Welcome to the YMCA of Saskatoon Youth Transitions Program

Ages 12-19

Welcome to The YMCA of Saskatoon Youth Transitions Program You're closer to reaching your potential than you think!

2022-2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS Meet Our Team

3

Program Values

4

Case Mangement

5

How to Adult Workshop

6

Anger Managment Workshop

7

Learning to Breathe Workshop

8

You Can Go Workshop

8

Peer Mentorship Program

9

Contact Information

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MEET OUR TEAM Leah Wald, Youth Care Worker Leah has been working with youth since she completed her Youth Care Worker Diploma. in 2016 This line of work has quickly become her passion while spending the last six years working in a group home setting with youth ages 12-17. She enjoys supporting and connecting with youth. Leah is continuing on to complete her Social Work degree. She hopes that The Youth Transitions program can make a positive impact to many youth within the community and to youth she works with.

Sheredin Slykhuis, Youth Care Worker Sheredin is a recent graduate of Saskatchewan Polytechnic with a Diploma in Youth Care Work. She has a background as a youth support worker with Quint Development Corporation, Saskatoon Tribal Council, and EGADZ. She has experience as a program coordinator with H.O.P. Youth Engagement Services. Sheredin hopes The Youth Transitions Program will benefit her community and its members by providing lifelong skills and abilities, that were not available to her as a youth, to younger generations.

Sheralee Teichroeb, Program Supervisor Sheralee has been working at the YMCA of Saskatoon for 10 years. She has been involved with program delivery over the years at the YMCA and is excited to see a program like the Youth Transitions Program being offered in the community. She believes the program will help provide youth with opportunities for learning and connection.

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PROGRAM VALUES Outline YTP serves youth ages 12-19 at critical transition points, as well as throughout their secondary and post-secondary journeys. Clients can interact with the program, facilitators, and mentees through the Remind App. YTP is a voluntary program and clients can enter and leave the program when they are ready. There is no defined start or end time of a client’s involvement. Clients can participate in all activities or just be involved in one stream of the program.

Objectives YTP clients foster a sense of belonging through mentorship, one-to-one support, and workshops. YTP encourages the development of life skills to youth to be healthy, stable adults. Through a trauma informed and strengths-based approach, students develop life skills, gain resiliency, cultivate a positive mental wellbeing and develop the capacity to reach their fullest potential.

Our objectives: Empower students to reach their fullest potential by building their capacity to engage and succeed in their educational studies and transition to higher levels of education Strengthen and enhance student’s social networks and foster a sense of belonging through peer mentorship, counselling, and mental wellbeing supports and activities Build student’s educational resiliency and aspirations, supporting their learning experiences and personal growth through workshops, and individualized support and mentorship Improve connectivity and access to technology through a flexible and inclusive delivery model

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CASE MANAGMENT Outline Clients seeking one-to-one support are matched with a Youth Support Worker.

Clients can complete an initial assessment and intake with a Youth Support Worker. After this is completed, the client meets with the YSW on an on-going basis and together create a service plan to overcome barriers to positive mental wellbeing and academic achievement. YSWs provide holistic and comprehensive support, available when clients need a safe, trustworthy adult to talk to. YSWs utilize motivational interviewing techniques, trauma informed practice, resiliency theory and the trans-theoretical model of change framework. They provide oneto-one supportive counselling, community referrals, and advocacy services.

Intake Process Youth Support Workers meet with clients based on their level of need.

Youth Support Workers monitor, record and update client’s progress, adjusting their Individual Action Plan as required, including determining and documenting outcomes and conducting a follow-up.

Coordinators meet clients in public locations that can reduce barriers to transportation – at school, local park, coffee shop, YMCA, etc.

Youth who participate in case management and life skill workshops consistently are assessed by program coordinators for the opportunity to potentially receive a Chromebook to be connected to technology and assist them in their studies.

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HOW TO ADULT WORKSHOP Outline The objective of How-to Adult is to provide tools and knowledge on various “adult” skills that are not always taught in school or by parents. Transitioning from adolescence to adulthood can be intimidating, and not everyone is prepared. Throughout the modules, we discuss various topics that help build the life skills for young people to be successful.

There are twelve modules in total; seven main modules we cover and other five optional modules can be added on if desired. Each module is approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

Modules Lesson one: Communication

Lesson five: Financial Literacy

Participants will practice effective communication

This module reviews financial literacy topics such as

skills and active listening.

budgets, loans, credit and credit cards. The module will provide participants the tools for financial literacy

Lesson two: Personal Wellbeing-Personal care

but does not provide financial advice.

This module focuses on how youth can properly care for themselves in relation to selfcare, hygiene and

Lesson six: Employment -Resumes and Cover

sleep.

