Our Inspiration and Looking Ahead
Dear friends of Power To Be,
We are thrilled to present our 2022 Impact Report, which showcases all that we have accomplished over the past year As leaders of a social impact organization, we are constantly inspired by the incredible work of our staff and volunteers and the passion and commitment of our partners and supporters. We truly have the best community. Thank you!
We continue to prioritize our mission of building community by removing barriers and inviting people to explore what’s possible in nature We remain committed to our vision of creating a world where everyone can experience the transformative power of the great outdoors Everyone belongs in nature, and nature belongs in everyone.
Through our partnerships with more than 60 organizations in 2022, we offered a wide range of accessible and inclusive activities to 1,833 total program participants, from hiking and kayaking to camping and rock climbing Furthermore, we
have been able to expand our reach provincially with regional services and support of the social profit sector with national impact This year, we spent hundreds of hours collaborating with community partners including BC Parks, Spinal Cord Injury BC, and BC Children’s Hospital, growing our impact and providing the support needed to experience nature and move the inclusion movement forward
We, Dana and Jason, are excited to be the new Co-CEOs of Power To Be, having transitioned from our senior leadership roles in the organization. This year also saw Tim Cormode move to role of Founder. Rahul Ray took over as Board Chair with Owen Matthews completing his full term We are grateful for Tim and Owen’s tremendous work over the years and for what they have made possible for the future Two more notable accomplishments this year: the grand opening of our new inclusive home at Prospect Lake in Victoria, as well as being the recipient of an EcoStar Award for Innovation in building design With an environmental lens, we intentionally chose every element of the design, consulting with our community to ensure their needs are met and our site is a welcoming and inclusive space.
None of this is possible without the generous support of our donors and partners. Your contributions allow us to not only continue our work, but to expand and improve upon it As we reflect on the past year, we are grateful for the progress we have made, and we also recognize that there is still important work to do With your continued support, we are confident that entering our 25th year in 2023, we will broaden our inclusive reach and continue to change lives
Please enjoy learning more about our community impact in 2022 as you read through this report. Thank you for your commitment to Power To Be. We look forward to continuing this journey together.
Dana Hutchings Co-CEO Jason Cole Co-CEO Rahul Ray Board Chair From left: Dana Hutchings, Rahul Ray, Jason ColeMission, Vision, and Why
Power To Be is driven by our mission, inspired by our vision, and grounded in our reason for why we do what we do We are grateful to everyone who has been a part of our journey and contributed to the sense of home and community that we feel and embody today
We affirm, with respect, the unceded lands and waterways of the Coast Salish Peoples where we live, learn and play
Our Mission
We build community by removing barriers and inviting people to explore what’s possible in nature.
Our Vision
Everyone belongs in nature Nature belongs in everyone.
Our Why
We believe nature can transform lives
Our Programs
In 2022, our three program streams really took shape with new and exciting opportunities being offered to our participants. By using this framework for our program delivery, we can provide the greatest impact
Some highlights from 2022 include introducing year-long cohort programs that focus on building and refining various outdoor skills, providing overnight camping experiences to create unforgettable memories in nature for new Canadians, leading multi-day expeditions with our Wilderness School cohort, and launching our inclusive workshop model for valued partners to increase accessibility of community services. These adventures brought families closer together, formed new friendships, and nurtured a beautiful community
Inclusive Adventures
Building skills and creating positive outdoor experiences by removing barriers to nature
Wilderness Wellness
Experiences that nurture wellbeing and focus on personal growth
Catalyst for Good
Pursuing projects for social change, with a flexible focus to fill specific needs.
90% Participant Satisfaction
Based on our program evaluation, 90% of participant respondents were Very Satisfied or Satisfied with their programs in 2022
Activities that were offered this year included:
Our Community
Our adventures include everyone! With the support of our community, we provide the tools, resources, and space for our participants to discover their full potential, achieve their goals, and explore the magic of the outdoors
"When I'm at Power To Be, I feel at home because I'm surrounded by friends and nature I'm in a place where my brain can breathe and I can live in the moment, be a human being, not a human doing."
"I am always moved by the care shown by the Power To Be team to the youth I bring on program – the participants' emotional and physical safety is obviously top priority and the youth always leave feeling empowered and happy!"
Who We Support What Ages We Support
Our Gateway to Natu
In 2022, Power To Be reached a monumental milestone for our organization In August, we opened the doors to our ‘Gateway To Nature’, a series of innovative, sustainable, inclusive buildings that serve as our program and operations hub. This project was a true collaboration with the goal of making the build accessible, safe, and comfortable for everyone
Since nesting in our space, the value and benefits of having a physical home at Prospect Lake have been abundant. Having a consistent place to welcome our participants, where everyone can gather to sit, chat, and hang out, has been impactful for the quality of our programs
Whether participants prepare their own meals in the accessible kitchen for an overnight adventure, a family feels comfortable opening up and connecting during intake in our private welcome room, or our volunteers hear participants laughter echoing through the building before heading out on program, the feeling of ‘home’ can be felt both in and outside of its walls.
