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Young Men's Journey provides rite of passage for adolescent males

“We leverage community expertise and give exposure to young men of all different kinds of walks of life"

Local leadership group Journey Leaders in Action is hoping to make a poignant mark in the lives of adolescent males with a new program aimed at providing a formal rite of passage.

It’s something the group says is largely absent in Canada.

The vision behind Young Men’s Journey is to help teenagers successfully transition from adolescence into young adulthood with the guidance and support of adults versus the more prevalent “rites of passage” largely based on peer influence, says Journey co-founder Nick Hodges.

A Guelph resident and father of two young kids, Hodges founded the non-profit organization in 2014 with Steve Anderson, a professional coach and past Olympic volleyball coach. The intent was to connect boys with positive male role models and provide a transitional experience. The idea is based on similar groups within North America that Hodges has trained at and collaborated with over the past several years.

Besides Hodges and Anderson, the group is composed of 20 ambitious volunteers with diverse professions and expertise. They include local entrepreneur and former outdoor education teacher Mike Craig, an engineer, a contractor, a Scout leader, a couple of artists and a few more with backgrounds in business and marketing.

“We leverage community expertise and give exposure to young men of all different kinds of walks of life,” Hodges says.

Traditionally, adolescence lasts three to five years, according to Hodges, but now we’re seeing it last 10 to 15 years.

“Anything I can do to help young people accelerate the process of maturing, become more self aware and develop an appreciation for lifelong learning is where I’m interested in putting my energy into.”

The Young Men’s Journey launch was originally intended to take place earlier this month in Eden Mills but was cancelled due to low enrollment, something Hodges attributes to general unawareness of the program and the initiative itself.

“A lot of people don’t understand what a rite of passage is or they have a National Geographic impression of what a rite of passage is, so they don’t really understand the context of it in contemporary society,” he says.

Determined to see their passion project get off the ground, many volunteers went ahead with the weekend camping retreat that included a dry run of the sequence of activities that each participant progresses through, as well as a visioning session to refocus and re-launch the program in the spring.

One challenge that was refined by the team is a problem-solving exercise that consists of six people who must travel one kilometre down river with a single canoe. It was designed to promote teamwork since it’s prevalent in everyday life in family, work and school. The task gives participants an opportunity to learn that working as a team enables them to complete a goal and achieve results, even when working outside of comfort zones.

In recent weeks, the Young Men’s Journey initiative has started to generate a lot of discussion around rites of passage within families, schools and community organizations, something Hodges realizes is essential to continue if the program is to be successful. Their target is 20 participants per program; Hodges is optimistic.

“Giving teenagers space to really be challenged physically, mentally and emotionally is key to a rite of passage. We provide a safe space for challenge, risk and ultimately failure and success and that will help them develop self-awareness and gain confidence to do whatever their chosen endeavours are in life,” Hodges says. “I’m absolutely positive about the next generation.”

Find more information on Young Men’s Journey, or volunteer if you have a special skillset, here


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Barb McKechnie

About the Author: Barb McKechnie

Barb McKechnie is a Guelph-based freelance writer with a passion for local lore.
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