Recognizing and teaching prevocational and job readiness skills has been a highly successful program of Woape. Identifying and learning about important skills of success in a client centered approach creates meaning and personal motivation for an individual to strive toward goal achievement. Experimenting with failure through coaching, structure, and active listening gives people the experiences that encourages taking risks without devastating results. The end outcome is self-sufficiency and engagement in employment and work that has meaning. We work with individuals, in group trainings, and with organizations serving people searching these skills. We also lead youth summer work crews. Please contact us for more information.

Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Offering one’s self in helping someone else and experiencing the understanding of what it feels to offer that help is a critical element to every project we offer. Woape has ongoing Service learning projects that are offered to learn and work together for common good. Each project is supported through 100% volunteer effort creating a strong community of learning and support. We offer experiences for those choosing to “give back” and help others. We also support youth whom have been court ordered to perform community service. Please contact us for more information.

Woape’s Wilderness Classroom teaches and offers youth the experiences of learning about healthy living. Occurring in nature, this therapeutic program offers an enriched experience of emotional adjustment, addiction review, and important problem solving skills while living outdoors. Physical challenges with time for reflection occur mindfully in the intimate connection between humans and nature. An activity such as making fire develops personal responsibility and skill mastery. Storytelling occurs to develop insight and understanding into the way we interact with our families, friends, and environment.

Woape teaches and supports engagement in all aspects of the arts. Finding creative space to draw, sing, perform, and dance to express individuality is a value Woape encourages. Creating safe space for this voice and expression is an important part of the growth and development of self and community. We work with individuals to foster artistic talent and develop self through artistic mediums. We work with groups utilizing artistic mediums to gain therapeutic benefit and self-esteem. This program is scheduled as individual appointments, day experiences, or overnight camping adventures. The overnight programs range from one night to one week. Please contact us for more information.

The Center for Occupational Balance

We dream of the Center for Occupational Balance, a large and accessible meeting space in Sandy Oregon. Within the center we hire a Youth workers to run a local community café. We provide a state of the art computer lab and teach skills for educational and vocational pursuits. The Center will be a hub for building relationships and connections and will support local community artists, musicians, and storytellers through sponsored events. We will encourage family involvement.

Wilderness Skills and Adventure

Create additional opportunities in our Wilderness Classroom into seasonal camping trips and focused summer programs. Expand the curriculum of nature lessons and wilderness skills to enhance deeper connections with nature and the wilderness. Support youth in taking leadership positions in assisting and guiding adventures into the wilderness.

Youth Advisory Council

Develop a Youth Council to guide organizational decisions and share perspectives with the Woape Board of Directors. This team will help hold the vision and will share the successes as we learn together.

International Discovery Adventure

An emerging program, Woape has reached out to develop a wilderness camp on the edge of Holland and Germany. Bringing different cultures together to learn together in the natural world supports deep and rich learning and will offer a global understanding of how to work in relationship with the Earth.

Organic Farm and Market

We dream of a farm for community to gather and work the land with sustainable and respectful skills. We plant the seeds and grow the plants to produce the food. This program is in its development to support local youth and adults in learning the skills, eating better, and selling the farm products in the local community.