First Tracks Venturer was a two day expedition that enabled 10 cadets to participate in the social mobility charity Snow Camp’s entry level course at the Tamworth Snow Dome.
First Tracks provides young people (aged 13-21) with their first experience of snowsports at indoor snow centres in the UK throughout July and August every year. Over two days, young people learn how to ski or snowboard and will take part in life skills sessions focusing on independence, responsibility, confidence and self-esteem.
Young people are taught how to ski or snowboard by qualified instructors and Snow Camp youth apprentices and volunteers, who have completed the courses in previous years. They are the best role models to demonstrate to the new young people what they can achieve with Snow Camp. This year cadet AB returned as a volunteer having qualified as a snowboarding instructor over Easter 2025, supported with funding from the Ulysses Trust!
Young people are also supported by Wellbeing Managers who are on hand to lend an ear while providing additional advice and guidance along with delivering workshops during the course.
At the end of our two days, the cadets made significant progress on the slopes and have experienced, for the first time, the feeling of sliding down a ski slope, giving them an increased sense of achievement and a pride in what they have accomplished.
An awards ceremony closes the course, with the cadets received their accredited Snowsport England Award along with medals and certificates, providing a lasting record of their achievement and experience. The cadets achieved far more than they thought possible and three of the cadets were old enough to be selected for the Graduate programme that runs in the autumn, and we hope they will be able to continue onto Excel in early 2026 and qualify as ski instructors.
“It was a great experience that helped me gain confidence” Cadet A.
“I enjoyed Snow Camp because it was a great fun and good experience and what I got out of it was more self-confidence.” LCpl M.
