Staff with BGC of Wolf Creek — Lacombe are gearing up to launch the Thrive program - which focuses on aspects of mental health for youth.
Within the Thrive stream of programs is 'Flex Your Head', a free program which will be running through to June, said program manager Lily Raugust, who joined the organization last August.
Flex Your Head sessions will run on Wednesdays from 3:30 until 5 p.m. in the Kinsmen Room at the Lacombe Memorial Centre.
Geared to kids in Grades 7 to 9, Thrive, "helps youth experience personal growth and empowerment as they learn new life skills, and increase their knowledge and understanding of mental health," notes a program description. "This is accomplished through fun and interactive activities with their peers and positive adult mentors.
"It also provides more connections with our adult staff for (the youth) to hang out, and to talk about things. This provides an option to do that," said Raugust.
"To see the impact it's going to have on the youth here in Lacombe is something that I'm really excited for."
As mentioned, the goals of Flex Your Head are to promote mental health and resiliency among youth. This broad aim can be broken down into several goals, said Beth Reitz, executive director of Ponoka Youth Centre/BGC Wolf Creek which oversees the Lacombe operation.
Modules run the gamut from covering what mental health, taking a closer look at one's own mental health, and social media and mental health, to the ongoing stigmas connected to mental health struggles, and the topic of finding balance and learning to better care for oneself once mental health issues are identified.
"It covers a lot of topics that are high up on people's minds right now for youth,' she added.
"It's an area we also really want to give kids tools for so that they know in themselves, and in their friends, what to be watching for, and what are some things they can do to help," she said, adding that Thrive programming has already been running at the Ponoka location for some time.
"We've had some really, really good success with it," Reitz said, adding the school it was run out of in town s asking for another session as they saw tremendous results from it.
Ultimately, the program aims to also provide staff with information on youth mental health, and in locating resources and training that will help them to feel more comfortable talking about mental health issues with young people.
Through conversations about the effects of stigma and how perceptions have changed, the program will also encourage youth to think about what they can do differently at a personal level and in their peer groups.
BGC of Wolf Creek - Lacombe (formerly known as the Boys and Girls Club). was launched in the city back in 2022.
After-school programs continue to run at Ecole Lacombe Upper Elementary School and at Terrace Ridge Elementary School. These programs provide kids with lots of fun activities, indoor and outdoor play, and snacks, too.
They run Monday through Friday from 3:15 to 5:30 p.m. and is for youth from Kindergarten to Grade 6.
Another program in Lacombe is the School’s Out Day Program which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the school year and includes life-skills instruction, leadership training, recreation, field trips, and other activities onpProfessional development days, school breaks and ‘in lieu’ days for schools.
For further information about Thrive programming, find BGC Wolf Creek - Lacombe on Facebook, email lacombe@bgcwolfcreek.com or call 403-704-4216.
