Ouray County Schools Community Resource Consortium

VOYAGER YOUTH PROGRAM SEEKS TO INSPIRE OURAY COUNTY'S YOUTH TO ACHIEVE HEALTHY LIVES THROUGH PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES WITH A PURPOSE.

VOYAGER YOUTH PROVIDED ENRICHMENT THROUGH THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:1) AFTER SCHOOL - WE PROVIDED FUN AND ENRICHING CARE TO 70, 5-12 YEAR OLDS. WE DECOMPRESSED AFTER SCHOOL WITH SNACKS, SHARED THE DAY'S HIGHS AND LOWS, CREATED AND PLAYED OUTSIDE. KIDS ALSO BUCKLED DOWN WITH HOMEWORK TIME AND RECEIVED HELP FROM STAFF.2) SUMMER - WE REDUCED ENROLLMENT BY 75%, FROM 40 TO 10 CHILDREN DAILY, TO ENSURE COVID SAFETY MEASURES. STILL, THE SUMMER DAYS WERE ACTION PACKED WITH LOTS OF OUTDOOR PLAY, GARDENING, EXPERIMENTING, LAUGHTER, AND WATER PLAY IN VOYAGER'S BACKYARD AND AROUND RIDGWAY. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED VISITING WITH HORSES AT THUNDERHEART HAVEN, BUILDING AND LAUNCHING ROCKETS DURING ROCKET WEEK, CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN JULY, AND BUILDING BOX CARS FOR A "DRIVE-IN MOVIE."BASECAMP ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:1) TEEN CENTER - THIS SAFE AND INCLUSIVE HANG-OUT SPACE SERVED 100 YOUTH, 12 YEARS AND OLDER. THEY HAD FREE ACCESS TO A FULL KITCHEN, FOOD, AND ENTERTAINMENT AFTER SCHOOL AND DURING THE SUMMER. OFTEN THEY JUST CHILLED WITH FRIENDS OR CHATTED WITH TRUSTED ADULT STAFF. COVID UNDERMINED OUR ABILITY TO HOST REGULAR EVENTS UNTIL THIS FALL WHEN WE HELD THE LGBTQ+ FRIENDS AND ALLIES HALLOWEEN PARTY.2) ADVENTURE WEDNESDAYS - 22 YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN 13, WEEKLY SUMMER ADVENTURES THAT OFTEN CHALLENGED THEIR COMFORT LEVELS AND INSPIRED TEAM BUILDING. THIS YEAR'S FAVORITES INCLUDED THE OURAY VIA FERRATA, HORSEBACK RIDING, ZIP LINING, ALPINE JEEPING, AND THE ESCAPE ROOM CHALLENGE.YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:1) SOURCES OF STRENGTH AND BASSAR - WE ADAPTED THE WEEKLY SOURCES MEETINGS IN OURAY AND RIDGWAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO ONLINE DURING SPRING CLOSURES BUT STARTED UP AGAIN IN-PERSON THIS FALL. VOYAGER'S TRAINED STAFF FACILITATED 17 PEER MENTORS IN BEST PRACTICES FOR STRENGTHENING PEER SOCIAL NETWORKS TO CHANGE UNHEALTHY YOUTH NORMS AND TO PREVENT SUICIDE, BULLYING, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. IN THE FALL, WE ALSO RE-LAUNCHED THE BASSAR (BUILDING AUTHENTIC-SELF, SAFETY, AFFIRMATION & RESILIENCY) PROGRAM FOR YOUTH IDENTIFYING AS LGBTQ+, DRIVEN BY YOUTH FOR YOUTH.2) PREVENTION - IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JUVENILE DIVERSION PROGRAM, VOYAGER'S CERTIFIED PREVENTION SPECIALISTS HOSTED MONTHLY SCHOOL PREP LUNCH GROUPS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND POST-GRADUATION PREP LUNCH GROUPS FOR SENIORS IN EARLY SPRING AND FALL. WECANCELED THE 2020 SAFE & SOBER AFTER PROM PARTY AND LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING IN 2021.

