West Shore Parks and Recreation has earned a provincial accolade for its innovative Wild About Wellness program.
The Award of Excellence (for communities with populations greater than 15,000 residents) was presented to the West Shore team by the BC Recreation and Parks Association last week in Kelowna.
“We were so thrilled to receive the award and just be recognized for this kind of work,” said Sandy Clarke, the organization’s manager of recreation.
The free program, developed when staff identified a dramatic increase in anxiety and mental health issues among youth in the region, was honoured for its creativity and its potential to serve as a model for other recreation and parks agencies in the province.
The program, which took place last fall and was spearheaded by youth programmer Amy Cooper, used a youth-centred approach that allows young clients to identify the activities and topics most relevant to them. Twelve participants between the ages of 14 and 18 registered for the program, combining physical activity with safe group discussions amongst youth facing similar problems.
The youth who participated, many of whom came to the program through discussions with school counsellors, didn’t have previous connections with each other but strong bonds were formed, Cooper noted.
“By the end of the eight-week program there were connections and a sense of belonging. I think because of that the word has travelled and more youth want that connection,” she said, adding that a partnership with Island Health and the Ministry of Children and Family Development helped make the program a success.
The BC Recreation and Parks Association noted that the program could be a model for others to follow.
“The Wild About Wellness program hits the mark for being low cost, preventative, youth-centred and successful,” said the association’s CEO, Rebecca Tunnacliffe, in a release. “It is easy to emulate provincewide and communities can quickly see the benefits of counteracting mental health issues with physical activity and positive group support programs.”
Clarke hopes that the program can run again later this year, although the society is awaiting word on grants that would allow for it to continue.
For more information about Wild About Wellness, contact West Shore Parks and Recreation at 250-478-8384 or stop by the Juan de Fuca Recreation centre at 1767 Island Hwy.