Mentoring
Program - A mentoring program will allow boys, whose
fathers have died, the opportunity to begin a close relationship
with an adult male. This mentor will hopefully be someone the
boy already knows and not someone that they would feel uncomfortable
when sharing. Boys and their mentors will meet at least twice
a month, in addition to the monthly group meetings, and be in
contact at other times when necessary. This relationship will
help to raise boys’ self esteem levels, provide them with
greater self-confidence, and lay the foundation for establishing
trust with other males their own age and older.
Monthly
Gatherings - Boys
will be given the opportunity to attend monthly meetings for all
the boys in the program. Each month a different topic will be
discussed about dealing with the death of their father. The discussion
will consist of different activities and small group sharing to
make boys feel a sense of community. For the second half, the
boys will take part in some sort of fun game or activity, possibly
including an “open gym” time. In addition to these meetings,
there will also be the option to go to social events as a group
which will include: sporting events, service projects, and other
bonding experiences.
Overnight
Camp -
Every spring, there will be a camp for the boys to come together
and build off of each other’s experiences through teambuilding
activities and other types of sharing. This camp experience will
provide the boys with a sense of security among their peers and
help alleviate any anxiety felt in large groups of their friends.
The theme for this year’s camp is “Band of Brothers”
and will be held April 21-22, 2007 at YMCA Camp Algonquin.
