| Apr 07, 2011


By Jeff Green

About five years ago a group called the Northern Rural Youth Partnership was founded by a number of individuals and agencies that are committed to bringing programming and services for youth to Frontenac County.

The partnership took shape in a half-day facilitated session in Sharbot Lake that was attended by about 50 people. During these kinds of sessions there are always opportunities for brain-storming, for putting out ideas that may not be easy to bring about because of costs or other factors. The one idea that everyone agreed to at that founding meeting was the creation of a youth centre.

Since that meeting, the Rural Youth Partnership, under the umbrella of NFCS, has survived. It has been able to establish a number of ongoing after-school programs, youth dances and outreach events throughout North and Central Frontenac, and starting this summer there will be a temporary youth centre set up in Sharbot Lake.

The centre will be based at the public meeting room at the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team, and will be open on Wednesdays and Fridays.

As well, NFCS has been successful in securing a Trillium Grant for $86,000 to continue offering youth programming, both at the new centre and at other locations.

Catherine Larkin, who works for the Children's Aid Society, has taken a leave of absence this winter to work on a master's degree. Part of her work has been to look at the demand for and feasibility of a youth centre in the Sharbot Lake area.

Last Thursday, March 31, she presented some of the results of her work to a meeting of the Northern Rural Youth Partnership and a number of representatives from recreation committees in Central Frontenac.

In addition to outlining the services that have been developed over the last few years, she talked about some interesting survey results. A survey of youth who participate in the existing youth program as well as students at Sharbot Lake High School, showed significant support for a youth centre.

“Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed supported the centre strongly” said Larkin “but there were other interesting results as well. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed said the youth centre should be located in Sharbot Lake. Another interesting finding, though not a positive one, was that 76% said they do not participate in any community activities currently, and 44% said they would need transportation to get to a youth centre.”

In terms of what the youth would like to do at a centre and through other programming, there was a tendency towards unstructured activities such as “computer access, a place to hang out, and a place to play games.” There was also interest expressed in movies, dances, cooking and music.

Catherine Larkin also had access to survey information that pointed to how much need there is for youth activities in the region. Some of the information is encouraging. Based on numbers that show a decrease in unemployment and in the number of families spending 30% or more of their income on housing, poverty seems to be easing in the region rather than getting worse. But some of the standardized educational test results have been discouraging. Alcohol use among high school students seems to be on the rise, and factors such as the number of students who do not expect to graduate high school and the number of students, particularly boys, who do not have a “positive sense of belonging” to the community is high.

“All of this information points to a need for youth programming and a youth centre,” said Larkin, “and it is a good first step to have this temporary centre in place.

“The partnership with the Family Health Team has made the youth centre possible,” said NFCS Executive Director Don Amos, “and what we need now is more engagement from youth and families to bring about more events and activities.”

Participants in last week's meeting brought forward ideas about activities they can help to organize and it is hoped that the recreation committees and the youth partnership will work together to bring more programs and events for youth.

A major video dance is being planned for May. It will be a collaboration between the North Rural Youth Partnership and the Oddfellows and Rebekkahs of Harrowsmith, and is taking place at the Frontenac Community Arena in Piccadilly. (see upcoming issues for details)

The youth centre at the Family Health Team will be starting up this June. 

 

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