Kevan Bracewell provides internships that teach valuable life skills through his wilderness tourism business, Chilcotin Holidays, located in Gold Bridge, BC.
At a glance…
Kevan Bracewell runs an internship program that trains individuals to make the most of the unexpected challenges they face in life.
The Details: With the unpredictable variables of a remote wilderness location, interns quickly learn how to adapt and identify solutions.
Purpose: To equip and empower individuals to confidently pursue their full potential in life.
Goals Achieved: Through the internship program at Chilcotin Holidays, over 5,000 individuals have developed the necessary life skills to thrive in unpredictable situations.
The Whole Story…
Since 1990, Kevan Bracewell has been running his wilderness tourism business, Chilcotin Holidays, in the mountains near Gold Bridge, BC. The remote location of his business has made the phrase, “Flexible and adaptable,” key for every team member at the guest ranch. This is especially true for interns as they learn to live and work in true BC wilderness. Throughout their time at Chilcotin Holidays, interns have the opportunity to develop a flexible, solution-oriented approach, which fuels greater opportunities in all facets of their lives.
Many interns who arrive at the ranch are well educated and skilled at living and working according to a predictable schedule. While that is beneficial in city-based business and university environments, this is not very useful in remote wilderness. And internships at Chilcotin Holidays certainly take place in a remote natural setting- the closest town is Gold Bridge, BC, with a population of 42. Kevan Bracewell chose this location for his wilderness tourism business to give visitors a genuine nature experience. With the abundance of nature comes its many uncontrollable variables, so the ability to be flexible and adaptable is paramount. Interns rapidly develop the skill of adapting to changing variables with creativity and practicality. For instance, when a summer thunderstorm caused a power outage, the interns got down to business and began cooking dinner on the outdoor, propane-powered grill. This is what makes the structure of the internship program so powerful. Interns develop their ability to adapt and create practical solutions from the safety of the ranch’s Gold Bridge, BC location, before they dive into the true challenges of remote mountain settings.
For interns who have thoroughly proven their ability to adapt to and overcome unpredictable challenges, Kevan Bracewell provides the opportunity to journey into true BC wilderness. And while this nature experience is an incredible adventure, it is also a uniquely challenging one. In this remote BC backcountry, numerous variables, from weather to wildlife encounters, are beyond the control of even the experienced wilderness guides who lead interns and guests on these wilderness journeys. Over the years, Kevan Bracewell has seen the wilderness create a prime learning environment for interns as they are continually forced to adapt and find creative solutions. As interns begin to shift their attention to possible solutions, instead of focusing on the problem, they develop the confidence and belief that they can handle anything in life. Interns no longer fear unpredictable situations because they know they can control themselves and their focus, even if they cannot control every single variable.
The ability to be flexible and adaptable is one of the primary lessons that internships at Chilcotin Holidays provide. And while interns go on to be successful in their educational pursuits and business endeavors, they ultimately go on to be successful in life. Thanks to the internship program Kevan Bracewell has established in the remote wilderness of BC, people of all backgrounds and experiences can learn to thrive in life by creating solutions to each new challenge.
Do you have what it takes to be flexible and adaptable in a wilderness environment? Learn more about the internships Kevan Bracewell offers through Chilcotin Holidays and Trails to Empowerment.
Learn more about Kevan Bracewell’s work:
Chilcotin Holidays, Wilderness Stewardship Foundation, Stewardship Foundation, Trails to Empowerment, Chilcotin Ark Institute, Wilderness Training Academy, Community Mill