Therapeutic Programs

	Paha Kwagen Yik Meh Thote “One in spirit, taking care of others”
			Tla’Amin Community Health Services Youth Program Since 2003 Terracentric has been working intensively with youth aged 9 to 18 years and their parents in the reserve community of Tla’Amin BC. Funded through Vancouver Coastal Health’s SMART Fund and sponsored by Tla’Amin Community Health Services, this innovative youth centered therapeutic program has four key objectives;

	1) Facilitate youth groups, single sex and coed, to discuss issues and concerns that help youth to recognize and identify the triggers that set them on paths to unhealthy behaviors. This objective is accomplished by using workshops, group and individual counseling sessions and traditional talking circles to facilitate the youth to process as a peer group, strategies in managing their social, school, and family and community life.
			2) Develop peer advocacy skills in the community through the use of the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), format. Within this objective, the Tla’Amin Youth Advisory Council addresses peer issues and concerns in a by-youth for-youth format. As well, the YAC leads programs and activities that promote healthy lifestyles that support their mental, physical, and spiritual health.

	3) To mentor and educate community members and parents to be supervisors, advocates or chaperones of youth led programs, Tla’Amin Health Service programs, and a community led initiatives led by Chief and Council. 4) To open lines of communication for parents and community members to develop neighborly supports for positive healthy choices made by the youth and to further educate the community as to underlying factors leading to harmful behaviors.

			Using a “harm-reduction” type approach youth are engaged through Terracentric’s Adventure Based therapy model that challenges youth to take risks in a supportive environment. Our strategy with this program relies on weekly adventure learning programs interspersed with a variety of dynamic workshops. These sessions are specifically designed to promote healthy lifestyles, build personal and inter personal skills, cultural rediscovery and develop outdoor skills with the end goal of improved self concept leading to increased resiliency and hope. Youth exchanges, annual cultural Rediscovery camps in the territory of the Tla’Amin as well as supported participation at regional Aboriginal youth gatherings complete our programming.
	The Paha Kwagen program builds on the strength and assets of the community by helping the community re-build coping and parenting skills. Please contact us for further information on this and other examples of our Therapeutic Adventure Learning programs.

Terracentric Coastal Adventures Ltd. © 2003 P.O. Box 146, Lund, BC, Canada, V0N 2G0 email - info@terracentricadventures.com