The West Island Y centre Diversion program helps youth aged 12 to 17 develop their social skills through workshops and recreational activities.

For more than 30 years, Diversion has fostered teens’ personal development and autonomy, helped develop their sense of community and volunteer spirit, as well as their leadership skills.

Each week, program participants gather to take part in a group workshop and a recreational activity that helps them develop a sense of belonging, form bonds and learn to work together with other members. These meetings are designed to raise their self-esteem, make them accountable and encourage them to make positive choices while developing their independence. They are also involved in planning schedules for activities and monthly workshops, and organizing volunteer activities.

A new segment of this program called Y-Pod is for children who are completing primary school. Y-Pod helps them prepare for secondary school by contributing to the development of their social skills. From February to June, Y-Pod participants attend a weekly 2-hour meeting that consists of a recreational activity and an educational workshop on such topics as intimidation, peer pressure, communication, and tools for success in secondary school. In conjunction with these meetings, they also have the opportunity to take part in a recreational activity with participants from the Group segment of the Diversion program, which gives them a sense of what the world of the older kids is like.

For more information, please contact Natalie Bérubé at the West Island Y centre, 514 630-9622, ext. 326.