Horticulture, Art & Adventure Therapy
For ages 8 and up
One-to-One or Two-to-Two rain, snow or shine.
For youth with varying abilities.
EXCITING NEWS!!!
OUR NEW PROGRAM IS LAUNCHED…
QUESTFINDERS
Starting Sept 14th on Wednesdays from 3-4:30pm
At Fallen Alders Field and Trent Trails
Practice socializing through adventurous roleplay with quests, gold coins, foam swords and maybe even archery. Same location each day, goes until end of October.
Fees:
- $54/month
- Registration fee $50
- Additional fees may apply for Behavior Interventionist and resources
1 Initially Free Drop-in is advised, then monthly commitment is appreciated (adventures over summer holidays may vary).
1 week notice and pre-registration is required, book a call to confirm your arrival.
A mix of neuro-typical and diverse friends are trained and ready to help you learn how to quest. With front-loading, more one-to-one guidance, and simple tasks, with a trained and professional Behavior Interventionist as the supervisor to support this short hour and a half session is a great place to practice social and emotional coping skills and self-regulation.
Children in our Wild Craft Play program are practicing their leadership skills, and modelling their knowledge about questing, swordplay and archery at Fallen Alders Field. Lead by founder, Jamie Black, this group is ready for adventure.
Click Here for the Basic Event Registration Form
SoLe Adventure has been offering one-one-one and small group adventures in Nature for youth between ages 8 and 30, since 2004.
Every youth with unique abilities is welcome, whether we are suited to work together is up to both of us to discover, together.
Every experience brings its own opportunities for growth.
We regenerate resilience through great adventures in Nature that cater to the interest and abilities of each person.
Calm the Mind by Spending Time in Nature,
Build Resilience through Higher Risk Outdoor Activities,
Enhance Social Skills through Dramatic Play,
Develop Fine-Motor Skills through Fine-Arts and
Cultivating Success and Growing through a Narrative Therapy Practice.
FIND SPACE AND TIME to enhance your Body, Left Brain, Right Brain, Emotions, Social and Spirit through adapted experiences in Nature.
Every experience brings its own opportunities for growth. We generate great adventures in Nature that cater to the interest and abilities of each person.
SoLe Adventure focuses on the following activities:
- Calm the Mind by Spending Time in Nature, with a plethora of places to wander, we go on hikes, walks, do fort building, outdoor education, and basic wilderness safety.
- Build Resilience through Higher Risk Outdoor Activities such as XCountry Skiing, Snowshoeing, Mountain Biking, Sailing, Hiking, Sword Play, Archery, Knife use, fire building, swimming, kayaking, Wilderness Survival Training. These activities require a basic capacity in terms of self-regulation and physical mobility.
- Enhance Social Skills through Dramatic Play, theatre, storytelling, Digital Story Production, Circus Props, Music Outside
- Fine-Motor Skills through Fine-Arts in Nature, creating art in Nature, out of Nature, for Nature
- Cultivating Success by Grow Food in the Garden – planting, growing and harvesting food – we like to keep this experience super flexible, at the child’s pace. We are privileged to have access to a farm in the Royston/Cumberland area where we can wander, get our hands dirty and cultivate a deeper connection with the Earth.
How it all starts…
With a Wander in the Woods
Time wandering in the woods, more specifically, allowing our bodies to be calm, without talking about anything useful, and coming to a place of harmony with the natural surroundings takes at least 20 minutes, if not 40 minutes. Science through a study called “Shin-rin-yoku” has studied the benefits of quiet time in Nature to increase our Immune System and decrease stress, in-turn boosting our capacity to fight dis-ease.
Whether it is a slow wander, or slightly faster pace, it can be expected that our bodies find a sense of calm. This is adaptive and can be accessible for all shapes and sizes, including wheelchairs, and tools such as trail-riders (takes 2 people to maneuver). Maybe this is just what you need! We can work on coping skills, executive functioning and much more.
We can spend time creating an imaginative story-filled crafty adventure. Go into our imagination while wandering in the forest, create stories, build imaginative play, craft characters, go on quests.
What you might know as a Behavior Interventionist, we refer to as Adventure Interventionists, working through what we call “moments” through outdoor adventure and play.
