About KEYS
KEYS (Keys to Empowering Youth to Succeed)
Keys to Empowering Youth to Succeed (KEYS) is a pilot project here at FRH. The three KEYS staff (a Project Lead and two Youth Success Coaches) work with the students, families and staff at the school. The primary purpose of KEYS is to assist students and their families with their physical and mental well being, with a focus on transition and development.
KEYS aims to improve the coping behaviours, knowledge and skills of students and their families, thereby enabling them to make healthy choices and adopt positive behaviours that protect their mental and physical health. Ultimately we want to be proactive in our approach. Research tells us that active participation by both the students and their families leads to greater success in this growth process.
The KEYS staff have three main methods of offering support:
1 Youth Connections: Drop-in recreational opportunities (physical and artistic) are available at F.R. Haythorne before classes, at lunch and after school. These activities allow students to build and maintain positive relationships as well as increase their support system by building rapport with KEYS staff and peer group.
2 One-on-One Mentoring: One-on-one support involves focused mentoring, facilitated learning and guidance. Areas of support are student specific and may include self-esteem, decision making and conflict resolution. Together students, KEYS staff and parents will identify the primary areas of focus.
3 Organized Group Learning: Registered Groups will explore various areas of self-growth. These groups are facilitated by at least one member of the KEYS team and may at times be supported by a guest facilitator(s).
Youth Connections is available for any student who choses to participate. Parental consent is needed for students to participate in One-on-One Mentoring and Organized Group Learning.
For any questions or to request additional information please contact either the KEYS Project Lead, Jennifer Beyer, or the F.R. Haythorne School Counsellor, Karen Wiltse.
Asset Development Framework
KEYS has as one of its core beliefs the Asset Development Framework as developed by the Search Institute http://www.search-institute.org/ It lists 40 assets that help young people make healthy decisions, choose positive paths and grow up competent, caring and responsible. The are cumulative, which means that the more assets a child has the better.
Asset building is a positive approach to youth development. It focuses on investing wisely in all youth; increasing their exposure to positive, constructive activities; and instilling values and skills that will guide them from the inside. Building assets is not a quick fix. It takes time. KEYS staff believe that this is time well spent - an investment in the future - and they use this framework when working with students, families and school staff.
For a complete list of the 40 assets and ideas for how to nurture these assets in children go to http://www.search-institute.org/content/40-developmental-assets-adolescents-ages-12-18
For tools and information specific to parents go to http://www.search-institute.org/families
For a brief background on the Asset Framework go to http://www.search-institute.org/research/assets/background
Our Partners
We are proud to partnered with :
- Alberta Health Services Addiction and Mental Health
- Alberta Health Services Community Youth Services
- Alberta Health Services Public Health
- Child and Family Services Authority Region 6
- Elk Island Public Schools
- Strathcona County Family and Community Services
This project is funded by the Alberta Mental Health Board.
YOO Magazine
YooMagazine is an online interactive health magazine for youth that offers universal access to standardized, current health information from health professionals. The magazine's goal of promoting health literacy amongst youth is an indirect way of helping kids make positive choices for their health and well-being. FRH has registered for YooMagazine and students will receive access information in May. If parents would like to preview the site they can go to http://www.yoomagazine.net (username: demo / password: mydemo). More information is also available in the YooMagazine Executive Summary.
