Boys build confidence through Strength in being a Boy sessions
For the first time, boys in the Prince Albert area had a place to gather and break through social boundaries.
The YWCA hosted their inaugural Strength in Being a Boy event Friday, which makes them the fourth YWCA organization in Canada to host such an event. Roughly 40 boys from the region participated in the gathering.
“The key message is, is that you can be any boy that you want to be, not who society kinda streamlines as a boy, or who parents think you should be,” Kimberly Smith from the YWCA said. “Girls have a lot of programming in schools, a lot of programming in the community… the whole thing is [boys] need to know they can be dynamic, they can do more than what is offered [in Prince Albert].”
The first Strength in Being a Boy event focused on boys between the ages of 12 to 14. She said this age group was highlighted because as teenagers, boys are starting to become aware of their role in the world, and in the early teen years is a good time to educate them about self-esteem and the tools they can use to empower themselves.