A group of 10- and 11-year-olds in the YMCA Shared Services Mentorship Program are contributing to Square One Community, Inc.'s upcoming Empty Bowls fundraiser by decorating bowls for the event, combining arts and crafts with community spirit.
"It's a fun activity for our mentorship kids and a collaboration with a community organization, and it builds connections," said Jill Lesuk, director of youth services for YMCA Regina. The Moose Jaw YMCA branch closed in 2019, but YMCA Regina was able to take over services without interruption.
"It's cool for the kids to have a chance to be creative and make something unique, and then people are going to buy tickets (to Empty Bowls), and pick their bowls and take them home. ... We did this last year at the first Empty Bowls as well, and Megan Nash actually picked one of ours, which I thought was awesome."
The program participants join several other organizations and individuals in the community who are making custom bowls for Square One, including the River Street Potters, Mud Pie Girls, and Salvation Army.
"We've been running the mentorship program since 2019, first through Moose Jaw and now through Regina," Lesuk explained. "We started out with about 50 kids, and now we have 175 kids referred to the program. It's a free, referral-based program, partnered with both school divisions, Prairie South and Holy Trinity, and then the Ministry of Social Services and Sask Health Authority.
"People from those organizations refer the kids to us, and then we place them into small groups for two 15-week sessions through the school year. ... And they just get to do fun things with their mentor — crafts, games, activities, all while working on goals for them around friendship skills, self-esteem, emotional regulation. And we just give them an opportunity to belong to something and have a positive outlet in this safe, fun space."
Lesuk said that despite this being their biggest year ever, they were able to accept every single youth referred to them. Kids from grades 1 all the way through 12 can participate.
More information about the YMCA Shared Services Mentorship Program is available on their website at regina.ymca.ca/moose-jaw-ssmp-program, or by contacting Lesuk at jill.lesuk@mjymca.ca. The youth mentors are full-time employees who undergo extensive screening and special training to provide the most positive environment possible for the kids. The program is run out of the Moose Jaw Early Years Family Resource Centre, but mentors also organize groups at local schools to work around family schedules and complex needs.
"I'll be pretty happy if someone picks my bowl to take home," said one program participant (name has been withheld by request). "I feel pretty good about doing something that helps the homeless."
Square One's Empty Bowls event is Friday, Nov. 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the St. Andrew's United Church social hall. Learn more and get tickets at www.squareonehousingmoosejaw.com/empty-bowls-2023.
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