A new program has been created to encourage Sundre teenagers to socialize and keep busy over the summer.
The Hangout is a Greenwood Neighbourhood Place (GNP) program for teenagers aged 12 to 16 and involves various activities and field trips.
Kim Free, outreach coordinator for GNP, said it teaches them social skills, self help skills, self-esteem and leadership.
“It's to encourage young people to socialize,” said Free.
“We're hoping that it's really successful this year so that we can continue to offer it throughout the summers in the future.”
The idea sparked from the teen drop in program that GNP was hosting throughout the school year, which turned out to be a popular program, she said.
Field trips the teenagers will be going on include Rosebud Theatre, paintballing and white water rafting. They also went to Calaway Park earlier this month.
“We hope to fill a whole bus with people and just take over the Weekend Warriors Paintball over by Olds,” she said.
There is still room for people to register for the field trips. It's $15 to sign up for one week of the program, or $50 for the whole summer. It's a drop in program so people can come and go when they please. The cost for attending the field trips are separate.
She said there has been about 12 teenagers attending the program each day and about 30 to 40 signed up for the summer.
The program is also funded by Mountain View County and Shell Canada, she noted. Otter Rafting is also providing a deal for the white water rafting field trip, in support of the program.
“I feel that there isn't a lot for teens to do in this town. There's the skate park, which is awesome. There's the Aquaplex, which is fabulous, and the library of course. But on a day-to-day basis throughout the summer if their family isn't going on many holidays or things like that, or they're not signed up for the summer overnight camps, this is an excellent alternative for them,” said Free.
“They meet new people, they practice leadership skills and getting along with others and all sorts of social benefits like that.”
She is trying to recruit more adult volunteers for the program.
“I think it's really important that our young people have a variety of adult mentors in their lives,” she said.
For more information, visit The Hangout Facebook page, or call GNP at 403-638-1011.
