The CMHA Cowichan Valley Branch announced a new youth project recently focused on offering hands-on learning.
This new project — the Youth Community Action Project (Youth CAP) — will be delivered through Open Door Youth Services Centre. It will provide participants with in-house, hands-on education opportunities to gain leadership/social skills such as team-building, communication, self-care/wellness, problem solving, conflict resolution, goal setting and action planning. Funding is being provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement.
The Youth CAP will also provide participants with an introduction to mental health topics such as anxiety, depression, and promoting self-care through an in-house, youth co-created and facilitated mindful wellness workshop. Further, participants will learn how to access services and supports for themselves and their peers.
Youth CAP will provide formal skills training including food safe through Safer Food Duncan, and first aid, through the Cowichan Valley Training Centre. There will also be training on how to use social media (Jillian Lawrence Inc.) to promote Mental Health Awareness and Education, and online/virtual youth supports. The in-house and formal training components of Youth CAP have been included not only to improve employability, but importantly to provide the skills necessary to maximize the effectiveness and impacts of the community service project work.
“The CMHA-CVB is very excited to provide meaningful opportunities for Youth CAP participants to perform valuable community service to the most vulnerable members of our community,” a press release for the program said. The experience that the participants will get through their community service will give them a leg up when they go to apply for jobs and post-secondary opportunities.
“Through our excellent working relationship with School District 79, we anticipate that not only will school aged participants be able to continue with the project through September-December, they will also receive academic credit for their participation.
“The CMHA-CVB looks forward to providing youth participants with the experience of a strong connection to their community and a true sense of value and belonging,” the press release said. “We also welcome community ideas for potential service opportunities for our participants.”
CMHA also thanks the Kiwanis Club of Duncan for sponsoring Youth CAP’s community service projects. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available and all donations will go directly towards the team’s community service initiatives.