About TBOEC

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Background about the Society and Centre

Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre respectfully acknowledges that we gather on the Unceded Traditional Territory of K’ómoks First Nation.

The non-profit Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Society is a federally registered charity. The Society operates Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre (TBOEC) which is located on 17 acres in the incredibly beautiful Tribune Bay Provincial Park, on Hornby Island. The Centre has a Park Use Permit with the Province of British Columbia and is in a partnership with two school districts: School District 71 (Comox Valley) and School District 69 (Qualicum).

The Society fund raises and operates all programs and services for the Centre. Any new capital funds for the Centre are raised solely through grants and donations.

Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre offers multi-day, experiential outdoor programs to school and youth groups primarily, but also families, adults, and corporate programs. The Centre, incorporated in 1992, has had an average of 2500 people a year participate in its programs.

Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Society would like to thank the numerous individuals, volunteers, local and national businesses, service clubs, foundations, and the Federal and Provincial governments who have provided support for the Centre.

Society Vision:

Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre inspires you to discover your potential through learning in the natural environment.

Society Mission: 

In a unique, natural setting, we promote environmental stewardship and foster personal growth by offering ocean, island, and forest learning experiences to people of all abilities.

Guiding Principles for the work of the Board of Directors and all society members:

  • We honour the people of this land – past, present and future. Our planning and programs will take us back to nature, where Indigenous principles of living, sustainability of a healthy environment and understanding and respect for the outdoors are at the core of learning. 
  • We address physical, social and emotional components of learning and inspire participants to be confident and successful. 
  • We design our programs around relationship building and connections. Core design principles are collaboration, awareness, rediscovery and leadership in order to support the best in the human endeavour. 
  • We offer programs that are fully experiential, with a focus on enjoyment through project-based, place-based and exploratory learning. 
  • We design programs in response to changing needs and circumstance, whether for personal challenge, enjoyment, team building or certification. 
  • We cooperate and collaborate within our organization in order to focus on care for others and for group success in all of our work. 
  • We are stewards of Tribune Bay and the Outdoor Education Centre and demonstrate and lead an understanding of healthy ecosystems and sustainable land-use practices.

Guiding Principles on Accessibility

At Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre, children, adolescents and adults are provided a variety of opportunities to learn, explore and develop in the outdoors to enhance their physical health and well-being.

The guiding principles of accessibility at Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre are centred around the acronym, “ACER:”

  • A: Accept all Abilities. (we celebrate inclusion for all who try our programs, regardless of age, experience, physical or intellectual ability)
  • C: Challenge by Choice (everyone is encouraged to try the activity but never forced and our program participants are provided the opportunity to try new things in a safe environment)
  • E: Encouragement (all participants are treated equally with positive encouragement)
  • R: Respect (everyone is encouraged and supported to demonstrate respect for self, others, and the natural world)