JEN’S PLACE THERAPEUTIC GROUP CARE! MAY/JUNE 201327 VICTORIA ST. E., UNIT 207 VOL. 6 ISSUE 2!PO BOX 27 ALLISTON, ON WWW.JENS-PLACE.ORG!L9R 1T9 705-250-2233

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Bed AvailabilityWe accept youth ages 11-18.

We currently have one (1) bed available for

a female placement. We accept youth with the

following mental health challenges:

• Bipolar• Obsessive Compulsive

Disorder• Personality Disorders• Sleep Disorder• Oppositional Defiant Disorder• Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder• Conduct Disorder• Phobia’s

•Attachment Disorder

• Anxiety Disorders

For more information, contact Jenn Dyment or Jen Foster at jens-place@rogers.com

NEWSLETTERMay Flowers

• For May and June we are celebrating the following birthdays: Siobhan Miller (May 13), Ann Madill (May 18)and Mandy Short (June 25th).

• In the beginning of May we wished great thanks and best of luck for the future and said goodbye to our student placements from various colleges. Thank you to: Bianca Delzotto, Diana Reid, Rachel Coats, Nicole Venton, Krista Ewach and Ali Nesteruk for your hard work, determination and patience at Jen’s Place Orangeville, Alliston and the R.E.A.L program.

•This month all of our staff have completed their semi-annual UMAB training•Our REAL program instructor has been accepted into a training program as a

facilitator of sexual abuse trauma groups with YRAP which is the York Region Abuse Program. We are looking forward to her bringing back a variety of information we can all implement.

WHAT’S NEW AT JEN’S PLACESince May is known for when things begin to change, we at Jen’s Place are welcoming a change in staffing – we have added three new positions: Program Coordinator, Senior Residential Counsellor and Residential Support Worker! Ken Dutka, who has been on staff for over 8 years is moving to the ambitious new position of Program Coordinator and Siobhan Miller and Ann

Madill have accepted the positions of Senior Residential Counsellor. Jennifer McGovern will be moving from the overnight position to the Support Worker position. Congrat’s to everyone for doing such a fantastic job!

We would also like to welcome our new residential staff to our Orangeville location: Valerie Loucks and Roopsi Sohal.

Although the weather in May confused many of us, all the members at Jen’s Place are looking forward to what May flowers bring. Buds are sprouting, the grass is becoming a friendlier colour and even the sun is staying out longer – all welcomed ingredients for a great summer to come! Warmer weather means the potential for extra hot days but this just means more ice cream and beach trips.

We welcome month 2 to be able to update our readers about

our programs, upcoming conferences and information related to mental health illnesses.

In this issue, we are pleased to share a letter from a former resident. Receiving a note like this makes us realize even more that our homes really can be homes to all the amazing individuals that have, are and will visit.

Happy June!

JEN’S PLACE THERAPEUTIC GROUP CARE! MAY/JUNE 201327 VICTORIA ST. E., UNIT 207 VOL. 6 ISSUE 2!PO BOX 27 ALLISTON, ON WWW.JENS-PLACE.ORG!L9R 1T9 705-250-2233

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EmploymentRESIDENTIAL COUNSELLOR

• Relief positions available - must be able to do evenings, weekends and overnights

• Volunteer Driver - Mornings

CYC VIEWSOne of the significant changes

that we have noticed in our 20 + years in this field is the gradual embracing of the changes in intervention strategies that are far less authoritarian. When we started Jen’s Place, we were told that our choice of interventions, our use of creativity, and life space would not hold the children accountable and responsible for their actions. However, this was not what we had come to believe. There was never the assumption that teens specifically were inherently bad or that a ridged set of rules, close supervision and being told what to do, and ultimately punishment (imposed and illogical more often than not) was going to create ‘obedient’ youth and adults. What we did believe was that type of intervention would create youth and adults who would be repetitively re-traumatized, not be able to self-assess, think critically, challenge the thinking and actions of people and the world around them. How does one learn to solve conflict or problems when the expectation and conditioning is to listen to and obey authority? What guides will exist for new challenges and making choices to deal with those challenges?

Making mistakes is a risk that we take every time we come up with a determination to take an action. When our choices make a situation worse, not better, accidentally or intentionally, there are consequences and learning opportunities created. If consequences are imposed, they should be constructed in a way that

help youth learn from their mistake in order to reduce further mistakes. When the consequence is disconnected from the mistake and there is no opportunity to learn, it becomes punishment which again can repetitively re-traumatize the youth. Punishment fulfills our own needs of control and predictability and the vengeance of ‘I told you so.’

Sometimes, the constant learning and creating learning opportunities from making mistakes is energy consuming for both the youth and the staff. Becoming complacent and accepting of the outcomes of repetitive mistakes or intolerant of the time spent attempting to reduce what may seem life an endless effort. Unfortunately once these beliefs are established, it can be very difficult to change. It is a self-perpetuating system as even the idea of changing intervention strategies can be viewed as a fundamental threat to order and power. The use of control has conditioned us to believe that the external controls of others keep people safe, is predictable and stable. However, is it in the long run?

If the goal is to be accountable and responsible for one’s choices and actions, then a safe and stable environment is needed where one is comfortable in taking chances, making mistakes, and experiencing and learning from those mistakes. When we provide a guide for children to make choices that they are capable of making that is when they will assume responsibility and the consequences for those choices.

