By Sarah Wallace

CFS teaches youth to overcome inter-personal violence

Jan 16, 2013 | 11:45 AM

Prince Albert’s Catholic Family Services (CFS) is once again offering the youth program Climbing the Rock.

The cognitive based youth program is a part of CFS’s Family Life Education programs and helps teenagers deal with inter-personal violence in their life.

Rose Rothenburger, program coordinator for CFS, said Climbing the Rock is open to teens grade seven and up. The program runs one night a week for 90 minutes.

“It’s really a program for them to learn about overcoming inter-personal violence. So that could be violence in the home, it could be bullying, it could be even gangs. The program uses behavioral and skill-oriented strategies to help young people overcome personal struggles that they encounter after being exposed to any kind of inter-personal violence,” Rothenburger said.

The program uses a variety of weekly activities that are designed to improve self-esteem, make positive lifestyle choices, avoid unhealthy situations, control aggression, develop communication skills and reduce environmental risk factors.

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“They meet once a week right after school. There are two facilitators and they basically do things like roleplaying, you know if this happens to you this is how you can handle it rather than fighting, here are some strategies you can use.”

Along with the program participants receive a meal. “That kind of encourages them to come out and they have supper together with the facilitators.”

The program runs on two nights during the week, however one of the nights is already full.
Rothenburger said the session on Wednesdays at King George School will begin on Jan. 23 and still has spaces.

“Our funding includes [offering] cab rides or travel. If they feel they live too far from the school or it’s too cold to walk, we let them know that when they call in [to register] we’ll certainly provide transportation,” Rothenburger said.

The program even saw some teens come back for a second round of sessions. “They really got so much out of that it they wanted to take it again,” Rothenburger said.

To register for the class call 922-3202 or email them at cfspa@sasktel.net.

For more on the class click here

See the program's Facebook page

swallace@panow.com

On twitter: @sarahthesquid