How Do I Get Started? | What Does It Look Like?
Identifying the Ideal Meeting Space
Every TAASC program requires a meeting and equipment storage space conveniently located in the community for youth members to reach easily. The ideal space would be around 3,000 square feet and have at least some of the area with a minimum of 25-foot ceiling height for the installation of an indoor climbing gym. The building owner of the original program in Morganton, NC actually gave permission to knock out tow of the floors in a three-story building enabling the design and construction of a 30-foot gym!
Today's youth have a strong need to belong to something neat. The meeting space provides a club house atmosphere where kids feel comfortable and enjoy being there. A pride and esprit de corps develops as newspaper articles, photos, maps and awards begin to decorate the walls.
Old furniture can be donated to provide an organized area for the youth to conduct their meetings.
The meeting space needs to contain closets and shelves for equipment for activities such as climbing, caving, backpacking, mountaineering, winter camping, orienteering, service projects, first aid training, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, sea kayaking, bivouacs, etc.. Most TAASC programs will possess a fleet of white water kayaks and expedition canoes, which requires space also.