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School Change Program
Build a school culture of care and respect.
Change it Up!
Change it Up! is a week-long school change program for designed to build a more caring, respectful and fun environment in your hallways and classrooms. It focuses on building positive relationships between students, and empowers students throughout the school to create the kind of positive environment that helps them grow as individuals, friends, students and citizens.
The YES Camp has been creating positive, transformative, and caring environments with 14-18 year olds for over 40 years in a camp environment. We know, from having worked with thousands of teens exactly what kind of environment helps them thrive, and exactly what kind of environment they crave. We also know how to make it happen. Through fun, games, music, activities and simple concepts, The YES is offering a collaborative experience that will help students and staff Change it Up! and make their school the kind of social environment that they wake up excited to participate in.
Program Structure
Change it Up! is a 3-6 day school program that involves all students and staff in a middle or high school.
1. A full school assembly, aimed at energizing the student body in preparation for the program, and introducing key concepts of the program, as well as the Change it Up! facilitators.
2. A training session for leaders from within the student body. Leadership students, as well as engaged and interested students from throughout the school, participate in a training session that will allow them to take on a big role in the Change it Up! process, and the creation of a more positive school culture.
3. A full day program that can be delivered to mixed sections of the student population. One of the main goals of this day is to create connections and relationships across the divides of grades, cliques and student groups. This full day session includes many games and activities that will help students to expand their social circle, break down their assumptions and fears, and work together with their peers in an environment that encourages healthy risk-taking and fun. Depending on the size of your school, this session will take place with groups between 100 and 250 students over a period of 1-3 days
Inspiring, a complete understatement. I feel like my life has been forever changed. I honestly have no doubt in my mind that our school has been permanently changed and every single person who was involved feels more lovable and capable. I have so much love that was put into my heart and feel so incredibly lucky to have been a part of this week. Not only do I feel incredibly motivated to keep trying, I am so inspired by each and every single individual in my school. All of you are so lovable and capable, keep smiling, and whenever you are feeling down, look beside you, there shall be someone with you. Thank you immensely.
Nika, Change it Up! Participant at PSO in 100 Mile House
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A professional school dance: complete with DJs, audio equipment, lights, decoration and The YES Crew to help chaperone and pump up the positive energy. This is a wonderful way to conclude the Change it Up! week, and really unify your school in a positive way.
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A session for your faculty: The YES team would love to run a 2-6 hour workshop with your staff team. This session is focused on giving the educator's version of the Change it Up! program and it is recommended for the beginning of the Change it Up! week. It offers the faculty a better idea of what we're doing, how they can support students, and allows the themes and concepts to sink deeper into the school culture and be carried on throughout the year with the leadership of teachers, administrators and support staff.
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Small workshops: For any group requiring special attention. Sometimes the large group atmosphere isn't the best environment for everyone. If there are groups within your school that would benefit from a smaller workshop environment, our facilitators will work with you to design a program that meets their needs.
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A follow-up assembly or session: The dynamic effect of Change it Up! builds a tremendous amount of momentum within a school and this buzz can be felt long after The YES Team has left, and that's a wonderful thing. To help keep this momentum going in the right direction, it can be helpful to have The YES Team back after a couple of months for a celebration event to reinforce the positive change and keep that Change it Up! vibe alive.
Additional Offerings
Learn More
Change it Up! Programs have been held at Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School, 100 Mile House Junior School, Ucluelet Secondary School, The Fraser Academy, Ashcroft Secondary School, and Revelstoke Secondary School.
Funding for these programs has been provided by local Parent Advisory Councils, the Clayquot Biosphere Trust, the Columbia Basin Trust, The United Way, Revelstoke Credit Union, The Ucluelet Consumers Co-op, the schools themselves, and private donors.
We are also able to offer a shorter Change it Up! Energizer program.
For more information, please contact:
Chelsea Lake, Executive Director
email: director@theyes.ca
phone: 604-960-1377