Letters This module focuses on resume and cover letter

Lesson three: Personal Wellbeing-Nutrition

building and provides a step-by-step guide. By the end

This module will teach participants basic nutrition

of the module, participants should have a completed

principles so they can take steps to live a healthier

and up-to-date resume and a completed cover letter.

lifestyle.

Lesson seven: Housing Lesson four: Post-Secondary Education

This module discusses the basic skills participants

This module reviews career pathways as well as

need before moving out as well as tenancy laws, how

educational options and participant aptitudes. The

to find rental properties, how to determine how much

module offers participants a multitude of pathways

to spend on rent and more. Participants will review

after

tenancy acts for their province.

high

school—not

just

post-secondary

education.

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ANGER MANAGMENT WORKSHOP Outline The goal of anger management is to reduce both the emotional and the physiological distress that anger causes. YMCA Anger Management is developed from a proven curriculum, as well as other trusted resources, to create an informative and tangible program that will provide youth with the skills needed to appropriately address their feelings of anger. Anger Management is designed to empower youth to address their feelings of anger appropriately and consistently. Anger Management is a journey; it requires ongoing reflection and practice to address situations that could cause anger. This workshop consists of eight modules and covers various topics such as coping mechanisms and communication tactics.

Objectives Module 1- Defining and Understanding Anger Understanding

the

concept

of

anger

management Understanding how to best express anger Module 2- Personal Values, Goals and Beliefs

Module 4- Practical Tools and Practice Part 1 Knowledge of cognitive distortions Gain understanding strategies to handle Module 5- Practical Tools and Practice Part 2 Gain knowledge on how to express emotions in a

Gain knowledge on personal values

healthy way

Understand what values are

Understand the purpose of conflict resolution

Gain knowledge on how values can impact our Module 6- Communication Skills- General anger and vice versa Module 3- Patterns of Anger, Anger Defaults and Triggers of Anger

Gain understanding of empathy Increase knowledge of how to actively listen Module 7- Communication Skills- Anger

Gain knowledge of triggers

Gain effective communication skills

Understanding personal triggers and how to

Understand how to use assertive communication

cope

techniques

Module 4- Practical Tools and Practice Part 1

Module 8- Dealing with the Aftermath of Anger

·Knowledge of cognitive distortions

Increase understanding of masking emotions

·Gain understanding strategies to handle

Gain

knowledge

on

how

to

appropriately

apologize

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LEARNING TO BREATHE & YOU CAN GO

WORKSHOPS Learning to Breathe Learning to Breathe is a group mindfulness series that cultivates emotional regulation, attention and performance in a safe and supportive environment.

Clients engage in six weekly sessions that focus on the six areas of mindfulness: body, reflections, emotions, attention, tenderness and habits. This workshop uses various meditation methods, affirmations, and self-awareness techniques to empower youth to listen to themselves and their bodies.

You Can Go You Can Go is a workshop designed to inspire and promote comprehensive information about access to post-secondary education for youth (Post-Secondary Education defined as Universities, Colleges, Trades and apprenticeships and vocational institutions). This workshop cover topics such as introduction to postsecondary studies, choosing your post second program, financing post-secondary studies, and transitioning to postsecondary education.

Our S.O.A.R. workshop stands for skills, opportunities, achievements and results. It provides information and coaching related to the benefits of post-secondary education and the selection of suitable post-secondary options.

Module 1 – Introduction Module 2 - Choosing post-secondary institutions Module 3 - Preparing for your journey Module 4 - Soaring through turbulence

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PEER MENTORSHIP Objective Peer Mentorship is one approach YTP takes with those clients transitioning from high school to post-secondary. The goal of peer mentorship is to establish a safe and supportive environment between the mentor and the mentee. Mentees, through the peer mentor relationship, can experience outcomes of improved school success, reduced anxiety, and increased sense of belonging. Volunteer peer mentors enrolled in post-secondary educational studies are recruited and may be matched with clients or may help with program delivery to clients who are transitioning from high school to post-secondary.

Intake Mentors must apply to be a volunteer with the YMCA of Saskatoon, complete a vulnerable sector check, and must be in post-secondary or trades. For youth to access peer mentorship, they must go through an intake process with program coordinators. Youth are then matched to a mentor and may meet weekly or every two-three weeks, varying on the support they need. Peer mentoring activities include: One to one discussions and group discussions that support academic preparedness, aspirations, challenges of transitioning between high school and post- secondary, and coping mechanisms Homework/Employment Support Club Post-secondary school tours (in person or virtual) Youth can volunteer to leave the program once they feel they have achieved the support that they need.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

www.ymcasaskatoon.org/ytp

YTP@YMCASaskatoon.org

(306) 652-7515 Ext. 351

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.