What our learners have to say

Our region, and the people in it, have been a catalyst for transformational learning experiences. The west coast of Vancouver Island is one of the most unique places on earth for people from near and far to come together and experience life, learning, Indigenous culture and community in a safe, affordable, natural setting. Here are some first hand accounts from edu-travellers, students, locals and teachers. Come experience learning for real.

  • Loiselle Family - Ucluelet, BC
    Youth Career Exploration Camps, March 14, 2023
    Was very impressed with the program. Loved the use of indoor and outdoor locations. It far exceeded our expectations. Content was very well presented and effective!!
  • Participant (Ages 10-12 group) - Comox, BC
    Youth Career Exploration Workshop, March 14, 2023
    I thought it was super, duper fun and good!
  • Torin Meikle - Ucluelet, BC
    Youth Interpretation Skills Workshop, January 16, 2023
    There wasn't a moment I didn't truly like, all of it was new and useful information.
  • Tannis Seredick - Port Alberni, BC
    Promoscience Pro-D Day Workshop , November 21, 2022
    Loved this experience so much! It really had my creative juices flowing with instructional design and curriculum implementation.
  • Trista McIntosh - Mulino, OR
    West Coast Fibre Art Retreat, November 02, 2022
    Everything was put together so well. It's been great to see it grow year after year.
  • Jaime Dubyna - Nanaimo, BC
    West Coast Knitting Retreat 2021 , November 15, 2021
    Dinner was fabulous, the workshops were engaging & interesting, the walk was great & I learned a lot, and the marketplace was fun too! I liked the mix of activities. I had a lovely time & really enjoyed myself. I will be back!
  • Jonquil Crosby - Ucluelet, BC
    Sustainable + Ethical Marine Harvesting, April 14, 2019
    This course gave me a lot of information from different sources that are so helpful. From the Fishing BC App, Q&A periods [with topic experts], common fish id, and the emphasis on caring for the animal as more than a commodity. I thoroughly enjoyed it all!
  • Sheena Gervan - Knitting Enthusiast - Langley, BC
    West Coast Knitting and Weaving Retreat, November 02, 2018
    "[Overall this retreat] was a great balance of art, craft, and exercise. I loved the knitting project - the colour work and yarn was perfect. Learning to weave cedar baskets was so much fun and the instructors were lovely people. I enjoyed meeting a great group of people. Thank you for such a good time!"
  • Gord Johns, MP for Courtenay-Alberni - Port Alberni, BC
    Leadership Vancouver Island, August 01, 2016
    The LVI program is not only a life-changing experience for the participants, but is reshaping our region. It is an opportunity for participants to connect with their community, learn about themselves and strengthen their skills while developing lifelong leaders that will enrich our community in so many important ways.”
  • Masters Student, Royal Roads University - Victoria, BC
    RRU MA Program: Environmental Education and Communication Course Title: Biosphere and Sustainability, August 15, 2016
    It was the best approach to learning systems that I have encountered, thus far. Situating the class in a setting to demonstrate systems, starting from a community level, worked very well. It helped me understand how systems function and interact. As a dynamic socio-ecological community, Ucluelet/Tofino was the perfect choice to understand the people and elements in a system in flux, focused on sustainability...I could not have internalized the course content in such a meaningful way without this experience! It was quality experiential and "real life" learning! It was really full....in many great ways...The guest speakers for this course were amazing as well as our field trips. They really helped deepen the knowledge we have been learning throughout this whole degree including worldviews and systems thinking...The joy of being in the Clayoquot Sound biosphere, attending the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project presentation, paddling in traditional canoes on the ocean, and Rick Kool's enthusiasm for bogs/hiking really combined for an excellent week of experiential learning. It was absolutely AMAZING spending time in Hitacu. It was such a rich experience, and I feel honoured...
  • Christine Mattimoe - Gatineau, QC
    Tofino Nature Kids, June 12, 2016
    "Dear Jay and the staff at Tofino Nature Kids. I just wanted to thank you inviting my boys to join your drop-in program last Wednesday afternoon. They both enjoyed themselves immensely (despite initial nervousness). Jacob was proud to say he made several friends and that he did "fun things". Caleb soaked in all the attention given by the teachers and loved the exploration time. We are so glad we "bumped into Tofino Nature Kids" during our week in Tofino. Sending the boys to the Nature Kids gave them a chance to interact with other kids their age and allow my husband and I to get out sea-kayaking on our own. We are now back in Gatineau, Quebec and jumping into a wading pool instead of a tidal pool to cool off. Thanks again for offering such a great program to visitors in the area. Keep it up."
  • Janet Kat (Trip Advisor) - Toronto, ON
    T’ashii Paddle School, Meares Island Guided Tour, June 12, 2016
    Five Star Experience. Highly recommended - I went on the six person, 4 hour canoe trip to Meares Island and it was brilliant. The canoe was handmade out of a cedar tree by local Indigenous carver Joe Martin. We paddled with Marika, who is Indigenous, and she really was an unbeatable guide. Marika is patient, calm, and good at explaining how to use the canoe. She was very knowledgeable about Meares Island and the Indigenous effort to protect Clayquot Sound. We walked the board walk and I learned a lot about the cycle of life on Meares Island. We also saw a number of eagles and some herons. I was also happy to spend my money with a local Indigenous business.
  • Christel-Anna (Trip Advisor)
    Raincoast Education Society, November 26, 2014
    The Raincoast Education Society is a fantastic organization! I started out by taking the Ambassador Program and ecology course that follows. Both of these were awesome! It is a great way to learn about the area whether you plan to stay in Tofino short term or long term. I appreciate that they developed this program for people as a way to understand this wonderful and unique place that we live in, from the history and geology of where we are, to how we can help be a friendly, and knowledgeable community to help support all the businesses in the area. I have also attended some of the speaker series events that they organized and I have always had a wonderful experience. I only wish I had arrived earlier in the year to have been able to volunteer with them!