NEWS RELEASE
YMCA OF SIMCOE/MUSKOKA
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The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka is excited to announce that a new program aimed to provide vulnerable students (ages 12 to 19) with support at critical academic transition points is already having early successes.
“The Youth Transitions program (YTP) is designed to aid young people in finding and accessing the community supports they need as navigating school, work, and adulthood can be overwhelming and tricky,” says Ash Fahey, youth outreach worker at the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka.
The free program has three separate streams that can be accessed, and young people can choose if they want to participate in all three or in just one targeted stream. One-to-one support offers resources to help with housing, education, employment services and mental well-being. Life skills workshops focus on topics such as “how to adult,” breathing workshops, and personal development. Peer mentorship provides tutoring programs from local youth leaders.
The program is youth-led, and allows participants to start and stop the program whenever they wish. Fahey says that “especially in rural communities like Orillia, having a program like YTP can be especially helpful, as the program aims to create collaboration with local community supports like police services, community centres, and schools. When we create opportunities for local, wraparound support, we can further build healthy communities for our young people who may otherwise have trouble accessing nearby supports.”
The program has already seen success with one parent telling the Y, “The program has been so helpful for my daughter and I’ve seen such a difference in her confidence at school. She has a really hard time making friends at school and I’ve seen her go into school excited to go for the last few weeks. Thank you so much for the work that you do with her. I know that she appreciates the talks you have and the time you spend working on homework together.”
The Youth Transitions program exists to help young people reach their full potential. For more information about the Youth Transitions program, or to apply for the program, please visit www.ymcasm.ca/YouthTransitions.
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