Seven Merritt youth had to watch their step in an exercise exemplifying the lessons they have been learning for the past five weeks.
The Merritt Youth and Family Resources Society wrapped up its first inclusive boys’ group last week.
The program aims to develop skills to help its members improve themselves socially, emotionally and build friendships.
Last Thursday, each member was given a certificate of completion and the exercise they engaged in involved laying a bunch of cards on the ground with positive or negative experiences written on them. The boys competed in timed races where each one had to tiptoe from positive card to positive card and avoid stepping on the negative ones.
“The objective is to avoid negative situations, like eating too much sugar,” volunteer program facilitator Peter Samra said.
The game is designed to have the youth think about each option and determine the good from the bad, with teammates to help them.
The program itself teaches youth aged 10 to 14 life lessons in confidence, responsibility and trust, changing beliefs, cultural perspectives and respecting each other.
The boys’ group also helped move items into storage for the Country Music Hall of Fame as a random act of kindness.
Eleven-year-old Darren Gauthier (left) and his fellow members of Merritt Youth and Family Services’ boys group wrapped up the five-week program with a game last Thursday.
The activity involves an assortment of cards strung about the floor, each with positive or negative life choices written on them.
Participants must hop from one good card to the next in a timed format as they compete in teams of three. Michael Potestio/Herald
Samra said this group of youth had a hard time connecting with each other at the start of the program, and didn’t show signs of teamwork.
However, by the end of the program, the group’s teamwork improved a lot, he said.
Boys’ group member Darren Gauthier, 11, said what he took away from the program was the lesson to solve problems in a non-violent way.
Lenora Fletcher, executive director of Merritt Youth and Family Resources Society, said the need for a group such as this has been a service gap she’s wanted to fill since she started working here back in 2011.
While the boys’ group initiative has been a rousing success, Fletcher said the non-profit group is struggling with funding.
Merritt Youth and Family Resources used to be funded by the provincial Ministry of Children and Family Development, but their contract with the ministry was axed about two years ago, she said.
“All the work that we do here is [funded] through private donations or what little grant monies we can get,” Fletcher said, noting the organization has struggled to keep its doors open.
Merritt Youth and Family Resources also offers a girls’ group — a program similar to the one for boys. That program is expected to begin soon.
