Request for Proposal (RFP): Retreat Facilitator

Proposal Due Date: September 9, 2026 

Introduction 

Youth Climate Corps BC (YCCBC) is seeking an experienced facilitator to design and host an in-person staff retreat at an important point in the organization’s growth and development. With staff, programs, and partnerships expanding across British Columbia, the retreat will provide dedicated time and space for the team to step away from day-to-day delivery, reconnect with one another, reflect on the organization’s growth, and build shared clarity around where YCCBC is headed next. 

The retreat will bring together staff from across BC for a combination of relationship-building, facilitated learning, strategic reflection, planning, and skills development. The facilitator will create an engaging and inclusive environment that encourages meaningful participation, strengthens collaboration across program areas, and supports staff to better understand how their individual and collective work connects to YCCBC’s broader mission, values, and strategic direction. 

Ultimately, YCCBC is looking for a facilitator who can help create a thoughtful, energizing, and purposeful retreat experience. One that strengthens relationships, builds organizational capacity, supports staff resilience, and leaves the team with greater alignment and shared momentum for the next phase of YCCBC’s work. 

About YCCBC 

Youth Climate Corps BC (YCCBC) empowers young people to take meaningful action against the climate crisis. Through paid work and hands-on training, YCCBC equips youth with the skills to implement climate action projects that directly benefit their communities. By 

reducing emissions, building resilience, and fostering adaptation, YCCBC ensures real impact at the local level. 

YCCBC strengthens community capacity by developing a motivated, organized, and adaptable youth workforce to bring climate plans to life. Participants aged 17-30 collaborate for four to six months, gaining essential skills, scaling up climate initiatives, and growing their leadership and community networks. 

The YCCBC staff work in a primarily remote and online space across different regions of B.C. We prioritise relational ways of working together, but this can sometimes be challenging as we do not get to spend much time together in person. The organization has grown dramatically in the past 5 years, and this will be the first time the whole team is meeting in person since our new 3 year strategic plan has been finalized, which was this summer. 

Some of Our Goals 

• Equity and anti-oppression learning: foundational conversations and/or learning sessions that support a shared understanding of equity, anti-oppressive practice, decolonization, and their application within YCCBC. 

• Create space for reflection, dreaming, learning & preparing: Give staff an opportunity to reflect on what is working well, what has been challenging, and what the organization can learn from its experiences to date, as we imagine together how we hope to grow 

• Strengthen shared leadership: Build staff confidence and capacity to contribute to organizational development, problem-solving, and collective decision-making. 

• Build shared organizational alignment: Strengthen staff understanding of YCCBC’s strategic direction and create space to explore how different roles, teams, and program areas contribute to our shared goals. 

• Have Fun Together: time for the team to be in nature together, share experiences and build relationships. 

Deliverables 

The consultant will be expected to provide: 

1. Retreat design and planning: Develop a retreat agenda and facilitation approach in collaboration with YCCBC, tailored to the organization’s goals, staff context, and stage of growth. 

2. In-person retreat facilitation: Facilitate a multi-day staff retreat that incorporates relationship-building, reflection, learning, strategic conversations, and collaborative planning. 

3. Practical tools and resources: Provide relevant tools, frameworks, or resources that staff and/or leadership can use following the retreat to support ongoing learning, collaboration, resilience, and organizational development. 

Budget and Timeline 

Our budget for this project is $8,000 (inclusive of all fees and expenses). Retreat Dates are fixed: November 17th - 20th 

Location: Victoria, BC 

Proposal Requirements 

YCCBC aims to keep the proposal process proportionate and accessible, and encourages applicants to focus on the information most relevant to demonstrating their ability to deliver the work. Consultants responding to this RFP are invited to provide the following information as part of their proposal: 

1. Qualifications and Experience 

• Examples of similar retreats, organizational development, equity-focused, or team-building work you have facilitated. 

2. Proposed Approach and Methodology 

• A description of your proposed approach to designing and facilitating the retreat. 

• An outline of how you would address the goals and deliverables identified in this RFP. 

3. Timeline and Availability 

• An estimated timeline for the work, including key planning and delivery milestones. 

• Confirmation of your availability to support the retreat on the proposed dates, where known. 

4. References 

• Contact information for two to three organizations or clients for whom you have completed similar work. 

A Note on the Proposal Process 

YCCBC recognizes that traditional RFP processes can be extractive, particularly for community-based, equity-focused, and relationship-driven work. We do not want the proposal process itself to require significant unpaid labour or replicate the dynamics we are seeking to challenge through this work. 

With this in mind, we ask consultants to keep proposals focused and proportionate to the opportunity. We are interested in understanding your experience, approach, and perspective rather than receiving a fully developed retreat plan at the proposal stage. 

As well, we recognize that the retreat goals and deliverables span a wide set of skills, knowledge, and experiences, and may not be able to be attended to by one person. We are happy to receive proposals for a portion of the retreat and/or from a group of people interested in collaborating together. 

YCCBC is committed to approaching the selection process with care, transparency, and respect for the time and expertise of all applicants. 

Evaluation Criteria 

Proposals will be evaluated based on: 

• Alignment with YCCBC organizational values 

• Demonstrated understanding of and plan for moving the organization towards the goals of the retreat as stated above 

• Relevant experience and expertise. 

• Strong references. 

Submission Instructions 

• Please submit proposals electronically to people@youthclimatecorps.com by September 9th, 2026 

• We’ll aim to review proposals and if necessary hold interviews September 9th - 23rd. 

• Please direct any questions regarding the RFP to Donna Hall, Director of People and Culture at people@youthclimatecorps.com.