Our Building Life Skills (BLS) Program allows youth to explore different ways to achieve independence. Youth participate in activities that are designed to equip them with a wide range of skills and experiences. These experiences see the development of each participant’s physical health, nutrition, ability to cope with stress, money management and self-esteem as the foundation to maintaining independence. There are 5 activities that are incorporated in the BLS Program; Camping Project, Me So Hungry, Touch of a Goddess, Stone Edge Challenge and Dreams Under Construction.
In May 2009, Touchstone developed a Youth Engagement Model, designed to allow TYC to collaborate with youth and strengthen the programs and services we provide and they access. There are 10 representatives that sit on the Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Each representative works endlessly to inform youth of the issues that affect youth and organize solutions that promote youth engagement and empowerment. YAB Representatives come from many different backgrounds and sub-cultures, and assist with establishing a holistic voice and perspective that best represent the youth population of Toronto.
Me So Hungry is a culinary arts and budgeting program designed to help youth understand the science of food and money. Its objective is to help participants develop an awareness for maintaining a nutritious diet under a set income. Participants learn how to develop a menu that can be supported by a hot plate, convectional range and microwave and is set a standard budget of $20 (serving up to 5 people). This program is ran over a 6-week cycle with a graduation during the 6th week. Each participant who completes the program receives support in obtaining their Smart Serve and Food Handler’s Certificate.
The Touch of a Goddess (TOG) Program is an internal initiative designed to reach the needs of female youth who suffer from the effects of low self-esteem and negative body image. The program is held at 1076 Pape Avenue (Touchstone Youth Centre) in the Multipurpose Room of the main floor.
The Stone Edge Challenge is a multi-focused program that challenges the physical abilities of youth. Participating youth will be exposed to several different activities over a 2-month period where they learn and develop physical skills that promote self-care and self-esteem.
The Dreams Under Construction Project focuses on allowing youth to ‘dream’ of what they want their community to be in the future. This act of dreaming is then channelled through the power of the arts where youth explore expressive ways to invite other youth in sharing their dreams.
Touchstone Youth Centre’s Camping Project explores the possible outcomes and effects nature has when used as a therapeutic milieu in conjunction with recreational therapy. Youth who are homeless face many difficult obstacles every day of their lives. These include finding housing; resume writing and interview skills; navigating through legal systems and learning how to live under one roof with many rules, limitations and strangers. They also tackle the difficulties of living with mental health, addictions, histories of abuse and gang-related issues. This lifestyle can be challenging and often stressful for youth (Goodman, Saxe and Harvey, 1991). By removing these youth from their everyday stressors, this project hopes to see a temporary improvement in the overall mood and affect of each participant.
