Aboriginal leaders and community members from Kamloops, BC, together with Lions-Quest Canada and Nokia, today launched the second site of Make a Connection Canada, a program designed to equip Aboriginal youth with essential "skills for life."
The Kamloops Make a Connection Canada initiative is part of the national Make a Connection Canada program, which aims to strengthen the personal and social skills of First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth ranging from 5 to 29 years of age in 15 communities across the country. Make a Connection in Canada aims to empower more than 15,000 Aboriginal youth with skills such as improved communication, conflict resolution, respect for self and others, goal setting and community involvement. The program is part of a global initiative of the International Youth Foundation and Nokia, which now runs in 14 countries.
"Kamloops needs a program to encourage our youth to set educational, life and career aspirations and balances for themselves for the present and future," says Vickie Michaud, a Family Development Worker/Coordinator at the Aboriginal Family Development Center in Kamloops, British Columbia. "Since Kamloops has 17 First Nations bands in the area, and over 1,400 Aboriginal children and youth, we find many families coming to the city for educational and work opportunities. Our Make a Connection Canada program teaches youth skills that will help them in building their lives in an urban environment. For instance, a young person interested in college can get help in balancing a budget, registering for school, finding a place to live and designing a career path."
Weeklong life skills facilitation workshops will teach community agency staff how to incorporate life skills curricula into existing programs offered to Aboriginal youth. The staff in turn will share life skills teachings with the youth that they work with, and to other adults who help youth develop personal and social skills.
"I try to encourage my young clients to be users of opportunity," says Tony Alexander, a child and youth worker with the Aboriginal Family Development Center. "With a holistic approach to life skills development, we can help young people understand and meet their needs in healthy ways."
Life skills teachings will inform youth about suicide prevention, peer pressure, job skills, accountability, parenting skills, responsibility, family relationships, self-sufficiency, and career choices. Through the Make a Connection Canada program, the Kamloops Aboriginal community hopes to maximize the benefits of traditional knowledge from elders, the healing benefits of group work, and the knowledge and experience from trained facilitators, while providing youth with the opportunity to learn and practice new skills.
"Make a Connection Canada will be unique to each location, " says Joanne McQuiggan, executive director of Lions-Quest. " With these life skills teachings and increased self-confidence, youth will have something to fall back on during life's challenges in rural, urban or reserve environments."
Make a Connection Canada will launch three pilot sites in 2003 - Parry Sound, Ontario; Kamloops, British Columbia; and Whitehorse, Yukon.
About Make a Connection
Make a Connection is a global initiative of the International Youth Foundation and Nokia to promote positive youth development by giving young people an opportunity to make a connection to their communities, to their families and peers, and to themselves. The program improves young people's educational opportunities, teaches them life skills and helps them make a positive contribution to their societies. Country programs are currently running in Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. More information on Make a Connection can be found at www.makeaconnection.org
Make a Connection is a global initiative of the International Youth Foundation and Nokia to promote positive youth development by giving young people an opportunity to make a connection to their communities, to their families and peers, and to themselves. The program improves young people's educational opportunities, teaches them life skills and helps them make a positive contribution to their societies. Country programs are currently running in Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. More information on Make a Connection can be found at www.makeaconnection.org
About Lions-Quest
Lions-Quest is an initiative of Lions Clubs International Foundation to teach life skills to youth. Lions-Quest provides services and resources to educators and other adults who work with youth ages 5-19. The goal is to help youth build responsibility and resiliency - the ability to face and overcome life's difficulties - and resist the lure of negative behaviors. Each year, programs developed by Lions-Quest reach more than two million young people in 30 countries, primarily through school-based programs. More information on Lions-Quest can be found at www.lions-quest.ca
Lions-Quest is an initiative of Lions Clubs International Foundation to teach life skills to youth. Lions-Quest provides services and resources to educators and other adults who work with youth ages 5-19. The goal is to help youth build responsibility and resiliency - the ability to face and overcome life's difficulties - and resist the lure of negative behaviors. Each year, programs developed by Lions-Quest reach more than two million young people in 30 countries, primarily through school-based programs. More information on Lions-Quest can be found at www.lions-quest.ca
About the International Youth Foundation
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) is one of the world's largest public foundations focused on children and youth. IYF is dedicated to supporting programs that improve the conditions and prospects for young people where they live, learn, work, and play. Since its founding in 1990, IYF has worked with hundreds of companies, foundations, and non-governmental organizations to scale up existing programs and build long-term strategic partnerships. Currently operating in nearly 50 countries and territories, IYF and its partners have helped more than 23 million young people gain the skills, training and opportunities critical to their success. More information on IYF can be found at www.iyfnet.org
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) is one of the world's largest public foundations focused on children and youth. IYF is dedicated to supporting programs that improve the conditions and prospects for young people where they live, learn, work, and play. Since its founding in 1990, IYF has worked with hundreds of companies, foundations, and non-governmental organizations to scale up existing programs and build long-term strategic partnerships. Currently operating in nearly 50 countries and territories, IYF and its partners have helped more than 23 million young people gain the skills, training and opportunities critical to their success. More information on IYF can be found at www.iyfnet.org
About Nokia
Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services the company creates. Through its cooperation with IYF and through other regional philanthropic and social responsibility programs, the company prepares young people to embrace opportunities and possibilities created by the global economy and new technological advancements. The company has been an active regional contributor to youth and education causes for many years, with Nokia employees making their own contributions as volunteers in a range of programs throughout the world. More information on Nokia can be found at www.nokia.com
Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services the company creates. Through its cooperation with IYF and through other regional philanthropic and social responsibility programs, the company prepares young people to embrace opportunities and possibilities created by the global economy and new technological advancements. The company has been an active regional contributor to youth and education causes for many years, with Nokia employees making their own contributions as volunteers in a range of programs throughout the world. More information on Nokia can be found at www.nokia.com
For more information contact:
Joanne McQuiggan
Executive Director
Lions-Quest Canada
Joanne McQuiggan
Executive Director
Lions-Quest Canada
joanne@lions-quest.ca
1-800-265-2680
1-800-265-2680
Mary Lynden
Marketing Communications Manager
Marketing Communications Manager
Nokia Canada
(905) 619-4383
(905) 619-4383
mary.lynden@nokia.com