As a teenager, a high school hiking club completely changed the direction of Tina Nash’s life.

The newly appointed executive director of Raleigh International Bermuda grew up in a rough, inner-city neighbourhood in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

She had limited exposure to the ‘great outdoors’ until she joined the hiking club, which was designed to get students to experience life beyond the city streets.

“We ended up going hiking in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State,” Ms Nash said. “I found out that I am most comfortable in the outdoors. My at-peace moment is there, in the outside.”

Since then she has worked to help young people to find similar transformative experiences through community service and the outdoors.

The Raleigh International Bermuda programme lasts a year and targets people aged 17 to 25 who are in danger of falling between the cracks of society.

It includes mentoring and coaching, a ten-week trek and a period of community service in Borneo, Nicaragua, Tanzania or Costa Rica.

She believes that challenging physical outdoor experiences leave many young people feeling empowered and engaged in life.

“It is important for a young person to realise ‘I never thought I could do this, but I have done it’,” she said. “That carries on into the future. You don’t think you will finish school and you do.

“You don’t think you will get the job and you do. It inspires a sense of tenacity.

“When I was in the hiking club as a teenager, it was that physical challenge that really connected with me.”

Ms Nash officially takes over Raleigh Bermuda in January.

“Kristin White, who is the outgoing executive director has laid an incredible foundation,” said Ms Nash. “I think I am going to bring a different kind of sense of adventure.”

She said after numerous personal adventures — hiking along Hadrian’s Wall in Cumbria, England, and also in France and India — she has lots of personal experience to share.

“My whole life has been working with young people, particularly young people who are at a crossroads in their lives,” she said. “Some of them may not connect with their community, for whatever reason.

“That is the kind of kid I was, I had a hard time connecting with my community. I want to continue to build on the good foundation that exists now at Raleigh and look to maybe expanding the programme so more people have access.

“We want to make sure the community understands this is not just a trip. This is an incredibly transformative experience that is a second chance for many of them to get it right the next time.”

Ms Nash came to Bermuda when CedarBridge Academy first opened in 1998 and worked as a behavioural therapist at the school.

Later, she worked at the Bermuda High School for Girls coordinating their Round Square programme that encourages community service and character-building.

“We wanted to give young people the opportunity to do community service work and connect with other students in Bermuda and abroad and do cultural exchanges,” she said.

As part of the programme BHS students raised money for tsunami victims in Thailand and travelled to the southern part of the country to help rebuild a school.

“It was amazing to see young people from Bermuda meeting young people their own age,” she said. “The people they met in Thailand had very little materially and yet they were happy, connected and had a sense of community.

“When the Bermuda students came back they were so much in tune with how much they had materially. They also realised how much they take for granted — things like garbage collection.”

Ms Nash also directed the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in Bermuda for several years.

Raleigh International Bermuda is recruiting students for its next programme now. Visit www.raleigh.bm or call 300-5678.