Teslin Youth Projects 2016: Born to Fly

Brief Description

The Born to Fly program is an adventure-based club for girls, ranging from grades 3 to 8.  The group is a safe place for them to come have fun, learn new skills, and receive tips on how to handle various situations young females face in today’s world.  The idea behind the group is to help boost the confidence in the young females in Teslin.

The program strategies are: after school/evening activities; community supervision; leadership and youth development; social and emotional learning.

Goals

The main goals of the Teslin Youth Projects 2016: Born to Fly program are to:

• Reduce incidence of crime by keeping youth occupied with fun, pro-social activities, allowing less time and opportunity to engage in non-productive activities;
• Prevent violence against women and children by empowering girls by showing them strong female role models which will impart a sense of self-worth; and
• Address root causes of criminal behavior through some of the subjects addressed during the workshops.

Clientele

The appropriate clientele for this program is adolescent females in grades 3 to 8.

Core Components

The core components consist of delivering a bi-weekly adventure-based club for girls. Activities include: visiting the Wildlife Preserve, overnight camping, outdoor survival skills, life skills/body care, visiting the hot springs, visits to other communities, swimming, boating and canoeing. The club will also offer workshops to discuss topics such as self-esteem, relationships, saying no to drugs and alcohol, sexual health, social media safety, family life and how to be self-sufficient.

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: A space to hold the group; someone to supervise/lead the group; supplies for the activity.
• Partnerships: The Village of Teslin, Teslin Tlingit Council.
• Training and technical assistance: Limited information on this topic.
• Risk assessment tools: Limited information on this topic.
• Materials & resources: Limited information on this topic.

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

This group began in Teslin, Yukon in November 2015.  The Recreation Programmer, who is responsible for the group in Teslin, is paid by both the Village of Teslin and Teslin Tlingit Council.  This program was funded through the Crime Prevention Fund in the Yukon, and is ongoing with no specific end date.

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

No information available.

References

There is no Canadian reference available at this time.

For more information on this program, contact:

Village of Teslin; Recreation Programmer
Box 130
Teslin, Yukon Y0A 1B0
Telephone: (867) 335-4250 or (867) 390-2530
E-mail: teslinrec@teslin.ca
Website: www.teslin.ca