Youth Day Program receives donation from local group

Jun 8, 2018 | 8:04 AM

100 Women Who Care Grande Prairie presented a cheque to the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation to aid the Alberta Services Mental Health and Addictions Youth Day Program.

It received $10,500 that will help enhance services by adding a sensory room. The room could feature a projector, 80″ bubble tube, fiber optic spray, swing or hammock, and wobble chairs to name a few.

Christie Spronk Clinical Supervisor of the AHS Youth Day Program says it is there to assist kids from grades 7 to 12.

“It is a voluntary eight-week program for youth experiencing problems because of their addiction and mental health and they range from about 12 to 17 years of age.”

The program was launched on April 23 and has five students enrolled at the moment. That number will grow to eight come next month.

“There’s lots of youth out there that aren’t able to attend school or function in the community,” Cronk explained that this could mean not getting a job because of severe mental health issues like anxiety, depression or addiction. “So this will help give them the skills in order to be able to return back to school or the community in order to be able to function and have successful lives,” she said.

by Brady Ratzlaff