About LEAP (Life Expanding Adventure Program)

LEAP is a non-profit organization that creates opportunities for healing and growth through immersive wilderness programs that support communities affected by adversity and trauma. Five-day whitewater kayaking experiences on the Lower Salmon River in Idaho and the wild and scenic Lower Deschutes River in Oregon connect individuals to the therapeutic qualities of nature while encouraging them to harness their strength and recognize their innate value and abilities. We maximize our impact by organizing each program around groups with shared life experiences, enabling them to foster close-knit communities and thrive in an environment of mutual understanding and openness. LEAP works closely with community-based partner organizations and their specialists to build relationships and provide continuity within the greater service plan for each individual.

Why Work here

WE CREATE MEANINGFUL LEARNING & Reflective EXPERIENCES

• Participants learn to safely navigate class III and IV rapids and manage risk in whitewater.

• Our curriculum is designed to support individual success and group development through overcoming challenges together in a natural setting.

• We focus on reflection and group collaboration to encourage learning from daily experiences and decisions on the river.

• We believe in the therapeutic nature of the wilderness. Participants have the opportunity to be unplugged from media and their everyday lives, and to experience well-supported, healthy risk and optimal stress to encourage new pathways and skills for stress management.

• LEAP leaders focus on facilitating with questions, coaching conversations, deep listening, meaningful connections, and experiential learning. LEAP leaders are not therapists or mental health providers, and all offerings are within their appropriate scope and expertise.

WE BELIEVE EACH PERSON HAS WORTH & DIGNITY

• We recognize, understand, and encourage the celebration of human differences.

• Each participant is encouraged to own their sense of self, persevere, and challenge limitations they have given themselves or that the world has imposed on them.

• We foster a safe environment in which people can connect, find support, and share joy.

WE SHARE THE IMPORTANCE OF WILDERNESS

• Our participants often have little or no wilderness experience, and by increasing access and providing opportunities for wilderness experiences through our program, we aim to cultivate a sense of enjoyment, responsibility, and appreciation for our natural world.

• Our programs take place on the beautiful Deschutes River in central Oregon, and on the wild and scenic Salmon River in Idaho, one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the lower 48 states.

• We operate under the Leave No Trace principles.