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Impressionable and vulnerable youth are grateful for the privilege of attending our centres every day. It’s not easy being a kid, even at the best of times.

As always, the kids are safe and happy at our “home away from home”. Your support is key to our continued success.

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As fall turns to winter, activities continue along a happy course at our Ogden House and at our new centre in Forest Lawn. YCC is now in its 6th year, and we still find ourselves almost every day celebrating new successes and achievements of the kids at our centre. Just last week a 12 year old boy—who has been with us for three years—started as our videographer and social media helper, a role that he dreamed of and developed himself, and then pitched to us. With the direction of staff members, he successfully applied for and interviewed for this position. And he got it! You should see the smile on his face as he moves about the house filming! Another one of our older youth, an outgoing and energetic 14 year old, proposed that she be our first junior youth worker. She’s taking on this new role with confidence and pride and is building her resume. These are just two examples of the many bright kids, who through YCC are finding their sweet spots in live.

Teaching kids the importance of community and enduring social connections involves all members of our team. Older kids at the centre are encouraged to act as role models and mentors to those younger than them. Parents report back that their kids are learning responsibility and are more helpful at home and with younger siblings. Teachers say YCC kids often perform better in school. We foster a culture within which kids are listened to, encouraged, guided and cared for. We encourage kids to participate in healthy activities, try new hobbies, make new friends from diverse communities, and take pride in their accomplishments and those of each of their friends.

We now have over 350 registered kids who make up a new generation of enthusiastic artists, gardeners, scholars, cooks, musicians and athletes. If you drop by at any time to one of our centres, you’ll see kids helping us cook in the kitchen, researching on computers, reading on our comfy chairs, taking piano lessons, playing sports in the yard and practicing basketball skills on the newly built courts across the way. This weekend, our Forest Lawn backyard sport court was laid and made ready for this new cohort of kids to benefit from the same backyard fun as their Ogden counterparts. These Forest Lawn attendees are of the exact same demographic as those we see every day in Ogden. We are determined to give each of them the after-school experience they deserve and skill sets and confidence to discover their sweet spots in life and the opportunities to pursue the lives they choose.

For all that you have contributed, we send our gratitude. You make this work possible.

Please come by. You’ll love what you see.

I’m sending a few photos of summer and fall and we’ll report back over the holidays.

xoxoxo

Jane 🧡

Jane Wachowich
Executive Director
403.850.7884 | jane@youthcentresofcalgary.com
https://youthcentresofcalgary.com | https://www.instagram.com/youthcentreogden/