What is Catching the Spirit? 
    Catching the Spirit is a joint program of the Catching the Spirit Youth Society and a number of park volunteer associations. It is offered at no cost to youth aged 12 to 20 in Greater Vancouver. Recruitment is focused in communities with high numbers of youth at risk; at Pacific Spirit these youth account for about 70 percent of participants. The program is unique in that it is run by youth for youth. There are benefits both in services given back to the community and the leadership and social skills developed by the participants.

How did it start and where is it going? 
    The program started in Pacific Spirit Regional Park in 2001 as a pilot project and has grown each year. Because of the program�s outstanding success and because of the need for such programs throughout the region, a regional youth initiatives group has been formed. The plan is to expand Catching the Spirit to 15 parks. The Catching the Spirit Youth Society has been formed to help volunteer societies set up their own programs.

Where is it going in 2007? 
    Programs will be held at Pacific Spirit, Kanaka Creek, Tynehead, Burnaby Lake and Derby Reach regional parks.

Why it is important to support this program? 
    GVRD Parks supports the program through supplying the site as well as operations, training and administrative support. They also support program coordination; this covers the cost of a coordinator. Adult volunteers from assist with fundraising, training and supervision. All the funds donated directly support the youth. Community support, in the form of donations from foundations, companies, organizations and individuals, enable the youth to run this very successful program. 

Donors by site:

Those shown under Pacific Spirit are for that site or all three. Those under the other sites were donated specifically for those programs.
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