Youth centre seeking expansion funds

THE SUCCESS of a North Shore youth centre has caused the service to outgrow its present facili- ties, and its parent Organization is asking municipal governments and community organizations for funds to establish a larger centre, the executive director said March 7.

By Jeremy Hainsworth Contributing Writer

“We are hoping for an expan- sion of the facility,’’ said Capilano Community Services Director Tricia Andrew of the Capilano Youth Centre. “‘We are talking to the district and it is in the planning stages.””

At present, the centre, located in the William Griffin recreation centre, receives most of its fund- ing from the piovincial govern- ment and North Vancouver Distric, with the North Van- couver Recreation Commission providing its present operating space. Thirty per cent of the cen- tre’s funding comes from = the community.

Andrew said the centre will need to raise $25,000 from com- munity organizations and other donors for its 1991-92 operating expenses.

The centre, two

staffed by

youth workers and five volunteers, has been operating since 1986. It was opened to provide local youth with a place to meet and evolved into a drop-in centre.

The centre now offers Hte-skills programs involving peer counsell- ing and suicide prevention. A substance abuse counselling pro- gram is in the planning stages.

The centre provides space for youths to play pool, foozbail or dome hockey, and it also effers recreational prcgams such as floor hockey, volleyball, baseball, swimming and skateboarding.

“ft think the (youths) really ap- preciate the centre,’’ youth worker Terry Bulych said. ‘‘Jt’s an option for them. it's a semi-structured place where they can socialize and have some leisure time on their own away from mom and dad."*

Bulych. who has a degree in psychology with an emphasis on vouth-related issues and counsell- ing from Simon Fraser University, said the present facility, which can accommodate about 20 people, is quite cramped.

“On a Friday night we have, easy, 60 to 80 kids,’* she said. “T's quite hairy.*’

Teens who frequent the centre agree that a larger space is need- ed,

“Tf there were a special building that just has the centre in it, it would be a lot better because there's not the problem of the public. That's where all the flak comes from,'’ said Wayne

Wednesday, March 20, 1991 - North Shore News - 55

REWS photo Stuart Davis

TRICIA ANDREW holds a copy of a videotape cassette that Capilano Youth Centre is marketing to

raise funds.

Walker, 16.

He said that when there are a lot of people in the centre, it gets quite noisy.

Jonathen Newhouse, 14, added that a new centre would get the teens out of the way.

“We're happy, they’re happy.”’ he said. **We are really loud.""

‘af this place wasn't here, wher2 would kids) be?’’ Walker asked. ‘‘They’d be hanging out at Stores, at malls. Store owners would get nervous. The police would get involved."”

Spring break activities offered

KAREN MAGNUSSEN Recre- ation Centre will be hosting a variety of spring break programs for preschool and school age children.

Skate Break is a half-day pro- gram offered to school-age children. Activities will include: arts and crafts, games, skating,

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sports, videos and a community trip. The program will run 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., April 2 to 5.

Skating programs for the spring break will include: Ice Follies and hockey workshops for preschoolers and = school age children and power skating workshops for school-aged par-

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ticipants. All skating programs will sun) from April 2 to 5 at various limes durving the day.

Registration is limited and parents are advised to register in advance to avoid disappointment.

For more information contact Karen Magnupsen Recreation Cen- tre at 984-9341.

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A year ago, when the lack of space was becoming apparent, the centre approached the British Columbia Institute of Technology to have a study done to determine the adequacy of the existing facili- ty.

A questionnaire distributed by the group administering the study {0 teens attending the centre and three secondary schools asked, among other things, if they thought the space was adequate.

Bulych said the answers clearly indicated that the teens wanted a

larger space.

With the aid of some of her charges, Bulych has also put together a video and a manual to help both teens and counsellors with peer counselling.

It addresses such issues as communication, empathizing with peers and peer support.

Andrew said the video and manual are now selling for S100 and that they have had requests for it from as far away as New- foundland.

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