The Athabasca Mentorship Program held their year-end wrap-up at the Athabasca Senior's Drop-in Centre May 31.
Program co-ordinator Nadine Tomuschat said 35 students, along with their families and their 36 mentors, attended the event to celebrate their new friendships over the past year.
"There were around 100 people there for the wrap-up," Tomuschat said. "Everybody who attended really enjoyed it. The foods class from Edwin Parr Composite school did the lunch for it, as they have done for the past couple of years, and it was great."
As for the program itself, Tomuschat mentioned that the Athabasca FCSS has run it for the past 17 years.
"The program is adults over the age of 18 meeting with grade 3 or 4 students at their schools during their lunch hour once a week," she said. "They get to do fun activities that might be of interest to both the mentor and the mentee. Some of the things include going to the gym, or going outside to do things like skiing or snowshoeing."
She added not all the activities each participant does involve playing a sport.
"They could do a lot of crafts too," Tomuschat said. "They also always have lunch together along with the activity that they do, and they build quite a strong friendship over the course of the year. It starts in October of every year, and then we wrap it up around the end of May."
Tomuschat said at both Whispering Hills Primary and Landing Trails Intermediate schools, forms get sent home with the students every year.
"Each one just fills out what their interests are, and we try to match them with a mentor that has similar interests," she explained. "We do ask the children what food they like, and we also ask if they like to do physical or outdoor activities, if they like crafts, or even board games. Each form also must be signed by their parents before they get handed in."
She added they also asked the mentors similar questions.
"We then try to match them up based on that," Tomuschat said. "All of the mentors fill out their applications, and they must also pass a criminal record check, as well as a child intervention check, before they are eligible to become a mentor."
She said mentors usually come in from a variety of age groups.
"We have had some who were just 18-years-old who are fresh out of school," Tomuschat said. "And we have had some seniors who are retired and are looking for something to do once a week, and meet up with a young person. All of the mentors we have had said it's a great program. They feel like they get to go out an act like a kid one day a week."
More information about the Athabasca Mentorship Program can be found by contacting the Athabasca FCSS at 780-675-2623, or by checking out their webpage, at www.athabascacounty.com/services/family-community-services/mentorship/.
