Connections May 2026

Jenn’s* breath came fast behind her scarf. Sweat beaded on her forehead, not from the layers she’d piled on for the van ride, but because she had never snowboarded before. A teacher had encouraged her to try Youth Unlimited’s Mountain Life program, but as the van climbed the mountain, what had felt like an escape from the stress at home now turned to fear mixed with excitement.

At the top, as she stepped out of the van, cool mountain air hit her face, and the most incredible view she’d ever seen filled her eyes. A leader’s voice called out, “Hey Jenn, over here, you’re with us!” The adventure began.

Jenn is one of dozens of teens who each week get to ski or snowboard at Mt Seymour through the Mountain Life program.

A TRANSFORMATIONAL PARTNERSHIP

The partnership between Mt Seymour and YU was established in 2017 to help young people try something new, face fear, and discover what they’re capable of. Over the past year, the program logged over 250 youth visits from Vancouver, Surrey, and Abbotsford—by far a YU record.

Mt Seymour offers complimentary lift passes, rentals, and support, and YU youth give back by volunteering at mountain events and helping clean the mountain after snow melts. “We didn’t want to just ask for something,” says Graham Goertzen, Vancouver Area Director, and Mountain Life Founder. “We wanted to show up, help out, and build a relationship.”

PRE—MOUNTAIN PREP

The evenings begin long before anyone hits the slopes. Youth gather for a hot meal together before heading up the mountain, creating space to settle in and connect. Mountain Life serves high school–aged youth, many of whom have never tried skiing or snowboarding. They’re identified through school counsellors and relationships with YU staff, with a focus on those who would benefit most from the experience.

“We want this program to be a place where youth can step outside their usual environment, have fun, and build meaningful relationships in a safe and supportive space,” Graham explains. “If they end up discovering a passion for skiing or snowboarding—or even working at Mt Seymour one day—that’s a bonus.” And for some, it has been.

Mountain Life’s partnership with Mt Seymour began nine years ago, supporting youth on the slopes to this day

On the mountain, staff and volunteers from across the organization aren’t just instructors—they’re youth workers. When youth fall, or feel frustrated, they’re there to encourage them to keep going. “Youth get scared. They fall,” says Graham. “They get frustrated, but then they try again.” From the bunny hill to the main chairlift, their progress is visible. “You see confidence grow,” Graham says. “They start believing, ‘I can do hard things.’”

CHAIRLIFT CONFESSIONS

For YU staff, the journey up the mountain matters just as much as the way down. The chairlift turned out to be one of the best places for authentic conversations. Stuck together for the ride, youth often open up about family, relationships, and struggles. Some of the season’s most meaningful moments happen somewhere between the base and the top.

Another young girl, Lucy*, whose parents had split up, came to the program hesitant but curious. Graham remembers watching her come down a side trail, poles out, eyes wide, clearly not in control, but staying up. “You weren’t in control, but you managed,” he told her. “That’s kind of cool, isn’t it?” She nodded and smiled.

Later on the chairlift, Lucy opened up about her dad and the things they used to do together. Graham found himself unexpectedly moved. “I just started crying,” he recalls. “When you talk about your dad, it takes me back to skiing with mine. He’d borrow skis for us and walk us up the bunny hill because he couldn’t afford lift tickets. It was a sacrifice, but he did it anyway.” In that moment, vulnerability met vulnerability, building trust and connection.

OFF THE SLOPES

Mountain Life conversations don’t just stay on the mountain. YU staff work alongside teachers, school counsellors, and support staff, sharing observations and supporting the broader care around each young person.

Growth happens in practical ways too. For many youth, getting forms signed, showing up, and following through on commitments is its own kind of development. “Learning that actions—and inaction—have consequences is part of growing up,” says Graham. “Those lessons stick.”

Mountain Life is more than a ski program. “It’s about learning how to be human—how to try something hard, accept care, follow through, and grow in confidence,” Graham shares. Through partnerships like Mt Seymour, and the support of people like you, this kind of transformation is possible.

*not their real names

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Last summer, I hiked up to the second pump on Mt Seymour. It was a warm afternoon, and as I made my way along one of the ski runs, something caught my attention. The slope had been carefully cleared of rocks and roots, and workers were seeding the ground. No snow, no snowboarders, just careful, deliberate preparation. I learned that seeding the runs keeps the soil intact and creates a smoother surface, meaning less snow coverage is needed before the hill can open for the season.

I am often reminded of this image when I think about what we do at Youth Unlimited.

Jesus told a parable about a farmer scattering seed across different kinds of ground. Some fell on hard paths, some on shallow or thorny soil, and some on good, prepared ground—and that seed produced a great harvest. The farmer’s work depended entirely on the condition of the soil before a single seed arrived.

So much of what we do at Youth Unlimited is soil preparation.

A youth worker shows up consistently for a teenager who has never had a reliable adult in their life. A young person tries something hard for the first time and discovers they are more capable than they believed. A vulnerable youth experiences genuine community, maybe for the first time, and something quietly shifts. These moments don’t always look like spiritual breakthroughs. They rarely do. But they are clearing rocks. Pulling roots. Preparing ground.

At Youth Unlimited, we long for youth to experience life in all its fullness, the kind of life we were designed for. This abundant life often becomes visible later, sometimes years down the road, in a conversation we’re not part of, in a decision made long after the memory of one of our programs has faded. The harvest is real. It’s just rarely immediate.

That’s why Galatians 6:9 feels like it was written for people like us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

You haven’t given up. Your financial support and your prayers make it possible for us to keep preparing the ground, season after season, for young people who need someone to show up for them. That kind of long-haul faithfulness is rare, and we don’t take it for granted.

This newsletter features our Mountain Life program and its partnership with Mt Seymour, a beautiful picture of what patient, purposeful investment in young people can look like. I hope it encourages you.

With deep gratitude,

Mark Koop

Executive Director