Community Group Services
The York Centre provides group services, workshops, and seminars in the community. Groups can be offered either directly to the community or through another community organisation such as a local school.
The York Centre's Community Outreach Service works directly with children and youth between the ages of 5 to 18 to promote mental health and reduce violence within the community. We work in conjunction with COMPASS initiatives to provide community group services to their schools. This team provides group services, workshops and seminars. One of their areas of specialization has been with the delivery of Anti-Bullying, Bully Proofing, Cyber Bullying and Internet Safety groups within numerous schools across York Region. The bullying program has been designed to reduce the incidents of bullying/cyber bullying and to assist children/youth with managing situations in which they are victims of bullying. Other areas of specializaton include Anger Management groups and SNAP, both designed to help children or youth deal with effectively managing their frustration.
The following describes the types of Community Group Services offered by the York Centre.
Be Cybersmart
A group program for students to learn how to maintain safety on the internet. This program’s focus is to help students understand how to be ‘cybersmart’. A new world which includes: Facebook, My Space, spam, IM, private chat, surfing p2p, virus, firewalls, lol, phishing, ASL, pop-ups and file sharing. These are a few of the words, which are changing how people communicate. This is the language of cyberspace. When a new frontier is explored there are many dangers to be aware of that have the potential to harm us. This program is intended for students in grades 5 and up. The program consists of 6 sessions each session is 45 – 60 minutes.
Making A Difference
A group program for students who will learn how to reduce the power of bullying in their lives. Bullying! I don’t like it. Why should I be scared? What is it? What should we do? If I do nothing, will it go away? If I do something, will it go away? How can I help? Who can help me? These are a few of the difficult questions asked each day by students and their parents. This program is designed to help students find the answers, and to develop strategies to help reduce the power of bullies. The primary benefit of this program is providing students the “tools” to use to influence classmates to be a positive force in their schools to reduce bullying.
Group Members will:
• develop a definition of a bully
• learn about assertive behaviour
• to learn how to report bullying
• describe the difference between tattling and telling
• develop strategies to get help
• develop a plan to keep safe
• share this information with others
This is an eight-week program; each session is 45 to 60 minutes. Each week different dynamics of bullying behaviours are explored. This program stresses the importance of friendship and sharing this information with others in the school community. This program is intended for children grade 5 and older. If necessary, this program can be modified to help address bullying behaviours with younger children.
Taking Charge of Me (An Anger Management Skills Program)
A program to help students learn Anger Management skills Most students have learned how to handle anger and frustration using helpful assertive strategies. This group is for those students who need additional support and information, to develop plans to handle their anger, which reduces the amount of, harm they cause for themselves and others. This program is designed to help students learn about the skill of anger management. Successful anger management requires learning a skill set, which has many components and vocabulary. If students learn the language of anger management they have the basic tools to be able then plan how to apply the skill. Group Members will Identify and Describe; • Anger as a normal emotion • all people have different anger triggers • all people communicate their angry feelings • three ways people share their anger • anger effects people physically • anger affects judgement • relaxation begins with breathing • evaluate their behaviour This is an eight-week program each session 45- 60 minutes in duration. This program is intended for students in grades 3 and above. Students recommended for this program should also be relatively the same age. This program is intended to be delivered to a small group of students not less than 6 and no larger than 10 (depending on their level of group skill). The students in this group are required to have parent permission and membership is voluntary. Additionally a staff member of the school co-leads to help reinforce the skill building, to provide evaluations, and to liaison between the student, the teachers, and parents. Goal setting and self-evaluation is stressed throughout the program.
Building A More Confident Me
A program to help students learn how to cope more effectively with times of anxiety and stress. Most students have experienced times of anxiety or stress in their lives. (ie: a new school, a competition, moving from elementary to high school, moving, etc.) This group helps students understand that everyone experiences times of stress and anxiety and that they are not alone. It provides them with a set of tools to challenge themselves and to get help during such times. This is a ten-week program each session 45- 60 minutes in duration. This program is intended for students in grades 4 and above. Students recommended for this program should also be relatively the same age. This program is intended to be delivered to a classroom setting with teacher participation.
S.N.A.P.
This is a group designed to deal with difficult behaviours in children up to the age of 12. Group members will learn strategies on self-control and problem solving. Participants will develop skills such as anger management, how their bodies and minds react to situations and how to make plans to respond to upsetting situations.