Meet Our Adventure Interventionists
Jamie Black MA – A Behavioral Interventionist Specializing in Outdoor Play and Narrative Inquiry in the Comox Valley
Jamie Black is the founder of Wild Craft Play ‘sCool an insured private practice offering Behavior Intervention since 2004. Author of “The Hummingbird Approach: A Case Study of Guided Discovery Learning with Children in Nature” (2017). Jamie has been recognized as a worker with youth and adults as a guide, facilitators, mentor and teacher. Jamie’s youth-focused services offer a unique and playful platform in the Comox Valley and Globally online.
Jamie practices a narrative focused, adventurous, imaginative and creative approach – offering long-term healthy results. On average, and depending on the needs, the majority of clients that work with Jamie choose a long-lasting, weekly adventure. Jamie offers a minimum of 2 hours a week offering any of the following services to youth ages 8 to 30 of all walks of life.
Jamie’s Services for youth ages 8-30:
- Outdoor Play –
- Whether we maintain a walk in the park, or progress to more active adventures like mountain biking, kayaking, XCountry Skiing, Sailing, it’s the opportunity to have independence, practice risk taking and enhance inter-relational, social and emotional coping skills.
- Outdoor Learning –
- Meet some of your BC Curriculum through outdoor play, arts and music. Creating your curriculum together.
- Outdoor Therapy –
- How might curious questions elicit your transformative Narrative story that can shift how we show up in the world, while wandering in the woods?
Jamie’s Services for adults ages 19+:
- CLICK HERE to learn about transformative Humming Bard Journeys
Jamie’s Current Availability:
Minimum 2 hour session between 11am and 2:30pm on Tuesdays
Jamie’s Background:
- 2021 Foundations in Narrative Therapy VSNT – joined a community of practice
- Since 2010 trained in and volunteer coach in Leadership skills training with Excellence Seminars International
- During Covid-19 in 2020 Jamie moved to the unseeded Territory of the K’omoks First Nation to connect more deeply to the land, waters and mountains and discern what is most helpful to our youth.
- 2017 founded Wild Craft Play ‘sCool and offered across Vancouver Island and trained a License to Teach to 5 teachers across the Island.
- In 2017 Jamie defended a Masters of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication with a thesis called “The Hummingbird Approach: A Case Study of Guided Discovery Learning with Youth in Nature.” A video-ethnography studying the elements of facilitating an engaging program for youth through narrative play in nature using the platform of Wild Craft Play.
- 2013 TD Friends of the Environment sponsored $5000 Scholarship for Jamie’s Masters at Royal Roads in support of the illegal dumping clean-up and prevention efforts at Little Mountain in Errington.
- 2009-11 President of the Errington War Memoral Hall
- 2009-11 Co-Director of the Night at the Palace Community Fundraiser
- 2008 Jamie curated the Wild Craft Play program in the Coombs/Errington/Qualicum Beach/Parksville area
- 2004 Initiated SoLe Adventure in the Tri-Cities of Vancouver working with “youth at risk” ages 15-30 with S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
- 2004 Sport Science and Coaching – with a Major in Sailing and a Minor in Rock Climbing – with direct training in working with people who need support with physical, emotional and social needs.
- 2002 Diploma in Recreation and Sport Management with training in Inclusive Leisure
- Raised on an Equestrian Centre surrounded by youth who received the natural benefits of Equine and Nature-based Therapy.
Jamie Black holds a Masters of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication (MA), a Diploma in Recreation and Sport Management & a Diploma in Sport Science and Coaching. Jamie also holds a Wilderness First Aid Certificate, with a Class 4 Driver’s License. Jamie is a member of the following groups; Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC, Crimson Coast Dance Society, Fallen Alder’s Community Club, LGBTQ2+ community.
Having been a certified guide in the following adventures; Caving, Rock Rappelling, Camping, Fire Building, Adventure Racing at Horne Lake Caves, Canoeing with BCAC,
A past Certified Coach in Indoor Competitive Rock Climbing through ACMG, and Sailing through the CYA.
The Comox Valley families have needs that support youth of varying gender, race and identity, Jamie holds a safe and creative container for all of the above in all of the work that Jamie does.
Jamie Black’s history of therapeutic experiences includes working as a program developer, facilitator, practitioner and guide. Different races and genders have found working with Jamie to be compelling, as a safe place to share, feel heard and find resolve through creative and dynamic practices. Supporting over 3000 youth and adults in personal and professional growth since 2004.
Jamie is the partner of an incredible human on this planet, and advocate for theatrical arts of archery, swordplay and theatrical play.
