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PROGRAMS

All of our programming aims to make youth stronger.   We achieve this by helping youth to:

  • become self aware - to realize and embrace their self worth while identifying their own values and strengths.  

  • think critically and make healthy decisions for themselves

  • participate in healthy relationships

  • think rationally so that things stay in perspective

  • be in control of their reactions

  • manage stress

  • be mindful of what is going on around them

  • find a way to express themselves

  • be healthy both physically and mentally

PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH

BUILDING RESILIENCY

Building Resiliency is a 15 hour art based program designed for youth ages 10 and up.  The program is flexible - it can be offered in its entirety, or as stand alone lessons/activities to supplement your health or religion curriculum, or in a workshop format. 

Building Resiliency focuses on topics that develop a healthy self-awareness and critical thinking skills that will help to install confidence and the skills necessary to move past self-doubt and negative self talk.

The Building Resiliency program consists of five themes:

1.  Self Awareness and Gratitude

2.  Connection and Compassion

3.  Critical Thinking and Body Image

4.  Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Emotional Control

5.  Self Expression and Finding Meaning 

Each theme contains several activities to reinforce the concepts being taught - do them all if time allows of choose different activities to do throughout the year to reinforce the concepts.  Each of the five themes contains roughly 3 hours of discussion topics and activities. The length of time needed to cover all of the material will vary based on the amount of time that the participants spend on the art projects and on sharing their work. 

 

PROGRAMS FOR BOYS

Why a program a program specifically for boys?

Although boys and girls face many similar pressures and difficult situations in their school years, the way that boys experience and process these pressures and situations tends to be very different.  Boys often communicate much differently than girls and are more activity based. The Inner Ninja and Unstoppable programs are designed specifically for boys. These programs meet boys where they are at giving them a more comfortable and meaningful experience.

What are the goals of Inner Ninja and Unstoppable?

1.  To develop a strong sense of self in each participant.  Armed with a strong sense of self, the boys will be comfortable with who they are and what is important to them. This helps to make them less susceptible to peer pressure.  They will have the courage and strength to make healthy decisions for themselves.

2.  To identify and regulate emotions.  Participants will learn how to identify and have control of their emotions as opposed to feeling like their emotions are controlling them.  Often times when people end up in bad situations or make unhealthy decisions for themselves, it is because emotions were uncontrolled and the action was impulsive.  Understanding emotions and controlling impulsivity leads to healthier decision making.

3.  To discuss healthy versus unhealthy relationships and to identify the role that we play in relationships.

4.  To provide an opportunity for connection and community building.  Boys typically are given lots of opportunities for competition, but not nearly as many for connection.

Inner Ninjas

Getting to know who you are and becoming comfortable with it is at the core of this fun, interactive 8 week program. Inner Ninjas was written for boys in Grades 4-6 but the program has been successfully used with boys in grade 3 and as a starting point for older boys.  Activities and discussions will guide participants to think about and identify what their interests and strengths are, what their values are, and what is important and meaningful to them.  They will discover that they have things in common with other group members which will lead to a sense of belonging and community which will strengthen their sense of self.  

All activities are designed to build cohesion and a sense of belonging amongst group members.  We will discuss why boys are less likely to discuss their feelings and why that isn't healthy.  The boys will learn how to identify what they are feeling and the thought pattern that goes along with it.  We will discuss how to use self talk and strategies for dealing with strong emotions such as stress, anxiety, and anger.  

Unstoppable

Unstoppable can act either as a stand alone program for boys in grades 7-9 or as a follow-up program that reinforces and expands on the concepts taught in Inner Ninja.  The focus of this 8 week program is communication and healthy relationships - a healthy relationship with one's self and healthy relationships with others.  Each class begins with a fun activity designed to build cohesion and a sense of community.  Discussions and activities teach problem solving skills, as well as strategies and tools to deal with frustration, stress, anxiety, and anger.  We begin by discussing the pressures put on males and the boys are challenged to take a stand and change these expectations.  Boys will learn healthy decision making skills, how to participate in a healthy relationship, and how to deal with strong emotions.

PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS

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FIREWORKS - CELEBRATING ME

This 8 week program encourages young girls in grades 2-4 to start celebrating their individuality and begin developing a strong sense of self.  Through discussions, activities, and crafts, girls will identify their interests and gain insight into what values matter to them.  This program aims to build self-awareness, confidence, and healthy decision making skills.  

FIREWORKS - FOCUS FRIENDSHIP

Fireworks - Focus Friendship can act as a stand alone program or as a companion program to Fireworks - Celebrating Me.  This 8 week program was also written for girls in grades 2-4 and teaches girls about healthy versus unhealthy friendships.  Through meaningful discussions, crafts, and activities, girls will learn how to participate in a heathy friendship and how to handle some tough social situations.  This program aims to build connection, social skills, and a sense of self.  

Learning about healthy versus unhealthy relationships at a young age is beneficial as it is these first friendships that set the stage for how one acts in future relationships.  Although we don't realize it at the time, this young age is when we learn how to treat others and start to decide what we will expect and accept in our future relationships.

ENOUGH

“7 in 10 girls believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school, and relationships with family and friend”, (from Real Girls, Real Pressure:  National Report on the Stare of Self-Esteem, Dove Self Esteem Fund).

Enough is an 8 week strength based program designed to bring girls in grades 4-6 to the realization that they are strong, capable, beautiful, and resilient.  Through both individual and group activities, as well as discussions, girls will identify their strengths and interests, develop a healthy body image, recognize their worth, and create decision making/problem solving strategies for themselves.

 The goals of this program are:

  • to bring young women to the realization that they are enough

  • to reduce the amount of pressure put on women by rejecting the notion of perfectionism at a young age

  • to expand the traditional definition of what beauty is

  • to create realistic goals and expectations for oneself

  • to create self care strategies for resiliency

  • to see challenges as opportunities and as part of self care

 

INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS

Cheryl offers one-on-one sessions for both youth and adults.

To book a one-on-one session with Cheryl please call 403.400.0159 or email cheryl@igniteprograms.ca