Young people from three Community facilities sailed on a wooden Viking ship as part of a program focused on helping individuals transition from incarceration into the community through immersive outdoor experiences.
“I’ve never done anything like this before,” said one young person. “I felt like I was expanding my community with the people we had around us.”
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) partnered with the Center for Justice and Human Dignity’s Pathfinders Reentry-Focused Outdoor Program to bring 22 young people sailing on Valkyrie — the only Coast Guard approved, hand-built, traditional wooden Viking ship in the United States.
“Once in a lifetime experience and opportunity,” said another young person. “They taught me a lot about the history behind the Viking ship. This was my first hands-on experience with sailing.”
Young people as well as staff from the Oakridge, Woodinville, and Twin Rivers community facilities learned about the history of Vikings and construction of the wooden ships while helping sail the vessel.
“Educational and fun opportunities such as this are powerful experiences to help young people in our care develop skills, interests, and hope for their futures,” said DCYF Assistant Secretary of Juvenile Rehabilitation Jennifer Redman.
