Maritimes Exploration — A Retreat for Young Community Builders

July 2-6, 2025

Maritimes Explorations are based in Nova Scotia. Throughout the program, we will travel through the traditional territories of the Mi’kmaq People.

Our world needs community builders now more than ever. Join Howl in Nova Scotia for a community-based retreat that will be packed with land-based learning that will give you new skills and confidence to bring your vision for a community project to life!  Whether your project idea is related to climate, culture, arts, Truth and Reconciliation, or something in between, Howl’s team of educators and community leaders will support you as you take ownership of an issue, and prepare to implement change (big or small) at a local level. 

This 5 day (4 night) program will bring together youth (17-30) from across Turtle Island with a project idea that will receive funding through Howl’s Micro-Grant Program! Thanks to support from Canada Service Corps, Howl is excited to be able to provide youth with one-time cash payments (“micro-grants”) of up to $5000 to carry out innovative youth-led community projects. Could that be you?

The program will be based at The Deanery Project, an Environmental and Arts Learning Centre in Lower Ship Harbour, Nova Scotia. With an approach rooted in the Mi’kmaw concept of Etuaptmumk, or two-eyed seeing, you’ll gain knowledge of the Wabanaki forest and Atlantic coastal ecosystems while building skills in community leadership and project management as well as Treaty rights, climate resilience and sustainable living.

On this program you will:

  • Learn from local leaders who will share what it takes to overcome the challenges of bringing community projects to life;

  • Learn about Mi’kmaw lifeways, and understanding how every community project has the potential to contribute positively to Truth and Reconciliation;

  • Gain tangible tools that will help you build your project team, craft your call to action, grow community support, all while working within your budget.

  • Learn by doing as you participate in ongoing projects hosted by The Deanery Project, one of Atlantic Canada’s leading education and demonstration sites for environmental sustainability, skills development, the arts, and community building.

Please note that the exact itinerary of this program is still being confirmed.

Where you’ll be staying

The Deanery Project is excited to welcome you to experience the magic of Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore, and be inspired by artists, designers, builders, doers & dreamers of all ages, passionate about the environment, who have left a unique mark on the Deanery Project through their knowledge, skills and creativity.

Accommodations during the program will be in communal dorms within the main lodge of The Deanery, immersed in beautiful natural settings. 

Meals provided throughout the program will be mostly vegetarian with a strong focus on local, seasonal ingredients. Most dietary restrictions and preferences can be accommodated.

How to apply

  1. Review the Howl Micro-Grant Program to see if you and your project meet the eligibility criteria. When applying, you will be asked to provide context for your project, project activities, a community partner who is invested, and a program budget that outlines how the Micro-Grant will be used. Review the application here.

  2. In order to apply to attend The Retreat for Young Community Builders from July 2-6 at The Deanery project, you must complete this application by June 8 at 11:59 PM AST. Applicants must apply with a project that they are committed to completing between August 1st, 2025 and February 1st, 2026.  Successful applicants will be contacted by June 13th. 

What’s the cost?

Successful Applicants to this program will be able to confirm their spot on the program with a $250 deposit. All other costs while on-program are covered, including meals, accommodations, ground transportation and on-program activities. If financial cost is a barrier, we strongly encourage you to apply anyways! Financial support may be available to assist you.

Additionally, successful applicants will be able to use up to $500 from their Micro-Grant Project budget to support their travel to and from this training program. 

“The Howl experience evokes something deep within all of us-- an awareness of our interconnectedness, the understanding that we can make a difference to the lives of all our relations and the recognition of our individual and collective voices. I can say with certainty that it brings newfound understanding of our place in this world, a stronger connection to self, and a heightened sense of belonging within our communities, a deeper appreciation for the environment and how we walk on this earth.”

Ahlena, Maritimes Exploration (2024)

Meet the program leaders

  • Howl Programmer by day, Singer Songwriter by night, Partner and Father 24/7. George Woodhouse (he/him) is happiest when his worlds are colliding in the form of sing-alongs in the woods. He comes to Howl from a decade of public service with Parks Canada where he helped form the Agency’s first youth engagement team. George has since worked with hundreds of families and newcomers to Canada as a Learn-to Camp coordinator in Kjipuktuk/Halifax. In 2019, he expanded his horizons and became the Visitor Experience Coordinator for Sable Island National Park Reserve where he witnessed the wild power of a shapeshifting sandbar, helping people from around the world connect with its stories, ecology and general magic. In 2023, George joined the Howl team to co-design and co-deliver transformative experiences for youth in Atlantic Canada. He approaches his work, music and relationships with the belief that when we allow ourselves to create, we inspire, we heal, we connect. Full disclosure, he wrote this bio in the third person, and he wants you to know that he would love to hear from you! Drop him a line anytime at george@experiencehowl.com

  • Sarah Prosper (she/her/nekmow) is a dancer, storyteller, activist, adventurer, and ko’jua dancer.

    As an artist in the community, Sarah links many individuals and groups to deeper connections within movement and healing. Her passion for the arts is multidisciplinary, from curating stories of movement, directing large productions and working on the land through organizations, community workshops, and independent programs.

    Sarah is from Eskasoni First Nation, a Mi'kmaq community on the beautiful island called Cape Breton Island (Unama'kik). Sarah is an award winner of the 2022 Nova Scotia Indigenous Artist Recognition Award and Canada's King Charles III medal recipient of 2025. Prosper's practice encompasses a lens that deepens the threads of respect and reciprocity to dance, movement, Indigenous wellness, social sciences, social justice, mental health & the land.