About Us
The Society for Youth Empowerment + Strength is the vision of Steveston, BC, resident Pilar Bradshaw. As a fitness professional and mother, she identified a lack of affordable and accessible fitness programs for struggling youth. Knowing how important the connection is between physical health and mental health, Pilar decided to create the YES Program for at-risk youth in the region.
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MEET THE FOUNDER
Hi, I'm Pilar Bradshaw.
Long before I was a mother of two teenaged boys and a fitness professional here in Steveston, British Columbia, I was an avid participant in sports and athletics, including soccer, field hockey, marathons and even Tough Mudder. But it was my first bootcamp style class that launched me into my present career as trainer and nutrition coach. I became a CFES certified weight and personal trainer and obtained my certification in Tactical Athletes and Training for Warriors. I've also completed the POPAT (Police Officer Physical Abilities Test).
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Today I work as a personal trainer, fitness instructor and nutrition coach at a Steveston-based strength and conditioning studio.
In my time as mother and coach, I've noticed how important the relationship is between physical and mental health and the lack of affordable fitness programs that will train troubled teens who truly need the guidance. Many youth programs are not accessible to financially vulnerable families and therefore are not an option for these teens in our community. Youth Empowerment + Strength is here to change that.
Faith Lopez
Certified Personal Trainer & Boxing Coach
Meet Faith, an avid mixed martial artist and coach with over a decade of experience teaching MMA and boxing.
In 2019, Faith began weight training and immediately noticed its incredible benefits on both her athletic performance and everyday life, prompting her to expand her practice. A year later, she became a Certified Personal Trainer, driven by her passion to empower others through fitness.
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Beyond her love for fitness, Faith is deeply committed to community service. With extensive experience supporting at-risk youth, both at home and abroad, Faith aims to provide these teens with a safe space and an outlet as they begin their journey toward building a healthy foundation for their future.
