Administrators at the Weyburn resource centre for the Canadian Mental Health Association are fine-tuning the organization's programs for the New Year.
The CMHA Youth Program, in particular, will appeal to a wide range of teenagers. Resuming in January, the program will be offered on a drop-in basis. All youth, ages 12 to 18, are welcome to attend between 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. A variety of enriching activities, including arts and crafts, movies, snacks, games, PS2 and more, will be offered with the intention of having something for everyone.
"We have a lot of things that we can offer youth," said Tasha Collins, Program Director at CMHA Weyburn. "We want to get them in here and use the resources that we have."
Rather than having the program perceived as a mental illness support group, Collins said she hopes to alleviate some of the stigma that parents and kids might attach to a youth program at the CMHA.
"It's open for any youth," she said. "You don't have to have a mental illness. It's for anybody."
Collins said that their only agenda is to involve young people, but to include an educational aspect while providing other services.
"There might be an activity of making stress balls out of balloons, with different textures, in order to talk about stress and anxiety," she said.
"The reason why we want to engage youth in programming is because most people that suffer or live with mental illness have the onset of the disease before the age of 18," she noted, adding that the CMHA in no way wants to take away from other youth programs being offered in the city. "We just want to provide another place for youth to go to engage in different activities."
Weyburn's CMHA is currently in the process of hiring a new full time employee for a one year contract, to be in charge of the Youth Program as well as to manage some of the regular programming at the branch. They hope to have someone in place before January.
The branch is also hoping to find a volunteer to facilitate an art program as well.
"Preferably someone with an art experience in their background," said Vocational Program Director Troy Kramm, Mental Health Worker 1 at CMHA. He noted that Weyburn's group does have a number of skilled artists among its members, who are always interested in learning more.
Kramm organizes the work crew that does seasonal yard care and hauling garbage, among other tasks. Tasha Collins handles the regular programming at CMHA, which includes a weekly writers group, a life skills group, a sewing club, a meal program and many activities such as bowling, swimming and day trips. Approximately 12 to 18 adults regularly attend the program.
"Because we're a resource centre, we kind of need to know what the public needs, too. So, if there was a demand for a depression support group," said Collins, just as an example, "we could definitely supply the venue for that and we could probably even facilitate that group."
The CMHA's 'Just in time for Christmas' trade show, which was held on December 1, had around 100 visitors and funds were raised through baking and lunch sales. It's not too late to support the organization before Christmas, however. It's as easy as visiting their service branch at 404 Ashford Street between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. weekdays until December 20. Gift wrapping services are available, as are the Cash Calendars.
This year's Cash Calendars feature the work of two local artists and CMHA members, Gordon Stairmand and Patricia Gowdie. The $35 investment for the calendar, however, has the potential to pay off in more ways than one - with monthly draws for cash, weekly draws for artwork and a big draw being made in February for a $20,000 grand prize.
"There are people who've been ordering the cash calendars for years and years," said Collins. She noted that, although the Cash Calendar is a provincial fundraiser, more money stays local when patrons purchase the calendars directly from the Weyburn Branch of CMHA.
For more information, contact Tasha at 842-7959.