VOYAGER YOUTH PROVIDED ENRICHMENT THROUGH THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:1) AFTER SCHOOL - WE PROVIDED FUN AND ENRICHING CARE TO 70, 5-12 YEAR OLDS. WE DECOMPRESSED AFTER SCHOOL WITH SNACKS, SHARED THE DAY'S HIGHS AND LOWS, CREATED AND PLAYED OUTSIDE. KIDS ALSO BUCKLED DOWN WITH HOMEWORK TIME AND RECEIVED HELP FROM STAFF.2) SUMMER - WE REDUCED ENROLLMENT BY 75%, FROM 40 TO 10 CHILDREN DAILY, TO ENSURE COVID SAFETY MEASURES. STILL, THE SUMMER DAYS WERE ACTION PACKED WITH LOTS OF OUTDOOR PLAY, GARDENING, EXPERIMENTING, LAUGHTER, AND WATER PLAY IN VOYAGER'S BACKYARD AND AROUND RIDGWAY. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED VISITING WITH HORSES AT THUNDERHEART HAVEN, BUILDING AND LAUNCHING ROCKETS DURING ROCKET WEEK, CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN JULY, AND BUILDING BOX CARS FOR A "DRIVE-IN MOVIE."BASECAMP ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:1) TEEN CENTER - THIS SAFE AND INCLUSIVE HANG-OUT SPACE SERVED 100 YOUTH, 12 YEARS AND OLDER. THEY HAD FREE ACCESS TO A FULL KITCHEN, FOOD, AND ENTERTAINMENT AFTER SCHOOL AND DURING THE SUMMER. OFTEN THEY JUST CHILLED WITH FRIENDS OR CHATTED WITH TRUSTED ADULT STAFF. COVID UNDERMINED OUR ABILITY TO HOST REGULAR EVENTS UNTIL THIS FALL WHEN WE HELD THE LGBTQ+ FRIENDS AND ALLIES HALLOWEEN PARTY.2) ADVENTURE WEDNESDAYS - 22 YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN 13, WEEKLY SUMMER ADVENTURES THAT OFTEN CHALLENGED THEIR COMFORT LEVELS AND INSPIRED TEAM BUILDING. THIS YEAR'S FAVORITES INCLUDED THE OURAY VIA FERRATA, HORSEBACK RIDING, ZIP LINING, ALPINE JEEPING, AND THE ESCAPE ROOM CHALLENGE.YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:1) SOURCES OF STRENGTH AND BASSAR - WE ADAPTED THE WEEKLY SOURCES MEETINGS IN OURAY AND RIDGWAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO ONLINE DURING SPRING CLOSURES BUT STARTED UP AGAIN IN-PERSON THIS FALL. VOYAGER'S TRAINED STAFF FACILITATED 17 PEER MENTORS IN BEST PRACTICES FOR STRENGTHENING PEER SOCIAL NETWORKS TO CHANGE UNHEALTHY YOUTH NORMS AND TO PREVENT SUICIDE, BULLYING, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. IN THE FALL, WE ALSO RE-LAUNCHED THE BASSAR (BUILDING AUTHENTIC-SELF, SAFETY, AFFIRMATION & RESILIENCY) PROGRAM FOR YOUTH IDENTIFYING AS LGBTQ+, DRIVEN BY YOUTH FOR YOUTH.2) PREVENTION - IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JUVENILE DIVERSION PROGRAM, VOYAGER'S CERTIFIED PREVENTION SPECIALISTS HOSTED MONTHLY SCHOOL PREP LUNCH GROUPS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND POST-GRADUATION PREP LUNCH GROUPS FOR SENIORS IN EARLY SPRING AND FALL. WECANCELED THE 2020 SAFE & SOBER AFTER PROM PARTY AND LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING IN 2021.