OUR MISSION

The Howl Experience is a registered charity on a mission to help youth across Canada/Turtle Island build knowledge and skills in Truth and Reconciliation, climate justice, community leadership, and resilience. 

As a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, we know that traditional schooling doesn’t work for everyone. Through 5-to-7-day experiential education programs, we work with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community leaders across the country to bring diverse youth together for learning experiences that deepen their connection to themselves, their communities, and the land so they can build purposeful career and life paths.

Since launching our first program in 2022, we’ve had over 1,200 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth participate in our programs. They've contributed more than 7,500 service hours to communities and organizations in Alberta, Nova Scotia, and the Yukon!

As one Howl Alumni, Lisa, said: 

“For the first time in a very long time, I felt confident and comfortable enough to show up as my whole self. That sense of belonging gave me the space to share my knowledge, my teachings, and my gifts with those around me.

I bring home a renewed sense of confidence, a reawakened love for cultural practice, and a deepened connection to the land and myself. Moving forward, I want to carry this spirit back into my home community. I want to continue volunteering and relationship-building. I want to create space for others to feel seen and valued, just as I did."

HOWL'S ORIGIN STORY

Co‑founder Adam Robb spent 15 years in public education creating hands‑on programs where students thrived beyond the classroom. But pressing questions remained: Were graduates prepared for life after school? How were they managing their wellbeing? Were they gaining the experiences needed to pursue their passions?

In 2021, Adam gathered educators, Indigenous leaders, community members, and past students to reimagine learning. From those conversations, Howl was born: a charity dedicated to land‑ and culture‑based experiences that weave together Indigenous, academic, lived, and community knowledge.

What began as a bold idea has grown into a national community of youth, educators, and supporters who believe in something bigger. Since its founding, young people from every province and territory have joined Howl programs. They’ve spent time on the land, learned from Elders and local experts, contributed to community volunteer projects, and discovered that learning can feel transformative—whether restoring forests, paddling under the stars, or finding belonging in a diverse group.

At its core, Howl teaches four essentials for navigating today’s world—community leadership, climate change, Truth & Reconciliation, and personal resilience. Some people are surprised to learn that ‘Howl’ isn’t an acronym; it’s just a word meant to evoke the feeling of finding your voice and sharing it loud and proud with the world around you. It’s a feeling (and, admittedly, a sound) that we hope all youth will experience on our programs. "Awooooo!"

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

We know that...

- Less than 40% of Canadian university students complete their program (the rate is lower for equity-deserving groups)

-80% of Canadian youth surveyed want more skills and knowledge related to the environment and climate change

- 7.5 million youth in Canada (under 25) face mental health challenges, and only 63% of Canadian youth 15-29 hold an "optimistic" view of their future (compared to 77% in 2016)

- Indigenous youth are significantly less likely to graduate high school, with only 63% across the country completing secondary school compared to 91% of non-Indigenous students. 

A stronger connection to one’s land and culture results in stronger pathways forward for education and employment. Howl’s experiential, land- and culture-based learning programs offer alternative pathways to education beyond traditional classroom settings, providing meaningful pathways to education and employability for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth.

Howl provides a complete approach to education that is rooted in relationship and community and meets learners where they’re at. As a past participant said after completing a Howl Exploration program, “I am confident in my abilities and power to define my path in life. That is something I never thought I'd say. Howl has given me a sense of encouragement to be the best version of myself”.

Our ultimate aim is to bring about a future in which youth can discover and use their unique gifts to build purposeful lives in reciprocity with all their relations - human and non-human.

In the short-term, the intended results of our core activities are that participating youth:

- Build knowledge and skills in Truth and Reconciliation, climate action, community leadership, and personal resilience;

- Strengthen their connection to themselves, their communities, and their ecosystems;

- Feel more motivated and empowered to pursue their passions; and,-See themselves as changemakers in their communities.