"Meeting social and educational needs"

N.S.Y.S. releases 1975 annual report

North, Shore Youth Services this week released its 1975 annual report, outlining its activities in the local high schools and community-based programs.

NSYS director John Salvis said the community-based organization has been and is attempting to creatively meet some of the social and educational needs of North Shore young people.

"There's little doubt that today's young people have the energy, ideas and enthusiasm to contribute to many facets of community life," explained Mr. Salvis. "What they are lacking is the experiential based training which will help them develop and improve their skills and abilities as future community leaders."

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS
The NSYS director said that in 1975 NSYS high school programs represented the participation of some 1,284 students in programs ranging from civic seminars to friendship groups.

The organization's high school programs have included student-life conferences, a student handbook project, civics seminars, student exchanges, student council leadership workshops and special education friendship groups.

At this year's conferences, students discussed ways of developing student-teacher relationships, the role of the student council, as well as orientation of new students to the school.

Following the day-long conferences, students were invited to participate in supervised task groups which, he said, are presently attempting to constructively improve on specific areas of school life.

As a result of the student-life conference at Riverdale High School, a task group of eight students produced a 36-page student handbook designed to acquaint the student body with various aspects of the school community.

Civics seminars held at Pierrefonds Comprehensive and Riverdale introduced over 350 students to the functions and complexity of municipal government on the North Shore, explained Mr. Salvis.

He said the seminars were run in conjunction with the history departments and the program consisted of presentations by the three local mayors; followed by informal discussions. "It is hoped that seminars of this nature will encourage students to become more interested in and aware of the community in which they live," stated the NSYS director. Students from Riverdale and PC had a chance to explore the differences in each others schools through the student exchange program.

Mr. Salvis said through this educational exchange, student council members from both schools spent one week exploring the educational nature of another school.

He said the students attended classes, after school meetings and participated in extra curricular activities.

"The students were able to experience the diversities and similarities of different educational institutions," said Mr. Salvis.

Another facet of NSYS's high school programs was a student council leadership workshop at PCHS.

Mr. Salvis explained the training program was designed to help student council leaders improve their skills and abilities with regard to working effectively within the school community.

Topics covered at the workshop included effective communication, the decision- making process and problem solving.

Students involved in a special education stream of study at the high schools were afforded the opportunity to become more aware of social life within the school through the NSYS special education friendship group.

"A total of ten special-ed. students took part in the programs which ranged from discussions, music, field trips

PERMANENTLY ADOPTED
The NSYS director said that during the last couple of years some NSYS program ideas have been permanently adopted by the high schools.

He said "The Youth Can Help" program has been run by Parents and students for three successive years since its conception by NSYS.

Other North Shore Youth Service’s programs which have been adopted by schools include the "Beyond High School" program, a career information project and the student-life conferences which have become a permanent fixture in the high schools.

He said students at John Abbott College are in the process of initiating a similar program at the CGGEP level.

COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS
Mr. Salvis said that as a volunteer-based organization, NSYS is attempting to actively involve citizens in local community projects and activities.

He proudly pointed to the fact that during 1975, citizens in Roxboro, Dollard and Pierrefonds contributed totals of 808, 684 and 792 volunteer hours, respectively.

The children's Living and Learning program in Roxboro was specifically designed to help children between the ages of 10 and 12 gain a clear understanding of themselves as individuals and of the community in which they live, explained the director.

The 70 youngsters who participated in the program enjoyed tours and field trips to such places as a community college open house, a computer programming centre, the Dow Planetarium and a downtown fitness testing centre.

In addition, there were also small group projects ranging from film animation to creative dance.

"Living and Learning operates on the assumption that today's young people will, in the not too distant future, be the leaders of our community.

"They will face new challenges and dilemmas and so will require deeper insights ,into themselves, their working relationships with others and their community," said Mr. Salvis.

The community organization has also been, very active in the Woodlands area of Dollard-des-Ormeaux.

One project in this area had a futuristic twist to it as approximately 15 students participated in a series of seminars designed to explore the future and its relationship to 20th century living.

Mr. Salvis explained this program was based on the assumption that by looking at the future one can more clearly gain a perspective into the world and community in which we live.

He said this program has produced a core group of students which went on to plan and organize a week-long ecology awareness program which included a bottle and tin drive, a children's ecology display and an environmental slide presentation.

He said 100 teenagers participated in this program.

During the summer months, NSYS staff and volunteers also worked with citizens in the Sunnybrook community.

Programs in this area of Dollard included a children's story program for 35 youngsters at Sunnybrook pool. This provided children with an opportunity to hear stories and, participate in discussions.

The stories were selected with the assistance, of the Sources Library, said Mr. Salvis.

Keeping with the theme of Women's Year, NSYS also initiated a program entitled "Ages of Women". This program involved ten women between the ages of 13 and 40. He said it enabled the women to examine and share their experiences of personal living and growth as people.

Mr. Salvis said a series of four nutrition seminars were also presented to women of the Sunnybrook, Woodlands and Forest Village areas of Dollard.

A yoga program for children, a women's afternoon out and a bicycle clinic and rally were also run during the summer.

Mr. Salvis said that a year and a half ago, NSYS responded to a dramatic increase in vandalism in the Thorndale community of Pierrefonds and established the Thorndale Youth 'Project in co-operation with local citizens and teenagers.

He explained the program is planned and organized by a core group of 15 students who prepare activities for local teenagers on a weekly basis. Weekly attendance at this project ranged from 60 to 80 youngsters and activities included floor hockey, basketball, films, discussions, dances and a leadership training program.

The core group of students has also involved itself in social issues including the new federal legislation, Young Persons in Conflict with the Law.

Mr. Salvis said representatives from the Thorndale Youth Project also participated in an international development program.

Other NSYS programs in Pierrefonds included children's educational programs in the centre and west wards during the summer months. A women's discussion group and yoga program were also initiated by NSYS and a community conference was held in the Versailles area of Pierrefonds.

FINANCES
As municipal budget time approaches, Mr. Salvis said it is important for NSYS to justify its expenditures against its product.

"In other words, in times of inflation and rising costs, is an organization like NSYS worth it?" asked Mr. Salvis.

He explained that last year it cost the taxpayer $15,000 to subsidize NSYS. Of this sum, he said, 83 percent went into salaries, training and supervision for the staff who are CEGEP and university students. The remaining 17 percent was put towards office rental and supplies.

Through the use of a computerized program evaluation system provided through the metropolitan branch of the YMCA, NSYS has prepared a complete statistical break- down of its programs.

Mr. Salvis said community- based projects in Roxboro, Dollard and Pierrefonds had a total monthly attendance of 1,162, while 2,184 volunteer hours were contributed by citizens to these programs.

He added that during 1975, 156 volunteer young people have contributed a total of 1,136 volunteer hours of planning, organization and preparation for NSYS high school projects.

The projects themselves have involved 1,284 students. The average age of student participating in these programs was 15.6 years.

A further statistical break down is available from North Shore Youth Services upon request.

"It is our hope that the work of NSYS can be quantitatively and qualitatively appreciated by the citizens of our community" said Mr. Salvis.