The Cariboo Friendship Centre’s Choices for Youth program has undergone a transformation over the past year.
The program has a new name, Choices, and caters to an expanded age group in a new, more relevant way, says program manager Kellie Hopkins.
The program has been located in the purple and yellow house on Oliver Street next to Denny’s for the past seven years.
Until last June the house was operated as a drop-in centre for First Nations youth at risk ages 13 to 19. But for a couple of years, Hopkins says she was concerned the drop-in format was not meeting the needs of youth in the target age group, but youth in their early 20s were continuing to need support.
So last June she closed the drop-in centre and continued to work with youth on a one-to-one basis over the summer and early fall.
After taking the summer off she reopened the centre in September with a whole new focus and a new name — simply Choices.
“I was losing heart because we weren’t making a difference in the community anymore,” Hopkins says. “But I got my second wind and decided to revamp the program into something that would make a positive impact in the community, with specific activities, projects and planning.”
Today Choices caters to youth ages 13 to 24 and is wrapped around specific programs that provide youth with opportunities to learn computer skills, make educational and music videos, and work with elders to learn traditional crafts and skills.
With help from the Computer Access Program Youth Initiative and John Kerr from the Tatlayoko Think Tank, she says they were able to acquire four computers and some video equipment for the centre.
“John Kerr has been very helpful in getting us the equipment and setting it up. He is a wealth of knowledge for us,” Hopkins says.
Joanne Twan, who was working with the Community Access program in Terrace, was hired to help build the new program as both an artistic coach and in helping youth to develop life and employment skills.
Choices has two paid youth leaders, Juanita Keener and Fallon Williams, who co-ordinate activities and sharing their knowledge about computers with youth visiting the centre. The computer lab is open Mondays and Fridays from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
The youth leaders are also learning how to make educational and music videos. The video they are currently working on is about all of the programs the Cariboo Friendship Society provides in Williams Lake and to outlying aboriginal communities.
Workshops for youth are also planned with various specialists such as an art therapist visiting from Vancouver.
“The Boo-Maga project is the main focus of our program,” Hopkins says. “It has been developed to bring youth and elders together to learn from one another and help develop healthy life-styles and learn traditional arts and crafts.”
The program encourages healthy eating and also provides information on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and preventing Type 2 diabetes.
The Boo-Maga group meets at Eagles Nest apartment complex amenities room on Tuesdays and Thursdays and at the Seniors Village on Monday mornings.
Sessions at Eagles Nest start with a healthy lunch together, followed by craft sessions.
Twan says there are about 12 First Nations elders living at the Seniors Village but any of the residents are welcome to participate.
“It is fabulous. We have just the best time,” Twan says. “We make bannock and take it up there.”
Adds Hopkins: “We know the importance of helping elders feel needed and we want to help give them a sense of purpose. The traditional crafts help the elders remember their cultural background.”
Boo-Maga crafts include making traditional hand drums, medicine bags, dream catchers, beadwork, keychains, mini drums, necklace chokers and more.
Choices also has a new program called Rights of Passage in which the participating youth choose a project to benefit the community.
“We really want the youth to have a sense of community, belonging and self worth,” Hopkins says.
The first group of girls call themselves SWOT, or Strong Women of Tomorrow. They have chosen a mural project which they are unveiling this week at the Cariboo Friendship Centre.
Each participant who completes a Rights of Passage project receives a $100 gift certificate for a hair cut and colour at a local salon, or a portion of the certificate depending on how much they participate.
Choices has also continued the tradition of hosting a dinner for elders in December each year. About 70 elders attended the dinner in December.
“It is a very important thing for us to celebrate our elders,” Hopkins says.
During March several youth and adult leaders also joined about 1500 other delegates from across Canada for the Gathering Our Voices Conference in Prince Rupert for youth ages 13 to 24. The conference theme was A Vision of Our Future with workshops on health, language, culture, environment, employment, education and lifelong learning, sports and recreation as well as showcases and social events.
“I had so much fun. It was my first big conference,” says Fizz Tuck, who is also working on the mural project.
Choices is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for youth who may want to drop in to talk or need a place to wash their clothes or have a shower. The centre also has a second-hand clothing bank that is opened for youth on a needs basis.
Hopkins says the cross cultural Choices program and is open to any youth or elders who wish to participate. First Nations and non-First Nation elders alike are also invited to participate in the program and share their skills with the youth. Any materials needed are provided by the program. Hopkins can be reached at 250-398-7921.