The Zone celebrates first anniversary
Posted Mar 5, 2010 By EMC News
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Tweet ThisEMC News - It has been just over a year since the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre began offering front-line services to the youth in our community at the re-developed youth space now known as the Zone. The impacts have been great.
Since opening its doors on Jan. 17, 2009, the Zone has become the place where youth can access a safe space to talk, get together with friends, participate in a variety of organized recreation, complete community service hours, and engage in personal and leadership development. The Zone space and amenities have also been used by the youth accessing services at the Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre, church youth groups, the YMCA Leadership development program, and as a meeting place for the very successful WOCRC Parenting workshop series.
In this time, the Zone has benefitted from nearly 100 volunteer hours logged by dedicated people who have given generously of their time and talents. In turn, the youth, whose visits have now numbered in the thousands, have logged many community service hours through involvement in community outreach, the CIBC Run for the Cure, the Glen Cairn Santa Claus parade, and the Spring and Fall Clean the Capital campaigns.
The youth have also been rewarded with the opportunity to participate in city-wide initiatives. In September 2009, the WOCRC began a no-cost open gym program at John Young Elementary School for all community youth. The staff is working on an initiative that will link more youth with community service opportunities.
Many people and organizations have supported efforts at the Zone. Many thanks go out to Cathy Belanger and the Grade 11 business class of 2009, to Sobeys in Kanata for their contributions, to BMO and the proceeds from the "Kids In Motion" Grant and Dave Jensen at Play it Again Sports for the support of the summer street hockey program, and to CIBC Wood Gundy for the generous donation from the CIBC Children's Miracle Day fund. We are especially appreciative of the support from the Hazeldean Lion's Club, area community associations and the city.
Beginning in April, the WOCRC will be offering a no-cost eight-week Girls Self Esteem Group, and Boys Self Esteem Group, open to youth in the catchments between the ages of 12 and 16 years.
For more information, or to register, please call Julia at 613-591-3686, ext. 251. For more information regarding the Zone, please call Julie at 613-591-3686, ext. 498.
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