Our Inclusive Future
At Power To Be, we are passionate about moving the inclusion movement forward, and are driven by this goal in everything that we do As a result, this building’s design sought to inspire a change in the construction industry and set an example of what accessibility can look like to empower others to join us in creating a more inclusive world
We are proud of the considerations that were made in designing these spaces, and the commitment towards climate action we have taken in minimizing our environmental impact by using alternative energy sources to produce a positive net energy output
We continue to explore the full potential of this incredible Ecostar award-winning building for our community and beyond
Our commitment to accessibility
Single-story built
Curb-less entry
Wide parking stalls and pathways
High-contrast colours (white walls with black trim for visual needs)
Touchless lighting
Wide hallways and doors for wheelchair access
ADA-compliant kitchen and appliances
Adjustable sit-and-stand desks
Gender neutral and accessible washrooms
Lowered windowsills
Emergency systems that are visual and audible
Our commitment to climate action
Solar panels
Geothermal energy
Rain gardens
Irrigation from the lake
Triple-glazed windows
Honouring Our Shared Home
Power To Be’s Prospect Lake site has come to be a place of great significance to our community. As we live, work, and play on this land, we honour the responsibility of caring for the natural world it is a part of and respecting the Indigenous peoples who carry a deep-rooted connection with the land to this day
As an act of honouring the traditional lands, we invited three carvers to create totem poles to live on the site. In September, members of the WSÁNEĆ First Nations and Power To Be welcomed representatives from the Coast Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw, and Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations, and over 50 guests to celebrate the unveiling of our new totem poles at the Prospect Lake site. These totems will stand tall for years to come and we are thankful to the carvers for sharing their art and stories with our community
Nurturing the Land
Our Catalyst for Good program expanded in 2022 with new and exciting partnerships and programs. To educate on and nurture the health of the land, we hosted numerous environment-focused programs, including education programs about flora and fauna and hosting site work parties.
Our Catalyst for Good partnerships blossomed this year with some highlights including our site partnership with Epic Learning Community: a nature-based K-5 learning program, planting of native species with Habitat Acquisition Trust, and monitoring our owl boxes with a local biologist
Our Collaborations
In 2022, Power To Be was able to grow our reach through collective impact We nurtured our community partnerships and amazing volunteers, creating stronger relationships, shared goals, and collective focus to make lasting progress and greater community impact
From Victoria to Vancouver, 87 volunteers supported 124 of our programs, multiple community events, and 5 student placement projects! This has totalled 3,207 hours of generous support towards our mission We couldn't do this without them!
87 Volunteers
5 Student Placements
3,207 Hours of Volunteer Support
In Vancouver, we expanded our workshop offerings in the parks and tourism sectors We were invited by BC Parks and BC Parks Foundation, Parks Canada, and Sea To Sky Gondola to conduct both virtual and inperson workshops for their staff. During these workshops, we shared our expertise, philosophy, and approach in reducing barriers and promoting inclusion and provided practical training to help them create an inclusive and adaptable experience for their guests
Our partnership with BC Parks has grown over the last ten years and we’ve collaborated on their Learn to Camp programs, sit on the BC Parks Accessibility Advisory Committee, consulted on the license plate program that supports people facing unique limitations in accessing the parks, and advocated for feedback from individuals with lived experiences
We are thrilled to announce that Power To Be has been proudly recognized as the recipient of the prestigious BC Parks Community Partner of the Year Award for 2021-2022! This honour acknowledges our dedication and commitment to working closely with the parks sector in fostering inclusive and accessible experiences for all.
BC Parks Community Partner of the YearFinancials Our Financials
We are proud to lead with responsible financial decisions, which are crucial for the quality of our programs and our impact in our community. We are so grateful to everyone who continues to invest in our journey of removing barriers to nature and fostering inclusive spaces of learning, exploration, and adventure.
$3,808,033 $253,240 Donor Engagement 33%
$3.37
is returned to our core mission $1
for every fundraised
Thank You
We would like to extend a warm thank you to our supporters, as the impact created in our community would not be possible without your kind and generous contributions
We are so grateful to share and celebrate natural spaces with our community, which allows us the opportunity to deepen our intentions towards reconciliation, land stewardship, and inclusion. Thank you to everyone who participates, volunteers, or supports Power To Be's programs.