This April Ivan will compete in The AJBell SnowSports Challenge in the French Alps in aid of Switch 180 and Snow Camp.
2 days of non-stop snow challenges including biathlon (imagine Ivan with a gun!), a snowshoe hike, downhill parallel slalom racing, a team distance challenge (over 200km), orienteering and more.
"This is a far cry from cycling for charity", Ivan comments.
Snow Camp ‘First Tracks’ provides young people (aged 13-21) with their first experience of snow sports, while being supported by Wellbeing Managers who are professional counsellors and are on hand to lend an ear and provide supportive advice & guidance.
Over two days they will learn how to ski or snowboard and will take part in life skills sessions focussing on independence, responsibility, confidence and self-esteem. Often vulnerable, these young people are taught by by qualified instructors and Snow Camp youth apprentices, who have completed the courses in previous years.
Snow Camp ‘Graduate' takes young people who have completed First Tracks pushing them to complete 6 weekends developing their snow sports skills. They attend life skills sessions, a mental wellbeing workshop, and gain an ASDAN certificate in Sports and Fitness. Snow Camp ‘Excel' supports young people who wish to pursue a career in the snow sports industry and achieve Level 1 Instructor qualification. After completing Graduate, they train for a further 10 weeks on Excel and have access to mental wellbeing workshops and 1-1counselling sessions. Towards the end of the Excel course the Graduates spend a week in the mountains, shadowing instructors and gaining valuable mountain experience. For many this is their first time abroad, broadening their horizons on a personal level, as well as on an educational level. Imagine the confidence boost this kind of life experience can give to young people who may not have had the most secure early years. Ivan has chosen to raise funds for Snow Camp, part of Switch 180 which is a national charity providing life changing services to young people. Please give as generously as you can. If you would like make donation to this ‘very cool’ cause, please click here.