“Jamie has been working with my son for 7 months now and I am so impressed with what they have achieved. Jamie is so kind and gentle, and also has so much fun with him. He really enjoys their time together and looks forward to it! I highly recommend Jamie and this program for your family.” ~ Sandi Collette
Andrew Matthews grew up in Yellowknife, NWT, and from a young age developed a passion for outdoor adventures, recreation, and exploration. He took this passion to the extreme–through extreme sports! Andrew pursued a career in high performance freestyle snowboarding–competing in World Cup events in Big Air and Slopestyle. This was particularly impressive given Yellowknife’s lack of snowboard hills to learn on!
After ten years “living the dream,” Andrew has retired from his competitive career and moved to Cumberland, BC. He continues to pursue his passion for the outdoors–albeit a little less so on the extreme side. Andrew now coaches mountain biking and snowboarding; teaches yoga and fitness classes; and has studied healing arts of Reiki and Breathwave Conscious Connected Breathing. When not working or studying, you might bump into Andrew on the trails of Cumberland running his dog, walking his baby daughter–or both!
Andrew has 12 years’ experience owning and operating a summer camp for kids in Yellowknife. During this time, Andrew fine-tuned his approach to teaching youth which balances fun with learning, playfulness with respect, and individual progression with group inclusivity. Andrew is excited to combine his facilitation skills with his love for the outdoors to create amazing and insightful experiences through SoLe Adventures!
Rootz
Wild Child “RootZ” is a Nature Connector Mentor and Educator. Her guiding practice inspires confidence and experiential learning into awareness and action. Through patient, heart-led connection, she rewilds us whole.
RootZ approaches life as a wild-child-at-heart, packing the infinite lessons she has unearthed in Canadian and New Zealand found classrooms. She collaborates with beings of all ages and abilities who influence her development of educational programs, community projects, social resources and retreats online and off-grid. She shares 20+ years of learning and leading with Centauri Summer Arts Camp, DramaWay, Suitcase Theatre, The World Groove Movement, The High Park Nature Centre, Toronto West Keys to Inclusion, Wild Craft Play and Strathcona Park Lodge and Education Centre.
Now rooted in British Columbia, Vancouver Island: RootZ serves as Forest School Educator for Hand-In-Hand Early Years Nature Education Program and homeschoolers of the Powell River and Comox Valley School Board on land. Online she rallies stewardship and earth activism through Earth Allies Collective and youtube’s Gnomadic RootZ channel. Led by the spirit of co-creation, she serves accessible communities worthy of us all in.
Wild Child RootZ Offerings:
Nature-quests, private guiding and workshops and programs: Wild RootZ;
One-on-one curriculum and behavioural support work: PIE: Partners in Education;
Tutorials in bushcraft and fungi as Gnomadic Rootz on Youtube;
Online discovery writing and photography as Gnomadic Rootz on Medium.
Looking for MORE THAN a Wander?
Once trust is built and you have modeled “Being Attentive,” then we can work on more executive functioning and decision-making skills, gradually working our way to higher risk adventures that inspire, challenge and expand our senses.
During more “Risky Play” there are opportunities to learn discernment, coping skills, communication, asking for what you need, saying no, saying yes, and many other core competencies. As an outdoor guide for the past 20 years, I manage risk in ways that work for your family.
There is an expression of “common sense” which comes not from a state of already knowing, but from a life of experience and practice. Build common sense through returning to the same places and experiences from many different angles, seasons, directions and circumstances to build your common sense.
This specialized approach to Behavior Intervention has been cultivated due to a recognized need for this type of work, and a personal need to help children become comfortable in the Natural World.
We can dive into more extreme outdoor sports such as skiing, kayaking, climbing, archery, caving, mountain biking, etc. Just ask.
We are dedicated to generating more opportunities to help get youth outside, connect with Nature, and maybe even fall in love with it.
See if your child wants to get outside with us. There is plenty of Nature near you.
Rather than focusing on Behavior Intervention, think of our service as Adventure Intervention. We go on adventures and focus on what is working, then find ways to build skills and techniques around the things that drive your youth, so that they can find their niche in the world.
Think of what we have to offer as the Muddy High 5:
Body, Left Brain, Right Brain, Emotional and Spiritual Connection through Nature!
Through these adventures, you may find that you have a knack for the performing arts, or hand-crafting, or storytelling, or creative -design.
Psst, we also do Circus Skills… in-case that interests you too!
Contact Jamie Black for a 30 minute free consultation.
Criminal Record Check and References available upon request.
Jamie@wildcraftplay.com
250-927-7923
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