144 - Sunday, March 14. 1999 — North Shore News Students praise Youth Deana Lancaster News Reporter deana@nsnews.com SAVING for a post-sec- ondary education does- n’t have to mean mouths of low pay, grease-scented clothing and a knack for wrap- ping Whoppers. In fet, with the help of Youth Community Action, a Provincially-funded pilot pro- gram under Youth Options B.C., 2] youth on the North Shore are working on projects with non-profit, organizations, and making money tor their post-secondary education at the same time. Alexandra De Vries is the program coordinator, responsi- ble for matching youth between the ages of 15 and 24 with projects that can use their help, and for making certain the students get their $8 per hour in tuition vouchers, up to a maximum of $2,400, or 300 hours. “When | ask youth ‘How is this program different from being out there working for $8 an hour? they say the work is more interesting and they can’t spend the moncy, they have to use it for school,” says De Vrics. The program was launched in June last year, and is current- ly being evaluated before a decision will be made about its fucure. Although the going was slow at first, De Vries said that of 400 youth who applied for the program 150 of them have been matched with non-profit organizations. “It’s been great. A fot of the organizations aren’t just using them (the youth) for filing and office work, but they’re using this as an opportunity te expand their services and add programs.” Shona Fraser is 17, and hoping to become a police offi cer. So the work she’s doing with the youth development worker for the City and District of North Vancouver, putting together an anti-violence man- ual for vouth, is right up her alley. “Pm finding out about anti- violence and anger manage ment, so it’s valuable for me.” Arthe beginning of the pro- ject she was faced with a foot- high stack of papers and studies filed with “psycho- babble” about viokeace. Tthas been her job to sift through it and pare it down to make it readable and relevant for other youth, She’s included and developed: exer- cises which can be used in isola tion or as part of anti-violence workshops. “And f get to work on the computer and create all these funky graphics,” she says, showing offa colourtul draft of the cover. He's the fint cme since sitting down for the inter- view that she’s seemed even NEWS photo Julie Iverson ROBYN Smaiil developed the Pregnancy Outreach Program at Kinder House Family Resource Centre as part of her work experience project. a ig Now sawe even more at... ORL duality af Outlet Prices Men’s selected nyion Spring Jackets Girl's Sears 109. 12.49. Girls sizes 6-9 Seats. Bund gue ond rele! New ship: a Women’s B Sandals ment of women’s Spring Shoes ~ Women’s Nevada" f Cha gs seo mg. 49.99 .NOW Now each eee it to Boy’s 2 pce. soccer Green ond orange. Sizes 2-8 ommunity Action close to age 17. Robyn Smaill’s work experi- ence project has been quite aif? ferent. When she started at Kinder House Family Resource Centre, she was job shadowing a family support worker. As a young, Working mother of two and a certified childbirth edu- cator, the 24-year-old saw entering, the Youth Community Action program as @ perfect opportunity to gain more experience in her field of interest, and to cover some of the tuition costs for the Family Support Worker Program) she wants to take at) Douglas College. “Eended up developing a program for low-income, preg- nant women,” she said. “We give them food supplements, pre-natal vitamins, counselling and support.” The Pregnancy Outreach Program is drop-in, one night per week and free tor its partic- Ipants, Smaill created the pro- gram because she herself had felt the [ack of a support pra grams for voung pregnant women and mothers. She's spent the fast few months, not only helping che prograny’’s participants, but lobbying for funding, materiais and donations. She's become so committed to it that even when her 300 hours are com plered she’s determined to tind away te keep the srogram guing, “Its given me a realistic idea about what the work force is like.” Call Kinder House at 990- 9401 for information about the Pregnancy Outreach Program and De Vries at 988-3766 for more information about Youth Community Action. Vancouver Youth Theatre . SPRING ACTING PROGRAMS FOR KIDS & TEENS MARCH 29” - JUNE 12” Programs in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey and the North Shore. For Registration catl 877-0678 Y2K 1s coming. Are you ready to head for the hills? Introducing ¥2Play —the 1999/2000,” Ski and Snowboard Pass you can usé.right away. We're offering a once-in-a-thousand-year price break’on next year’s season passes. Buy your 1999/2000 Grouse Mountain ¥2Play Pass before April 30th,* and it’s only $200 for adults and youths and $20 for kids and seniors. That's up to $250 off our regular prices. 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