THE NEWCOMER CLUB 

AT ETOBICOKE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

In February, the Sankofa and Youth in Action programs partnered with North York Community House to start an after-school program for newcomer students at Etobicoke Collegiate. The Newcomer Club is run on Thursdays right after school, from 3:30 to 5:30.

During the first sessions, we have done fun icebreakers and team-building exercises for the participants to mingle and get to know each other. We have also agreed on the rules we all commit to following to make sure everyone feels included and respected. Also, we have done some activities that involve reflection and discussions, such as reviewing our 2019 and establishing our goals for the year 2020.

This program serves over 20 newcomer students who enjoy learning different life and leadership skills, as well as playing sports and doing crafts. It is always nice to have a safe and positive space where you feel you belong!

Kipling Bike Club: Final Days

The final weeks for the Kipling Bike Club were fun filled adventures as we FINALLY got nice enough weather to move the program outdoors. We had a nice picnic to celebrate the fun times all year. Can't wait to start it up again in September!

We also took a group from Marc Garneau for a bike ride in a local park. What a great way to end the season!

Bowling with Youth in Action

The Youth in Action group enjoyed an evening at Playtime Bowling for a great way to escape the cold, but stay active and have fun!

Our amazing youth photographer, Tony, took some fantastic shots of everyone! We are so lucky to have such a talented people in our group!

Good form boys!

 

Thanks for coming out everyone! See you at the next YOUTH in ACTION event!

YOUTH IN ACTION: Winter Drop In (January)

January has been a busy month for all our youth participants as they tackle their exams. We spent our program days doing stress-buster activities.

We tried yoga and stretching...

Which turned into a dance party...

Another day, we did crafts, played board games and goofed around...

And of course, a a few BIG games of Jenga to let go of all that exam stress!

Youth in Action: Winter Drop-In

The Youth in Action: Winter Drop-In Program has been enjoying this beautiful winter weather and learning a favourite Canadian pastime, outdoor skating! 

Below: Justin giving the group some tips on how to skate

Practicing our skills and racing around the rink! 

Strike a pose!

Braving the snow. nothing will stop us! 

Thanks for coming out everyone! 

A big thanks goes out to our student placements (Robyn, Julian, Daniel and Zoe) and our all-star volunteer skating instructors (Justin and James).

Youth in Action: November @ Mimico

The month of November has been a crafty one for the Youth in Action group at Mimico Library. The focus of the month was empowerment for young girls, learning about positive self-talk, self care, being proud of who you are and expressing yourself. 

One week, the girls decorated little jars and wrote themselves a motivational letter for them to open and read on their first day of high school (in 2 years). 

Another week, the girls choreographed a dance where they freely expressed their emotions in a physical way. Their beautiful performance even had an audience of young children from another youth group at the library. 

Another week, the group focused on improv, acting activities. They performed skits where they expressed emotions, adapted to new scenes/environments and ended the evening with a fun game of charades. 

Looking forward to the next month with the girls from Youth in Action Mimico! 

Youth in Action: Winter Activities

The Youth in Action group has spent the month of November celebrating the beginning of winter in Toronto! As we wait for the snow and more winter activities to become available, we have been doing some of the fall activities that are common in Canada. 

The first weeks of program, the group celebrated Whitney's birthday and played board games at the new Youth Centre. 

This week, Youth in Action went to Dufferin Grove Park to learn how to ice-skate. For most participants, it was their first time on the ice, and everyone did fantastic! The start was a bit shaky, but by the end the group was racing around the rink and their skating skills have already improved!

Thanks for coming out everyone and see you next week to practice more skating skills!