for creativity and connection, the workshops strengthen personal growth, cultural expression, environmental awareness, and community belonging.
Engaging Youth Choice and Voice in Inclusive Literacy Opportunities | Wickaninnish Community School
The project addresses barriers to literacy by ensuring all students have access to engaging books, regardless of their ability to visit libraries or purchase materials at home. Through a school-based book fair, each student is supported to select a book for their classroom, contributing to a shared library that reflects diverse interests and experiences.
By centering student voice and choice, the initiative increases engagement, confidence, and a sense of ownership in reading. It also promotes inclusion by ensuring every student can participate meaningfully, access relevant texts, and explore literacy at their own level. Ultimately, the project strengthens literacy development, supports well-being, and builds a lasting, student-informed collection of resources for the entire school community.
huuh̥takšiih̥ʔapat nism̀eʔi: Land Based Learning | Ucluelet Secondary School
This project is a Grade 9–12 learning program launched in the 2024–2025 school year, now entering its second year of growth and development. The program is designed to re-engage students who have experienced limited or inconsistent success in traditional classroom settings by offering a hands-on, experiential approach to learning grounded in cultural and land-based practices.
Through meaningful partnerships with Elders, knowledge keepers, local professionals, and community leaders, students participate in learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom and connect them to culture, land, and community.
By centering land-based education, the program fosters well-being, builds practical skills, and supports positive identity development for youth. It aims to create a supportive and inclusive environment where students can balance academic, social, and personal needs while rebuilding confidence and engagement in their education.
Queer Youth Connections | Coastal Queer Alliance
This program creates a safe, confidential, and affirming space for queer and questioning youth in grades 8–12, addressing isolation and limited supports in rural communities. It fosters connection, belonging, and self-expression through inclusive activities, peer interaction, and access to queer-affirming resources.
By building relationships between youth, trusted adults, and community partners, the program strengthens social confidence, supports school engagement, and improves well-being. Now in its third year, it continues to grow through community partnerships and ongoing adaptation to better meet the needs of local queer youth.
Stories From the Land | Ucluelet Secondary School
This project brings local Indigenous storytellers into learning experiences with students, both in the classroom and on the land. Two storytellers, one from Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government (Ucluelet First Nation) and one from ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation), guide 30 students through culturally appropriate storytelling practices and land-based visits to significant locations.
Students first learn how to respectfully receive stories, then participate in guided field experiences, and finally reflect on their learning through creative projects. The program supports Indigenous knowledge integration, strengthens relationships between students and local Nations, and fosters appreciation for culture, identity, and place among both Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners.
Tonquin Storytelling | Tofino Public Market Society
This project launched last year by Gisele Martin, with support from the Tofino Market, engages youth in sharing the true history of the Tonquin, an important part of both ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation) and international history. Through hands-on art-making and storytelling, participants create props such as canoes, masks, and longhouses that bring the story to life.
By centering ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation) perspectives, the project promotes respectful learning, cultural understanding, and community connection. The program culminates in a storytelling event aligned with the historical anniversary, offering a meaningful, free gathering for the whole community.
As both the local community foundation and the organization stewarding the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region designation, the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust is proud to provide annual funding to local partners who are carrying out vital work that strengthens community well-being and supports the long-term health of ecosystems across the region.
