YCLC Canada Inc. is an informally-constituted non-profit group of individual consultants, many with  long and diverse careers in the field of social engineering. We bring diversity to the new field of “positive youth development” along with the requisite skills and experience to evolve programs which are truly new and effective. We run leadership and teambuilding programs at Econiche House In-the-Gatineau. The persons listed below are persons who either currently, or in the history of the YCLC program have contributed to its development. Not all members are currently active - due to other commitments -  but each continues to support the aims and aspirations of  YCLC Canada Inc.


Dr. Brian C. Bailey M.D. has been engaged in social engineering for 30+ years in the field of medicine, designing educational programs within the field of medicine and  group training. He has been Chief of Medical Staff of two hospitals in Smiths Falls , Ontario, Chief Investigator for the Medical Review Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and a psychotherapist in Ottawa since 1979. He designed and created Econiche House in-the-Gatineau. Brian has created successful educational programs, The Experience of Excellence,  Creative Interactions, and The Experience of Excellence For Youth and authored a book, Stress Management For Senior Managers for Revenue Canada as a senior consultant.


Ken Victor M.A. is President of his own company, The Edgework, and travels across North America presenting his own and others teambuilding programs to senior managers. He is former National Program Director for Outward Bound and created many of the programs which distinguishes that organization. Ken has worked in the prison system as youth educator/teacher, and everywhere he has gone, he has been a designer of new programs. Ken is also a writer, having been published in The Globe & Mail.


Nancy Bailey M.B.A. is Executive Director of Econiche House In-the-Gatineau, a successful conference centre north of Ottawa. She has created networked computer systems for a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary. She wrote her masters thesis on teambuilding and self-directed work teams. Nancy was instrumental, as a volunteer in 1995 in creating  an annual fundraising event for The Ottawa Boys & Girls’ Club which raises $20,000 each year for the Club in just one evening. Nancy  was honoured for her efforts by the Club as a Citizen Builder in 1996.


Manou Kokou was a participant in our first program at age 19 after emigrating to Canada from Africa. He distinguished himself as a leader at that event. He has used what he learned in the ensuing years while working at the Canadian Mint, and is preparing to return to school at Police College. He loves working with and assisting people. Manou attended our September 2004 event as a volunteer, and assumed responsibility for large parts of the program. He will be a Facilitator Course candidate and a contributor to future programs.


Sylvia Trottier   is a Skills Development Facilitator who delivers bilingual job search training and education to unemployed and underemployed adults in Niagara, Ontario. She has developed numerous career building programs focussing primarily on Customer Service, Communication, Team Building, Computer, Personal Effectiveness and Adult Leadership training which assists in getting underqualified adults back into the workforce. A fluently bilingual teacher, program creator, developer and managing an independent training company, she was a good fit as our first young women's program Event Leader and is active in program development and leadership for youth.

William Hurford B.Sc. is a planner and organizer whose long-standing career in high technology, as a program developer (Nortel Networks) and troubleshooter for both hardware and software programs and systems has enabled him to design and document the complex logistics of our project. His background of logistics development has been instrumental in developing our program logistics so that the program can presented anywhere in Canada and under any weather conditions (summer or winter).


Denis Desharnais is a bilingual trainer-educator with Delta Synergy Corp., working largely in the health field, and an independent english-french translator in the field of health education, a certified Ropes Course Instructor and founder of the training organization, Adventure Training Partners (ATP). He is now a partner in the adult training (teambuilding) project at Econiche House In-the-Gatineau, a long term student and teacher of the Enneagram Personality system and a certified trainer in the Hurley-Donson Enneagram Training Method. He completed a ten year stint a Big Brother and is now a informal big brother with a daughter of his own.

Natalie Fraser-Purdy, (mother, wife and Concordia graduate) has been teaching and creating all her life. For ten years her career has been in teaching, writing, directing and performing in the performing arts for and with people of all ages. Natalie is committed to the YCLC as an advocate of youth everywhere. She is a counselor, team builder and facilitator and has gone into all of the local school boards teaching courses she designed in effective communication, anger management, meditation, school spirit and community creative projects. Natalie has also worked with teachers to bring drama, play and creativity into all subjects in the classroom where language, race, religion, diversity of learning levels, and special needs make teaching a challenge. Through the community she teaches social and political theater for youth and for may years has been using writing, drama, music and dance to help facilitate an outreach program she works for.



Bart Bakker M.B.A. is Executive Director of Volunteer Ottawa. He has directed several large education-related programs around the world, taking organizations from the earliest idea stage to full operation. Bart has been involved with the YCLC since its inception in 1999. A man of many talents and interests, Bart works as a trainer, project consultant (recently with The Mission in Ottawa), designer and project manager both independently and as a part of the Econiche House in-the-Gatineau adult training project. He has spearheaded a learning centre development project, the O'Brien House Restoration Project at Meech Lake in the Gatineau Park, is a Big Brother and father of two young children.


Mathias Fruhwirth P. Eng. is a systems engineer seconded to the federal government who is a Director of Pace 2000, a charitable organization which develops programs which twins senior citizens with broadband technology. He is a technical wizard in the field of broadband communications and a developer of a hands-on communication program for seniors and youth. Mathias developed the Dark Knight character in the YCLC drama from his extensive familiarity with the J.R. Tolkien work and has participated imaginatively in design of various aspects of the myth aspect of the YCLC.


Jennifer Reoch is a science student at McGill University, where she intends to study Medicine. She first joined the YCLC training staff in 2002 as a sixteen year old, where she distinguished herself in catching on quickly to what was needed to run a YCLC. She is an avid snowboarder, first aider, lifeguard and has worked her way through the camp training process to become a youth camp counsellor, most recently at Camp Wabikon. She has passed the Facilitator Certification Course, and is our youngest full-fledged trainer.


Vesna Scott is a retired radiation biochemist with Agriculture Canada, mother of two, and an active trainer , teaching Technologies for Creating - the work of Boston's Robert Fritz. She has taught the course to over 2000 students, including students in her native Croatia, where she visits frequently. She trained with the Landmark organization, with Ken Wapnick's Course In Miracles group. Vesna is the holder of big vision, and as the oldest member of our team is often ready to give the youngest a run for their money.

Christopher Howell attended our first program as a twelve year old - when our all-boys program know as the Young Men's Leadership Weekend (October 2000.) Shortly afterwards he appeared on the Rabbi Bulka radio show on Ottawa's CFRA. Through the intervening years, Chris has handled the twists and turns of life by remembering what he learned on that weekend. He has frequently been a youth presenter, representing the YCLC program at meetings and conferences with Lions, the RCMP and others. He came aboard as a Facilitator-in-Training due to the Canada Summer jobs program in the summer of 2007 and will be pursuing Certification as a Facilitator in the ensuing months. He is headed for a career in police work -  through attending Algonquin College in the fall of 2007.