The Winnipeg Y’s Youth Leadership program met on November 26, 2011 for Peace Jam 2011. The jamboree is an annual gathering of Y leadership participants from around the city, where teens aged 12-17 can learn about peace, socialize, and meet other youth in the program from around Winnipeg.
This year the jamboree was held at the South Branch and over 70 youth were in attendance. The evening started off with an introduction from Ken Mason, Manager of the North Y Youth Centre. With him was Kalyn Murdock, a former leadership participant with the Y. Kalyn told leadership participants about her past experience with the Y. She was first introduced to Y programming when she went to Camp Stephens as a youth in 2-week canoe trip. After returning to camp year after year, and eventually becoming a counsellor at Camp Stephens, she took advantage of an opportunity within the Y to travel internationally and volunteer while doing so.
Later in the evening, participants were separated into groups and led through several different team-building and Peace Week oriented sessions including a role-play activity called “Natura” designed to assist them understand and appreciate collaborative problem solving. The activity, which comes from the
YMCA Peace Week Activity Guide, was later de-briefed and discussed by the group.
And lastly, after pizza and a jam-packed evening of activities, the leadership participants headed to the pool and finished their evening in the water.
Submitted by Gordon Chandler
International Working Group Member
South Leader
