COMMUNITY NEWS parents attend discussion of Capilano’s youth concerns ONLY 10 adults attended a meeting last Tuesday night to give feedback on the Capilano Youth Project and the Grif- fin Teen Drop-In Centre, although 200 teenagers from Pemberton, Norgate and Capilano frequent the centre each month. “I am really not surprised that there isn’t a larger turn out,”’ said Terry Bulych, youth worker for the Capilano Youth Project. “A lot of parents are not that involved in their kid’s life. But even if there were only one or two parents here we would explain: this all to you,”’ she added. The Griffin Teen Drop-In Cen- tre (GT) is the most visible part of the Capilano Youth Project. GT is YOUTH WORKER Terry Bulych -. “A lot of parents ere not that involved in their kid's life.’* a room located next to the pool at the William Griffin recreation fa- cility, The drop-in centre has been operating for three years and for the past year Sulych has counselled and supervised teens in an unstruc- tured environment. Approximately 25 teenagers fre- quent the centre during the week and 50 drop in on Friday nights. Besides ‘hanging out,’ the teens listen to music, watch videos or play dome hockey, foos ball, poct and darts. Bulych says the ‘‘core kids’? who drop in frequently are troubled teenagers, but they are not neces- sarily bad students and they do not necessarily come from bad homes. *When I do individual counsell- ing, usually the parents don’t know about it,” said Bulych. “‘The problems can include family, suicide, drugs and alcohol, employer problems, sexuality, school, peer contlict.... Jt is a huge list.’” Bulych aiso has organized sports activities for the teenagers. ““We basically like to get kids © involved in an activity whether it be volleyball or hockey or whatever,” said Bulych. The 24-year-old youth worker says she was able to get i2 boys from ages 14 to 17 to form a hockey team which competed with other teams on the Lower Mainland. “It was a pretty regular thing. They all showed up,”’ said Bulych. “It took me a few weeks to get everyone to put everything away after practice, though. But it was fun.”’ The youth worker hopes to or- ganize a softball team this sum- mer. Because Bulych is the only pro- fessional youth worker employed in the Capilano Youth Project, she says she doesn’t have a lot of time to go out into the community for outreach work. Two volunteers also supervise the teenagers each night at the drop-in centre. “TI like to stay pretty informed about what is happening from the kids that come here,’’ says Bulych. She added that local merchants could use her as a resource person for youth-related problems. **Not all 25 teenagers are in here at once,’’ she said. ‘‘They are 3 - Wednesday, April &. 1989 - Capilano Chronicle NEWS photo Nell Lucerite CAPILANO YOUTH Project yous worker Terry Bulych discusses the Griffin Teen Drop-In Centre and other youth programs with a sparse audience at a public forum va youth held jast week. Approximately 200 teenagers from the Capilano area frequent the drop-in centre each month. PAT BELL ... president of Capilano Community Services spoke at the forum. ' Telassic R unclassic MEXICAN FOOD “everything | have eaten there has been remarkable in quality...” oe James Barber 3108 Edgemont Boulevard, North Vancouver coming and going constantly. Maybe they will go to the 7-Eleven or for a smoke and then come back.’" A parent at the meeting express- ed concerns about teenagers from the drop-in centre smoking outside the building as families waik into the recreation facility. Nancy McMillan, Delbrook Recreation coordinator, said the youth program was still developing and some things such as smoking conflicted with the mandate of a recreation centre facility. Another person asked what would happen if parents didn’t want their child attending the drop-in centre because of other kids present who were bad influ- ences. “You can’t shelter your kid,’’ said Bulych. “‘If they are not here, they are at the 7-Eleven or the ar- : ade or whereever. At least the drop-in centre is supervised.” Bulych said she would like to organize a rafting trip this year because it is an unusual activity. “Kids today are so saturated with stimulus that it is tough to find something new to do,”’ she said. The Capilano Youth Project is jointly sponsored by the Capilano Community Services Seciety and the North Vancouver Recreation Commission. Other speakers at the meeting included Pat Bell, Capilano Com- munity Services president, and Dallas Collis, vice-chairman of the Edgemont Village Association. The drop-in centre is open 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Friday 7 p.m. to II p.m., and Saturday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. For information phone 986- 2255.