East Coast Explorations
Upcoming East Coast Explorations:
Check back in March 2026 for upcoming East Coast Exploration offerings!
East Coast Explorations are based in Nova Scotia. Throughout the program, we will travel through the traditional territories of the Mi’kmaq People.
Join Howl in Nova Scotia for a land-based retreat for youth ages 17-30. Engage with local Elders, Knowledge Holders, language keepers, artists and researchers to deepen your understanding of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, climate change, ReconciliAction, community building and personal resilience. Get inspired and find your voice (howl?) by truly connecting to place through land and community-centred learning, all through a relationship-based and Two-Eyed Seeing approach.
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.
Program Cost
$500 - $1,500
Price includes:
Accommodation
Meals
Education
Activities
This program offers guidance, education, coaching and support 24 hours/day for the duration of the program. Whenever possible, we try to offer our programs on a sliding scale. To learn more about program costs, click here.
We understand that cost can be a major consideration for participants. We encourage youth to apply regardless of financial means as we do not wish for anyone to be deterred due to financial constraints. Financial assistance may be available.
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.
“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
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Howler' by day, Singer' by night, George Woodhouse (he/them) is happiest when his worlds are colliding in the form of sing-alongs in the woods. Trained as an Educator through the Artist and Community Education B Ed program at Queen's University, George's approach to learning connects all forms of art and community through shared principles of creativity and expression. He comes to Howl from a decade of public service with Parks Canada where he helped form the Agency’s first youth engagement team and has since worked with hundreds of families and visitors as a Learn-to Camp coordinator in Kjipuktuk/Halifax and as the Visitor Experience Coordinator for Sable Island National Park Reserve. George joined the Howl team in 2023 to co-design and co-deliver transformative experiences for youth across Mi'kma'ki. He approaches his work, music and relationships with the belief that when we allow ourselves to create, we inspire, we heal, we connect. He wrote this bio in the third person, and he wants you to know that he'd love to hear from you. Drop him a line in the first person at george@experiencehowl.com
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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.