All children deserve contact with nature as part of their heritage... the more our children see and know of the natural world around them, the better equipped they will be to face the basic realities of life and realize the noble potential of existence this planet has to offer.
— Ansel Adams (1902-1984)
The Young Hikers Program is an initiative by Hike Ontario — the only provincial non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the hiking trails and footpaths of Ontario.
The Young Hikers Program was created to foster the appreciation of Ontario's hiking and walking opportunities amongst young Ontarians and to inspire young people to take action in the protection, preservation and growth of Ontario's footpaths.
Our goal is to facilitate this appreciation by providing activities for youth leaders and curriculum focused lessons for educators, as well as links to resources for parents. We have one objective in mind — to get youth outside and on the beautiful trails of Ontario.
The Young Hikers Program introduces youth to the joys and benefits of hiking through:
- Young Hikers Program Activity Resource Kit for educators and youth leaders
- Safe Hiker Program and Certified Hike Leader Training
- Online resources for parents
The Young Hikers Program promotes hiking as a way of improving health, gaining valuable leadership experience, fulfilling school academic requirements, and earning fulfilling awards.
Why is there a need for such a program?
Recently, news reports have declared that Ontario’s children are in trouble. Child obesity in Ontario is on the rise and leads to other fundamental concerns including the increasing cost of health care and the decrease of healthy child development (physical and mental). Compounded with this discovery are the recent announcements of recreation facility closures in Ontario including swimming pools, rinks, and outdoor education centres. The onus for child recreation falls on the family in the after-school hours; hours that continue to dwindle as work demands increase.
Many families cannot afford potentially expensive organized sports such as hockey, soccer and martial arts. Physical activity and recreation which was once a healthy part of a child's school day, is becoming less and less a priority in Ontario schools. The time for non-profit organizations to assist the youth in Ontario is now. Programs, such as the Young Hikers Program, offer a community solution to dwindling budgets and the lack of services for Ontario’s youth.
Statistics indicate that:
- Over half of children and youth aged 5-17 are not active enough for optimal growth and development (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute).
- Physical activity improves self-esteem, enhances psychological well-being, overcomes boredom and provides positive leisure pursuits (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute).
- 64% of Canadians are not active enough to reap the health benefits of a physical lifestyle (Canadian Medical Association Journal 163[11]).
- $2.1 billion, or about 2.5% of the total direct health care costs, can be attributed to physical inactivity (Canadian Medical Association Journal 163[11]).
- Almost half of all schools (46%) do not have a policy to provide daily physical education classes to students (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Institute, 2001).
It’s not just about hiking for the health of it.
The Young Hikers Program isn’t just about increasing activity levels and fighting obesity. It’s also about getting more young Ontarians to embrace the provinces largest classroom — the great outdoors.
The more opportunities children have to explore the natural world, the more inclined they will be as they mature, to preserve, protect and respect the environment.
Nature Deficit Disorder
Mounting evidence indicates that more and more children are disconnected from the natural world. Nature Deficit Disorder, a term coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods, refers to the alleged trend that children are spending less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of behavioural problems. Problems that can be resolved by simply taking a child outside.
Nature — the sublime, the harsh, and the beautiful — offers something that the street or gated community or computer game cannot. Nature presents the young with something so much greater than they are; it offers an environment where they can easily contemplate infinity and eternity.
— Richard Louv
By providing the resources and tools that will help foster a love for hiking, walking and trails, our Young Hikers Project is cultivating the hike leaders of tomorrow, today.
Nature Deficit Disorder and Its Impact on Trails
In the following video, Hike Ontario Past President Terri LeRoux discusses Nature Deficit Disorder in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This presentation was hosted by the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association on April 27, 2021.
0:10 Introduction by Frieda Baldwin
2:00 Terri's presentation begins
37:47 Question Period
