The Impact- Youth Mentor Project is a free program for rural youth of all genders, ages 12-18.
Impact creates an opportunity for youth to maintain and/or establish new connections to youth programming, younger children, their peers, safe adults and the community. Mentoring provides a chance for youth to develop leadership skills, plan activities, and contribute to decision-making and youth program strategic planning.
Our central principle is youth and adults sharing power, decision making and respect.
All participants can mentor weekly at Game On! Mobile Active Youth Program in any of the communities we serve (Palmer, Combermere, Killaloe, Whitney, Barry’s Bay and Westmeath) Girls, trans and non-binary mentors can join us at Rise Empowerment in Killaloe. At these programs mentors take the lead with games, snack preparation and group decision-making. They encourage participation, role model positive group involvement and develop personal connections with younger participants.
Along with participating in weekly programs, IMPACT Youth Mentors come together from all our different communities, to meet as a peer group one Friday of every month. Maintaining the over aching principle of Game On! (physical literacy, food literacy and social/emotional literacy) and RISE (connection, self-confident, critical thinking, communication and resiliency) we highlight:
- Group decision making
- Youth leadership skills
- Event planning
- Safer social media use
- Critical thinking skills
- Active By-stander skills
- Healthy eating
- Active Living
- Community involvement
- Confidence building
- Youth-led goal setting
- Healthy relationships
These peer group meetings cultivate healthy peer relationships, support positive group dynamics and strengthen the connections needed for youth to thrive through high school years and beyond.
