From Participant to Facilitator: How the Elevate Gap Program Changed My Life

Hear from Madeline Kuehn, a participant turned facilitator of YMCA of the Rockies’ Elevate Gap Program, how her life has changed through her involvement in Elevate.

What is the Elevate Gap Program?

The most common question I get when I say I am part of a gap program is “what is that?” A gap program is something that offers time away from the typical paths of life that society expects us to take. Not sure what to do after high school? Not sure what to do when taking a break from school? Not sure what to do after leaving college? A gap program might be for you. This particular experience is one that lets you make money while you explore and learn about yourself, potential careers, or even just new hobbies. You learn more about yourself and how you work with others, all while you challenge yourself to new experiences like hiking, climbing, camping.

How does the Elevate Gap Program work?

This program in particular is a seasonal work position. It operates to fill housekeeping and food service roles while supporting staff in their own development. Being in the program looks like working in one of those departments for 4 days of the week, with the 5th day being an “Elevate Day” where you get to do fun activities with your team. The program ranges from 40-60 participants, who get split into groups of 10. You get to pick your name and make your own flag. When I was in the program my group picked the name Team Grass! These Elevate days can be anything from getting CPR or Wilderness First Aid certified, volunteering at the Community Gardens, hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, or career focused days! They were typically my favorite days of the week. Another great factor the program offers is 1 on 1 meetings with your facilitator for extra support and self-exploration. The connections made through that are helpful since it’s hard being away from home or just in a new place.

What’s my experience in the program?

I came to Colorado after life events threw me off the original path I had thought I was going. I went to college for a year and a half, but the pressure of debt, not knowing what I fully wanted from school yet, and other life experiences that brought down my mental health, caused me to leave and reevaluate. Taking time off, I realized I needed to choose something that was going to bring me joy, new experiences to learn about myself, and ideally a way to make some money too. I looked into seasonal work and my mom was actually the one who told me to consider this program. I had worked at the Y before at the Snow Mountain Ranch location. So I made the best decision and applied, got the job, and headed to Colorado!

The next few months of the program were the most fun and freeing times. I met people from all over the United States who were just like me — unsure of their next steps and full of love for adventure. Community is one of the best aspects of this program. I didn’t feel alone in my journey since everyone around me was in the same boat whether they were 18 or 23 years old! During my time I got to work in the food service department, which I hadn’t gotten to experience before. Since the Y has so many different roles that involve food I got a variety of experiences from food prep, working the buffet style dining hall, serving at banquets, to learning how to run the Rustic Cafe! While I was getting work experience, I was also getting valuable outdoor experience. I learned backpacking and camping skills, challenged myself to hikes with friends, tried rock climbing, and explored new national parks. While these were some of the fun challenges, I was also supported by my facilitators to explore and learn so much about myself. We learned about our personality type, different mindsets, a variety of stress management techniques, and much more. It left me feeling well versed in all areas of my life.

I loved it so much and wanted to create the same experiences for others that I became a facilitator myself. If there’s anything you related to in this piece or caused you to be interested in the program, I encourage you to learn more and apply! Who knows, maybe I’ll be your facilitator!