By David F. Rooney
The Community Connections’ Youth Program is undergoing some evolution as its new coordinator, Shannon Broza, reconfigures its activities in order to connect with kids on different levels.
“Basically we’re going to work to connect with teens and pre-teens on as many levels as possible,” she said in an interview.
Broza, who trained as a high school teacher before returning to her hometown of Revelstoke in 2007, said the program is being altered somewhat from previous years when it simply provided older kids with after-school activities.
Fun after-school activities will continue to be provided, but she will now be at RSS three days a week to develop different groups for boys and girls.
“We’re establishing these as a place for people to hang out at lunch,” she said, adding that teens will be encouraged to discuss the hot topics of the day.
She will also be involved in counselling and youth justice activities aimed at teens.
“None of this takes away from the success and popularity of previous years’ programs,” she said. “I just want these programs to be smaller and more worthwhile than just crowd control.”
Broza is quite looking forward to the opportunity to help kids make a difference and to working with them at the high school. She hopes, too, that some students in Grades 11 and 12 will take this opportunity to volunteer some of their time and experience with younger boys and girls in the program.
To find out more about the Community Connections Youth Program call Shannon Broza at 250-837-2920 or visit the agency’s website.
