BGC Cranbrook has proudly been serving children, youth and families in Cranbrook for over 50 years. We consider ourselves fortunate to have been a part of the lives of so many incredible people.
Below you will find some stories from incredible past participants and staff.
Amina
Amina began attending Club when she was 10 years old. She continued in our programs all the way until she graduated in 2018. In her grade 10 year she was awarded the Best Buy Scholarship through BGC Canada for her dedication to Club and desire to attend post-secondary education. While in Club, Amina was an all-hands-on deck kind of gal. She attended anything and everything that she could and was always ready to try something new. She is so thankful for Club because it was the place she made new friendships that she stills holds dearly. For her, Club was a space that promoted teamwork and group efforts, giving her the chance to collaborate with new people. Amina is so thankful for BGC Cranbrook and the supportive and positive atmosphere it was for her growing up.
This year Amina is cruising through her final year of Nursing School, all while upgrading some previous courses she has taken just for the heck of it. Of course, we are not at all surprised to tell you that she is succeeding immensely and credits much of her success to hard work, drive and of course the confidence she gained while being a part of BGC Programs.
Wow! Proud is an understatement for how we feel about Amina.
Lou
Lou began attending our programs in 2016 at the age of 13, and stayed in our Programs all the way through High School. While in Programs, Lou was always an incredible peer support for those around them. Lou loved Club because it was a safe, and inclusive space for them in their challenging teen years. They loved that they could talk to the staff about anything and always felt they could be honest and open without being judged. In our Programs Lou found the confidence to be their authentic self and grew in their communication, leadership and facilitation skills.
Lou is a true All Star of BGC Cranbrook because they went from participant to staff. When Lou graduated High School they returned right away to our After-School Programs as a summer program leader and eventually had the opportunity to lead the incredible youth who came after them at Youth Impact. Lou took what we taught them and gave back to the organization and that is pretty amazing.
Today, you can find Lou studying Criminology and Archaeology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. We are so proud of all Lou has overcome to get to the place they are today, and are so thankful to have been a part of their journey.
Taelynn
Taelynn began attending our Youth Impact program when she was 14 years old. Taelynn is one of those people who makes everything more fun just by being present. She loved attending Club to set aside the stresses of everyday life to have fun in a safe and accepting environment. In our Programs Taelynn was able to participate in her favourite activities alongside caring and supportive adults who always saw the best in her. In her tough teen years Taelynn always knew she could count on BGC Cranbrook to support her and cheer her on.
Lately, Taelynn has been really busy! In the past year she purchased her first home, and got married! While running a successful photography business, she also works as an Inclusive Childcare Worker. She loves that this job gives her the opportunity to support children and youth in the same way she was supported as a teen.
Taelynn is, and has always been a role model to those around her, and we are so proud of where she is today. Success stories like hers are why we work tirelessly to continue our work in Cranbrook.
Jesús
Jesús is a pretty special guy. Jesús is from Spain, and spent the 2018-2019 school year on exchange in Cranbrook. While he was here he was invited to our Youth Impact Program and the rest is history. We had the pleasure of hanging out with him for the entire year. We loved getting to hear about Spain and all their culture, all the while getting to show him our little corner of Canada. In BGC Cranbrook Jesús found a supportive environment that allowed him to learn more about himself and he credits Club to being the place where he really found his identity.
If you’re curious about what Jesús is up to these days… He is working super hard on completing a Biology degree while also supporting youth in Spain as a mentor for the Scouts Program. He is so happy with where he is at in life, and we are just so stoked to see how much he is thriving.