Post-Expedition
Canoeing Expedition
Once you have returned home, you and the teens will be doing a lot of reflecting as you shift back to your “normal” lives; think about ways to follow up with the teens on your expedition to help them transfer learning and meaning from the wilderness journey to their urban environment. Call the youth program and see how they are doing in school and other activities. If you live near them, participate in BCM’s post-expedition dinner celebration or day outing so you and the teens can reconnect and reminisce. Many leaders send photos to the teens along with segments from their journals of the expedition. Think of other ways that you can continue the correspondence and relationship on your own.
While the Instructor wraps up his/her logistical responsibilities after the expedition, it is also useful to get addition feedback from volunteers and youth agency staff. The surveys that you will receive are very helpful to the office staff to make the program better each season… let us know what went well and what did not. We love to hear stories from the water, so share your experience with us!
We also ask that you send a CD to BCM with pictures from your expedition. We also have opportunities for adults to win prizes by submitting a Personal Expression (essay, poem, story, etc) about their experience. Winning entries are showcased in our Annual Report.
Additionally, we ask our adults to nominate exemplary teens from their expeditions for potential employment opportunities with Big City Mountaineers. We employ alumni teens in a variety of positions in the office and as Peer Leaders back out on the water.
