e.+Nelson+-+Supporting+Positive+Mental+Health+and+Resilience+in+Boys

Nelson’s Supporting Positive Mental Health and Resilience in Boys coordinator Roger Luscombe has established a committee of community stakeholders to ensure that the project is addressing the identified needs in the community. Through this consultation process a plan was formed to provide day programming to boys in grades 5&6 in the area.


 * Update: August 4th, 2012: Current Project In Completion - Next Steps Underway.**

As can be seen in the projects Evaluation Summary on the evaluation page, Nelson mentors were able to work with some 140 boys in several public and private elementary & middles schools in our area. Through various modes of evaluation it appears the project goals were clearly met by the participating boys, mentors, school partners & all involved with the Nelson boys mentoring project.

To conclude this phase ( with hopes of continuation) the mentors held a closing day together to summarize our work and to make sure all mentors had a chance to debrief their experiences and prepare for future mentoring opportunities. Appreciations to Dr Duncan Grady, Monica Carpendale ( Kutenai Art Therapy Institute ), and Jennifer Ellis ( CAI project evaluator ) for guiding us through this day of integration & closure.

Appreciations as well to Regional CAI Program coordinator, Mike Kent, for his ongoing guidance and support and the maintenance of this Wiki Site.

Keeping the project alive is supported by all the schools involved, the Nelson project steering committee, current and aspiring mentors and the sponsoring agencies - Nelson Community Services Center and the Kootenay Boundary Community Services Cooperative. In that regard the current coordinator is keeping in touch with all vested parties and is actively seeking funding support & partnerships to continue to bring programs into the schools and to expand the program to include a weekly after school ongoing boys group component.

As one continuation of the mentoring, with Columbia Basin Trust funding secured through our Healthy Schools Coordinator, Louise Poole, mentors put together and presented video driven workshops ( Tough Guise - Jackson Katz) on male non-violence to all the grade 8 boys at Trafalgar School. These three two hour programs were well received and planted seeds for future student peer mentoring and ongoing male non violence work with the Trafalgar School student population.

Keep in touch with this Wiki or contact the Nelson Coordinator : Roger Luscombe, ncsc_roger@netidea.com, 250-352-3504, for questions / queries regarding future programing in the Nelson area.

Roger contact Roger at ncsc_roger@netidea.com


 * Mentor Capacity**

One of the strengths of the Nelson Project was the strong group of mentors that was formed, trained and supported by Roger. In following video clip of Bill Fehlner, describes his experience as a mentor for the program.

media type="youtube" key="CE-H1rByxds" height="315" width="560"

// Previous posts: //

A Nelson project open house event saw some 25 community members connecting with the coordinator and the Nelson mentor group as well as some parents and their boys who had participated in a mentoring event.

** Listen to the Earth ** ** Fly like an eagle, run like the river, think like a mountain **
 * Project **

The focus of the project is to have men mentor male student’s ages 8 to 12 years old by teaching leadership skills through environmental education and the creative process. Students will learn to support each other and gain social skills, minimizing anti social behaviors such as violence and bullying. The intention is to increase awareness, and interconnectedness in the students who participate and that they will communicate their learning to their families.


 * Project population: ** male children and youth grades 5 & 6, in selected elementary & middle schools in School District #8.


 * [[image:helpingboysbecomehealthymen/mask_making.jpg width="408" height="309" align="left"]]Identified issues **
 * Meaningfulness in male identity
 * Bullying
 * Peer pressure
 * Social skills
 * Low self esteem
 * Anxiety


 * Needs of the children and youth **
 * Increasing respectful behaviours
 * Increasing assertiveness
 * Improving social skills
 * Enhancing communication skills
 * Increasing self awareness in relationship to the environment
 * Opportunities to be creative and expressive in a supportive environment

//Pic: Mentored youngster with made animal mask//

Requests for workshops on the following issues and needs have come from students, parents, and professionals.


 * Learning Objectives **


 * To help male students find positive male identity
 * To provide an opportunity to have students develop skills in leadership.
 * To increase assertiveness and respect among student interactions.
 * To increase awareness of the interconnected nature of the environment.
 * To increase students’ awareness and skills in a way that will communicate learning, excitement and family involvement.
 * To develop an environmental educational model and activities for developing leadership skills and to address issues of violence and bullying.
 * To be applicable for future use and to teach repeatable activities for use by teachers, parents, and educational organizations
 * To demonstrate respect for fellow students


 * To have an opportunity for creative expression in art, words and voice in environmental concerns.
 * To identifying with other life forms through an imaginative experience
 * To increase empathy for endangered species and increased understanding of the impact on the world To gain an understanding of the interconnected ecology in the nature.
 * To engage in creative ways to enhance self awareness and ecological identity development;
 * To learn the value of natural metaphor in restoring internal and external balance;
 * To use restoration metaphors in the therapeutic process;
 * To use the creative process in bringing self awareness and increasing self expression;
 * To recognize the psychological impact of the impending threat of ecological disaster;
 * To learn about eco grief - the grief of losing species and habitats;
 * To apply the application of the principles of ecology to the principles of living with each other peacefully.