FAMILY/COMMUNITY PROGRAM

YHH.ROCKS exist to empower our youth from 7 to 21 years to be all they can be.

We will accomplish this through our over 18 programs led by Management, Staff, both Mentors/Senior Mentors, Volunteers, Families and every Community.

Navigating the transition to adulthood, mainly from school and/or university to the workforce, is often a challenging process for adolescents and young people. The delayed transition from school to work prevents young people from gaining a sense of independence and affects other pathways to adulthood, including marriage, family formation, and civic participation. This waiting period in the lives of youth is a source of wasted potential, which can lead to frustration, radicalization and unrest.

A positive home and community environment are crucial to raising youth well. For many parents that is much easier to say than do consistently year in and out! So, if you are a parent, guardian or caregiver of one or more youth, and wanting to better understand how to create and maintain a supportive setting for them, we can help. Our specialized programs will involve you with other adult family members, guardians or caregivers in learning how to raise young people to the best of your abilities.

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THE FAMILY/COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

THE FAMILY

Of course, we cannot accomplish this enormous feat without you the family and the public giving your full support. You can volunteer, partner, sponsor, and give generously. It’s a fact that money in the right hands can do wonders toward changing the world and making it a better place for all of us.  

PAY ATTENTION – 

 One of the most important things a parent can do is notice their child. Find out what interests them and explore it. Let your child show you the way they like to learn.

READ TOGETHER – 

 Set aside time to read and do it loudly, even with older kids. Try alternating: you read a chapter and they read a chapter. Always have a verity of topics and let them decide what books they like.  

CONNECT LEARNING TO LIFE –

 Make learning a part of your child’s everyday experience, especially if it comes out of their natural questions. Have give-and-take conversations, listen to their ideas instead of pouring information into their heads. Example: When you’re driving, count license plates and talk about that Province or State.

SCHOOL AND THE WORLD – 

 Find age-appropriate ways to help your child connect their school learning to world events. Ask questions like “what would you do if you had the chance to help?” This will help them become a caring learner.   

YOUR CHILD AND LEARNING –

 We should keep our children in charge of their learning and be responsible for it. They should understand and learn from their successes and their failures.

DON’T OVER-SCHEDULE YOUR CHILD –

 While you may want to supplement school with outside activities, be careful about how much you urge them to do. Kids need downtime as much as they need activities. Continue to monitor them to see if they are truly enjoying what they are doing. 

REDUCE TV TIME –

 “Watching lots of TV does not give our children the chance to develop their own interests and explore on their own, because it controls the agenda. They should have every opportunity to develop their own interests, skills, solutions, and expertise.”   

KEEP LEARNING – 

 Learning something new ourselves is a great way to model the learning process for our child. Show them what you are learning and how you may be struggling. They will learn new study skills and you might even establish a joint study time.

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THE COMMUNITY

Sometimes the right combination of networking, organizing, and communicating can have a huge impact on our surroundings. You don’t have to give up all your free time, or perform nightly patrols around the perimeter of your neighborhood to have a loving, safe and caring community. A little effort can go a long way!

15 Easy Ways To Have A Great Community

1) Learn about local agencies and non-profit organizations that already exist in your community. They will have the support and resources you need.

2) Connect people in the community (especially youth) to activities or programs that help them find positive ways to spend their time. After school programs, part-time work and volunteering go a long way toward keeping youths away from negative influences.

3) Set up a “Neighbourhood Watch” or a community patrol that works in collaboration with local police.

4) Build a partnership with police focused on solving problems instead of reacting to crisis. Make it possible for neighbors to report suspicious activity or crimes without fear of retaliation.

5) Clean up your Neighbourhood! Organizing a community cleanup is a great way to get people out of their house, and feeling good working together around a common cause.

6) Get Active! Ask your local city council to pass an anti-noise ordinance, update housing codes, and include drug-free clauses in rental agreements. These small actions help to create an inhospitable environment for criminals, and will hopefully cause them to leave on their own.

7) Work with schools and parks in your area to establish (and enforce) drug-free zones.  

8) Create and distribute a list of local organizations that can provide counseling, job training, guidance, and other services that could benefit people in your community.

9) Report any suspicious activity immediately to police and give your full cooperation every time.  

10) locate crisis centers, support groups, and service hotline numbers and make them available to victims of crime.

11) Refuse to turn a blind eye to crime in your community.

12) Suggest that law enforcement host a gun buyback event that lets people turn in unlicensed firearms for cash, no questions asked.

13) Start a weekly discussion group. It can be as minimal as a regular gathering at a neighbor’s house to share ideas and communicate with each other about what you see going on in the community.

14) Express support for funding and effective implementation of community wellness programs and events by writing to the elected officials in your city.

Help to connect school services to outside networks of community services that can help students and their families cope with domestic or financial problems.

         “You’re either part of the solution or part of the problem”