Each Big City Mountaineers expedition serves 5 under-served, racially diverse urban youth between the ages of 13 and 18 that often have no experience outside of their neighborhoods. On expedition, mentors guide youth to overcome challenges, illuminate the meaning of their accomplishments and highlight their strengths in a 1:1 ratio. Our youth improve self-esteem, self-awareness and responsibility, and return home better equipped to make critical career, education and healthy lifestyle decisions.
All BCM youth come from economically challenged homes and qualify for free or reduced lunch programs. Obstacles such as high drop-out rates, violence and drug use often prevent urban youth from gaining critical life skills. Big City Mountaineers expeditions provide youth with both the tools and the positive reinforcement needed to overcome these obstacles and strive for a better future.
BCM wilderness mentoring expeditions provide youth with the opportunity to travel outside of their neighborhoods and into the wilderness to gain the critical life skills needed to become successful in life. Alongside supportive adult mentors, BCM youth experience challenge and adventure while developing confidence, self-esteem and the communication and decision-making skills proven to increase their likeliness to stay in school and decrease their involvement in drugs, violence and delinquency.
Our curriculum improves integrity, self-esteem, responsibility, decision-making abilities and communication skills in close to 1,000 youth annually. BCM has a proven track record of improving young peoples' lives with increased likeliness to stay in school, reduction in violence and reduction in drug use.
