Big City Mountaineers

Big City Mountaineers has three major program components:  RELATE, GO and GOALS.

R.E.L.A.T.E. Program

BCM's core programming is our R.E.L.A.T.E. (Recreational Experiences Linking Adults & Teens Environmentally) program which matches five adult mentors with five teens for a weeklong single-gender backpacking or canoeing trip. BCM R.E.L.A.T.E. trips:

• Provide wilderness opportunities to under-resourced urban teens age 13 - 18

• Provide teens with opportunities to cultivate relationships with caring adult mentors

• Have a unique 1:1 ratio

• Are designed to increase teens self-awareness and self-efficacy

• Are comprised of activities and rituals designed to promote group development and effective communications

• Have been shown to positively impact internal asset development

• Are all single gender

• Pull youth from youth development partner agencies

• Are led by professional field instructors with 4 additional adult volunteer mentors per trip.

G.O. Program

BCM's G.O (Get Outdoors) events are single-day, single-gender outdoor activites in local parks, including hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, snowshoeing and climbing. G.O. events are also used after R.E.L.A.T.E. trips to continue the relationships of teens and adults that experienced our summer program together.

G.O.A.L.S. Program

BCM's G.O.A.L.S (Gaining Outdoor Appreciation and Life Skills) program provides leadership opportunities and vocational training, and helps alumni to assume increasing responsibilities via permanent employment in organizational roles. The G.O.A.L.S. program is designed to develop leadership skills by providing program alumni with meaningful staff roles in BCM's organization.

Currently we seek BCM alumni to fill the following roles on staff:

• Peer Leaders who assist adult mentors in the field on G.O. and R.E.L.A.T.E. programs

• Program Coordinators who assist regional staff with youth agency orientations, parent and teen information sessions, adult team member training, and trip logistics

• Teen Interns who assist staff in BCM’s regional offices.