Nicholas Donaldson
A new school year means a new start for “Project Sunset,” the youth engagement program led by the OPP for Crossroads students in Grades 5-8.
The program also is run at schools in Kenora, Dryden, and Sioux Lookout.
A meeting was held yesterday at the Fort Frances Public Library for community organizations to learn about the program, ask questions, and start thinking about possible ways to partner with it.
Senior Youth Engagement Co-ordinator Lincoln Dunn explained the program focuses on a proactive approach to teach the students life skills, with a focus on connecting with the community and strength-based learning.
“When they participate, they can be who they are, not who they think they have to be,” Dunn noted.
The focus is on outdoor activities like fire-making, hiking, mountain biking, and swimming in order to teach the youths about taking care of mind and body.
Last year, for instance, the students went on a four-day canoe trip, where they got to use the skills they had learned as well as interact with students across the four “Project Sunset” programs.
OPP special project co-ordinator Sgt. Anne McCoy spoke to the group about her involvement and the positive results she has seen.
She also noted the OPP tends to spend money on the reactive side of policing, so she enjoys being a part of a proactive program that is helping children engage with their community and develop a relationship with police officers.
Those attending yesterday’s meeting also were able to hear about first-hand experiences from Erica Lemelin, who just started Grade 9 but spent a few years as a part of “Project Sunset.”
When asking the community partners for ideas for activities, Dunn stressed there is a difference between the intent and the content in their curriculum.
He said it doesn’t matter what the youth are doing, as long as the “Project Sunset” messages of empowerment, positivity, potential, and using strengths instead of focusing on weaknesses come through in the activity.
Dunn said “Project Sunset” still is in the organizing stage for its fall activities but, as always, the program likely will focus on outdoor, community-based activities to engage the youth and stress their “full value commitment.”
That commitment provides guidelines on how they interact, as well as teaches the youths to “be here, be safe, speak your truth, set goals, let go and move on, and care for self and others.”
