Youth Development for Indigenous Communities
Inspiring youth through the provision of experiences, connections and certifications that set them up for success as they prepare to enter the workforce or grow as community leaders.

INSPIRING YOUTH
Youth Development Programs
We work closely with our clients to set program goals that are specific and relevant to their youth each year. Together, we determine the content and elements within each program, from longer, hands on job shadowing opportunities, site visits to local businesses, life and employment skills training to certifications such as First Aid, Foodsafe and Youth Recreation Leadership. We offer a high level of customization to our Youth Programs to ensure we are best meeting the needs of each community.
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The Youth Employment Program was designed to provide local Indigenous youth aged 15 – 18, with an opportunity to learn about local businesses and gain skills that will prepare them to enter into the workforce. Throughout the program, participants attend workshops in the mornings and on-site visits to local businesses in the afternoons.
Our main goals are to:
- Give participants an opportunity to connect with local businesses to explore what employment with the businesses could look like
- Provide participants with the tools and resources to support gaining employment
- Help participants build connections to easily access employment opportunities
- Get participants excited about entering the local workforce
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The Youth Certification week combines life and employment skills with different certification programs that are dependent on identified client need for items such as First Aid, Food Safe, Babysitting, Superhost, WHMIS and more.

A team with experience
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Amy Reid
Program Coordinator
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Aislinn Mackay
Facilitator
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Jessika Houston
Facilitator
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Sarah Hart
Facilitator
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Karin Burns
Facilitator
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amy reid
Program Coordinator
Amy is a vibrant and engaging public speaker and facilitator with an extensive work history in both social work and business management. Her passion lies, specifically in program management and development. Over the years Amy has had the pleasure of teaching and facilitating a wide variety of programs including Wellness, Positive Parenting, Effective Communication, Time Management, Goal Setting, Leadership, Managing Hostile Interactions, Mental Health First Aid, Employment Readiness, Navigating Challenging Behaviours and many more.
Amy comes with 20 years of management experience in both the private and public sector. She was the Senior Manager of Squamish Helping Hands Society an Outreach Worker and Program Facilitator in the DTES and before that, the General Resort Manager of a hotel, restaurant and dive centre located in Lombok, Indonesia where she worked with local conservationists to develop a one of a kind diving and coral regrowth training program that has resulted in the largest coral regrowth project of it's kind in the world.
Grateful to live in on the traditional and unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw in Squamish, Amy is an active local volunteer deeply invested in the people she serves and her community. Her background in Management and Human Resources have taught her to be a trusted leader and resourceful problem solver with strong communication skills and quick sense of humour.
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aislinn mackay
Facilitator
Aislinn is an educational facilitator and developer with an interest in math and engineering. She has worked as a study session facilitator, designing and implementing engaging workshops and supplemental learning support to students with diverse learning needs. She approaches design and facilitation using applied principles of universal instructional design, continual improvement and scaffolding to enable a successful learning environment. She has developed content for STEM programs at the elementary school level, as well as working with Indigenous outreach organizations aimed at increasing Indigenous youth participation in STEM fields. Aislinn holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Carleton University.
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jessika houston
Facilitator
Over the past 20 years, Jessika has worked in various management capacities in both the Corporate and Non-Profit Sectors. She has founded two of her own businesses, as well as co-creating several federally funded, community-based life skills programs. In 2016, Jessika earned her Life Coaching Certification from Integrative Wellness Academy.
Currently, Jessika is the Founder and Lead Life Coach of Glitter N’ Grace Life Coaching, is the Program Manager for Surrey SHARES - a storytelling and coaching program for Seniors, is a contracted Facilitator for Bungalow968 Employment and Life Skills training programs and is a member of the Community Mental Health Committee as an Advocate and Presenter and recently became a Published Author.
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sarah hart
Facilitator
Sarah has worn many hats in her career so far. Initially, specializing in Human Resources Management through her Bachelor of Business Administration, she transitioned into project management in the private sector. During this time, she had the incredible fortune of being mentored by Mountain Equipment Co-op’s legendary Chief Information Officer, Georgette Parsons. In parallel, Sarah’s athletic career began to flourish, and she began her role as a professional sponsored climber in 2012, spending several years dedicating herself to climbing and travelling to remote mountain ranges throughout the world. In 2015, a significant life event changed her course and she began a second degree in social work, feeling a strong pull to re-establish a career that focused on one of human life’s most essential elements, relationships. Since this time, she has worked for both public institutions and not-for-profit organizations developing her practice with youth-at-risk, Indigenous communities, female survivors of violence and others experiencing significant barriers to living a life of choice.
Today, Sarah brings these diverse skills to her facilitation and curriculum development platform. A deep understanding of human relationship development and social justice principles contributes to her facilitation style and how she connects to her audience, while a strong business acumen enables her to align with her client’s goals and objectives for each facilitation and curriculum development project. Though she is adept at working with professional audiences, Sarah specializes in working from a trauma-informed lens with complex multi-barriered audiences and creatively meeting each person “where they’re at” on any given day.
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karin burns
Facilitator
Karin is a skilled teacher, facilitator and a life-long advocate of outdoor and experiential education. Over the past 20 years she has taught a wide range of participants from diverse cultural backgrounds, neurodivergent learning styles and ranging in age from young to old! She has co-developed education curriculum with First Nations groups, championed STEM education for girls and women, taught and developed curriculum for Waldorf Schools and worked as an outdoor educator in Ontario and BC.
As a Squamish resident, Karin greatly values our growing and vibrant community, as well as acknowledges the ancestral lands we work and play upon.
From Karins notes:
Over the past 20 years I have worked primarily as a teacher in the independent school system, and also as an outdoor educator, instructor and coach.
As a teacher, I have a passion for inspiring, engaging and guiding learning. I set a tone of respect and good natured connections and lead with empathy and curiosity. I have taught a wide range of participants from diverse cultural backgrounds, neurodivergent learning styles and ranging in age from young to old! My experience working with First Nations groups includes co-developing a summer science camp with the Cree Nation in Moose Factory, Ontario, leading wilderness adventures with school groups from Alert Bay, BC, as well as my own course work in Indigenous Studies and DEI. I also have a keen interest in program/curriculum development, assessment and monitoring. I very much enjoy dreaming, designing, delivering and revising programs to suit the interests and needs of participants. I am thoughtful, detailed and task-oriented. I very much enjoy collaborating and working as a team member. I also excel at motivating and leading by example. In terms of communication skills, I am well versed with a variety of technology and possess excellent computer skills. I am keen to take initiative and create opportunities for enrichment and growth. I am organized, efficient and level-heading in busy and energized environments, and I also value beauty, thoughtfulness and clear communication.
Karin holds a Bachelors of Education, Bachelors of Science and Bachelors of Physical and Health Education from Queen’s University Canada.


More Programs
Bungalow 968 offers a range of long form and short form programs and workshops designed to empower Indigenous Communities across Canada.