Who or what is The Inside?
It started at Cochrane’s Zero Gravity Skate park.
A name that might be new to some has had a following for the past six years, when Cochranite Josh Poffenroth started a local weekly youth meet-up as a way to help mentor and feed youth.
“(We) wanted to encourage these guys to take responsibility for themselves and their lives, their world, their community (and) we want to encourage them to do well,” Poffenroth said.
“We used skateboarding as a tool to connect.”
It started when Poffenroth went on a work trip where he saw a youth centre that was helping kids and was inspired to start something similar in his community.
As told by Inside leader/organizer Levi Switzer, Poffenroth thought, “I can do that,” and there is a need for that in our community.
“Josh came back with that passion and said ‘Where can I start?’ and just started going to the skate park – (to date) he has poured thousands of dollars and he has spent time away from his family, and time with his family with these kids,” Switzer explained.
In the past six years, the group has also grown from bringing hot chocolate while listening to youth’s problems and issues, to helping write resumés, fundraising for different activities, helping with school and even attending some of the youths’ sports events.
“We are just trying to live life with these guys – we have a lot of leaders that are passionate to see the youth become good men. There is a lot of youth just under the age of men that still act like boys and we don’t want to see that in the next generation,” Switzer said.
Currently, the group meets up once a week to skateboard, host a meal and connect with youth, with rides offered to anyone in town or the surrounding areas who want to join – sometimes going as far as Okotoks to pick up groups. Rollerblades, bicycles, scooters and any youths just looking to hang out are also welcome.
“We are basically like a big-brother program, where we try to help these boys become young, responsible men that care about the world, care about their families, care about their friends and respect women,” Switzer said.
“We bring them a meal and talk about their families and where they are at with school and it’s not really a structured time – it’s relaxed and casual and if kids just want to chat, we are there.”
The group meets weekly at a skate park, typically in Cochrane, but sometimes switching it up between Airdrie and Morley for a change of scenery during the summer months. And in the colder months, Poffenroth offers up his garage for the hangouts where his wife prepares a meal for youths.
“The kids trust him because he genuinely cares about them – and just by being consistent there is a trust that has been built,” Switzer said about Poffenroth.
As a non-profit, the funding for meals, rides and prizes, all offered at the weekly hangouts, has either been donated, fundraised for, or financed out of pocket by the organizers. The Inside also partners with local skate shop, Shredz, for major events such as the annual Morley Skate Jam.
“A lot of our funding at the moment comes out of our own pockets but we are moving into a place where our goals are to fundraise better so we can feed the kids, and survive and grow financially,” Switzer explained.
On top of weekly hangouts, the group also hosts four annual trips with the youths. The Inside leaders said they usually take the young men camping where they learn how to cut firewood, build a fire, fish, cook food, and, of course, there is always time for skateboarding. While there is a separate registration fee for the annual trips, Switzer wants to make it clear that if a youth cannot afford the trip, organizers will fundraise or pay out of pocket to make it possible for everyone to attend.
“On those weekend trips, we do team time and different challenges, and teach them how to become better men and how to take care of their world and how to grow up and take responsibility of their lives,” Switzer said.
Just over three years ago, the group teamed up with similar organizations to fundraise and bring the youth down to Mexico to help build three houses. Switzer said the group had fun building and skateboarding and, when it was all over, the majority of the youths attending said their favourite part was helping build someone a home.
“We always have an idea and a mentality that if only we had ‘this’ then we can have more, can always have more money and make more for our lives. Then you see someone who really needs help and it puts things in perspective,” Switzer explained.
“We try teach our kids that – we are always in a position to help people. If you don’t have money then you have time, if you don’t have time then you have energy. You can always help other people.”
The Inside strives to be a multi-generational group accepting youth and adults in its ranks. Organizers are always looking for new people to get involved, from hanging out to cooking to donating time or money.
“We have room for everything and we are always looking to grow,” Switzer said. “We are not a bunch of old guys trying to hang out with kids – we are trying to build a family dynamic.”
And, while the group lacks female leaders, organizers said it is not because they are gender-biased but, instead, just not many have shown up yet.
“(Boys only) is not where our vision ends, we really do see a girls’ side coming. But we want things to happen naturally – we aren’t searching for girl leaders, but if one comes, then great,” Switzer said.
So what is next for the group?
Big dreams of a youth centre and expanding their program, with hopes of moving to Okotoks, Airdrie, Strathmore and Morley. And The Inside is always looking for new leaders.
“This is by no means my efforts that brought us here, it is a group effort – if I die today or if Josh dies, then we don’t want this program to die,” Switzer explained. “We would love to give our kids more opportunities to grow, and we want to show people that skateboarders are not bad kids – they genuinely care and are contributing members to the society.”
For more information on The Inside go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/theinsidecochrane/ or call/text Levi Switzer at 403-923-9502.