This is a ten-week program each session running 30 to 45 minutes in duration. This program is intended for students in grades 1 to 4. Students recommended for this program should also be relatively the same age. This program is intended to be delivered to a small group of students not less than 6 and no larger than 10 (depending on their level of group skill). The students in this group are required to have parent permission and membership is voluntary
How to access the Community Outreach Team
Our goal is to provide community group services to schools in the York Region. If you feel students could benefit by participating in the programs we offer please contact your; Intervention Team (York Region Board of Education); Behavioural Consultants (York Catholic District School Board); or the Community Outreach Team for more information.
1. After a decision has been reached, our staff will arrange a meeting to discuss the needs of your school and to provide an overview of the program and to arrange the details for providing the service.
2. The school designate will share the plan with their staff. A co-leader/assistant from the school will be chosen to support the Community Outreach team in the delivery of the group service.
3. The school board staff member, together with the Intervention Team and the Community Outreach Worker will finalise the details for the group.
For more information, please call:
Central/North
Bruce Johnson
Community Outreach Worker
The York Centre
905-883-9413 x439
bruce.johnson@theyorkcentre.ca
East
Suzan Chu
Community Outreach Worker
The York Centre
905-887-5896 x425
suzan.chu@theyorkcentre.ca
West
Carrie Mazzei
Community Outreach Worker
The York Centre
905-887-5896 x445
carrie.mazzei@theyorkcentre.ca
You may also leave a detailed message in our voicemail 905-887-5896 x240 or email info@theyorkcentre.ca
Triple P: Positive Parenting Programs
Triple P is an evidence-based approach to support parents of children who have or are at risk of developing behaviour problems. It is a preventively oriented program which aims to promote positive, caring relationships between parents and their children, and to help parents develop effective management strategies for dealing with a variety of childhood behaviour problems and common developmental issues.
The York Centre offers Triple P group programs to the community in 3 formats: Triple P for Parents of Children 0 to 6 (offered through the York Centre’s Six and Under Services); Triple P for Parents of Children 0 to 12; and Triple P for Parents of Teens.
- Triple P for Parents of Children 0 to 6
This program aims to:- enhance knowledge, skills, confidence, self-sufficiency and resourcefulness of parents
- promote nurturing, safe, engaging, non-violent and low-conflict environments for children
- promote children’s social and emotional wellbeing
- four 2-hour group sessions
- three 15-30 minute one-on-one follow-up phone sessions
- one final group session
- Triple P for Parents of Children 0 to 12
This program aims to:- enhance knowledge, skills, confidence, self-sufficiency and resourcefulness of parents
- promote nurturing, safe, engaging, non-violent and low-conflict environments for children
- promote children’s social and emotional wellbeing
- four 2-hour group sessions
- three 15-30 minute one-on-one follow-up phone sessions
- one final group session
- Triple P for Parents of Teens
This is a multi-level system of family intervention for parents of children and adolescents who have or are at risk of developing behavioural problems.
The program is preventatively oriented and aims to:- promote positive, caring relationships between parents and their teenagers
- help parents develop effective management strategies for dealing with a variety of adolescent behaviour problems and common developmental issues
- 5 group meetings
- 3 phone consultations
- Other Groups for Parents
- Parent Support Group
The Parent Support Group provides an opportunity for parents of troubled children/youth to actively support and learn from each other. - Parenting Your Anxious Child Group
The Parenting Your Anxious Child Group is designed to help parents develop a better understanding of anxiety and how it affects the day to day lives of their children. Through experiential learning, parents will learn techniques that will help them to understand and help their children manage their anxiety in everyday situations. The same strategies taught may also be used by adults, therefore reducing the overall level of anxiety within the family system. - De-Escalating Crisis Situations in the Home
The De-Escalating Crisis Situations in the Home Group is designed to help parents deal with “crisis situations” which occur at home. Parents will learn to recognise the behavioural signs that indicate that a crisis may occur and how to respond in a manner which may diffuse the situation and allow for talking and planning with their child. - COPE Group
The COPE Group provides an opportunity for parents to improve their child management knowledge and practices via lectures, videos, role-playing, discussions, and mutual support. - Women’s Group
A small, self-growth group to facilitate members to gain insights into their emotional struggles and to develop coping strategies. An expressive art approach is used. - Father’s Group
These group sessions present parent education materials and provide an opportunity for father’s to discuss current difficulties about their children/youth, search for practical solutions, and gain insight into their own feelings and behaviour.
- Parent Support Group