Services ProvidedJEN'S PLACE SUPERVISED

ACCESS PROGRAM MORE FLEXIBILITY IN

SCHEDULING THAN EVERFor more information or to

REQUEST A BROCHURE OR APPLICATION please contact:

705-250-2233

The REAL ProgramTO REQUEST A COURSE CALENDAR

PLEASE CONTACT:

Lisa Bonadie CYW (Cert.) BA, M.ED

27 Victoria St. E, Unit 208, PO Box 22 Alliston, ON L9R 1T9

Telephone: (705)241-8079 Fax: (705)250-3344

Email: realprogram_jensplace@rogers.com

The Rebuilding Education and Alternative Learning Programming (R.E.A.L) principal, teacher and program developer is always hard at work trying to find both fun and educating experiences for her students and residents at ALL the houses. Currently she is trying to set up a girls mentoring girls group to be facilitated by Roz Mogani for both houses; Roz is a professional make-up artist that has worked with Much Music and Degrassi Junior High, etc. She has begun to facilitate girls mentoring girls groups and has even taken it internationally at times. This will include the girls having their make-up done by a professional make-up artist and talking informally about different topics facing girls today.

JEN’S PLACE THERAPEUTIC GROUP CARE! MAY/JUNE 201327 VICTORIA ST. E., UNIT 207 VOL. 6 ISSUE 2!PO BOX 27 ALLISTON, ON WWW.JENS-PLACE.ORG!L9R 1T9 705-250-2233

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CONFERENCES AND TRAININGSConnecting at the

CrossroadsFrom June 25-28, 2013 the

first ever Child and Youth Care World Conference, will be held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The World CYC conference is being hosted by the Child and Youth Care Association of Newfoundland and Labrador in collaboration with the International Child and Youth Care Network (CYC-Net). The Child and Youth Care World Conference will bring together professionals from around the world – connecting across geography – who provide care, education and treatment for vulnerable children, youth and families. It will offer world class educational, training and networking opportunities for child and youth care workers, social workers, foster parents, teachers, guidance counselors, therapists, outreach workers, administrators, managers, psychiatrists, researchers and related child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice practitioners and those who support them – connecting across disciplines. It will bring together elders, current leaders and new practitioners –

connecting across generations – and front-line workers, educators, managers, trainers, and researchers – connecting across practice domains.

The Therapeutic Use of Daily Life Events is a training of TransformAction International. Developed by Thom Garfat, PhD (Canada)

with John Digney, PhD (Ireland) and Leon Fulcher, PhD (New Zealand)

The Therapeutic Use of Daily Life Events, commonly referred to as dle™, is designed to help the direct care practitioner become more effective in daily interactions with young people and families. Through a focus on everyday events and how these events connect to the overall goals established with young people and/or families, the direct care practitioner adopts a more pro-active approach in intervention. dle offers the potential to make every moment with young people and families more meaningful.

For inquiries on providing dle training to your agency/organization or to find dle training arranged in your area, please contact:

Jennifer Foster - Senior dle Trainer(705)250-2233 jens-place@rogers.com

A major depressive disorder — usually just called “depression” — is different than the “blues”. Someone experiencing depression is grappling with feelings of severe despair over an extended period of time. Almost every aspect of their life can be affected, including their emotions, physical health, relationships and work. For people with depression, it does not feel like there is a “light at the end of the tunnel” — there is just a long, dark tunnel.

-Please feel free to visit the website below for more facts, causes, symptoms and treatment options for Depression-

Source: CMHA. April 12 2013: http://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/understanding-mental-illness/depression/

Activities/Interventions Depression drains your energy,

hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to feel better. However, while overcoming depression isn’t quick or easy, it’s far from impossible. You can’t beat it through sheer willpower, but you do have some control—even if your depression is severe and stubbornly persistent. The key is to start small and build from there. Feeling better takes time, but you can get there if you make

positive choices for yourself each day.

This website provides a lot of information for how an individual dealing with depression can try and start to overcome it. Please note that all suggestions can be initiated by another individual wishing to help someone deal with this illness.

-For more information, check back monthly and visit the website below:

Source: Melinda Smith, M.A., Robert Segal, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. Helpguide.org. April 15 2013: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_tips.htm

LEARN ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS -DEPRESSION

JEN’S PLACE THERAPEUTIC GROUP CARE! MAY/JUNE 201327 VICTORIA ST. E., UNIT 207 VOL. 6 ISSUE 2!PO BOX 27 ALLISTON, ON WWW.JENS-PLACE.ORG!L9R 1T9 705-250-2233

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JEN’S PLACE - ALLISTONThe house will be experiencing a small staffing

change but everyone is willing and ready to make it as smooth a transition as possible! In a few short weeks we should be able to enjoy the outdoor pool located in downtown Alliston – a favorite for all at the house. All of us at the Alliston location very much look forward to the weekends when we get to go to Wasaga (for example) and see pop artist Massari. Being able to accompany our residents and share in their daily activities is what makes every step worthwhile. Every month brings on new challenges, which involve adventure, learning and experiences – bring on June!

Our Orangeville location is quickly filling up and this means that things are getting busy, but in a good way! We continue to have an expansion of our staff team which means

that there is the continuous development of our staff training calendar to meet our specific staffing needs.

Although the weather cannot seem to make up its mind – we at Orangeville are ready for the summer to begin! In a few weeks we will be planting and then able to enjoy some things like delicious heirloom tomatoes. We will have some extra hands for the gardening we have FINALLY been able to begin – that frost and snow over mother’s day

weekend made us have to wait postpone planting. Our property has many gardens that require attention – we are looking forward to sharing with our residents the responsibility and joys that come from planting and maintaining a beautiful space.

! The online metro news labeled it the following: Children victimizing children: Police seeing teens involved in human trafficking - “Since Canada’s human trafficking laws came into effect seven years ago, police are finding the victims and perpetrators are often younger than anyone would like to believe, says a Toronto detective who specializes in prostitution cases. The people who are exploiting them [the victims who are being turned to work in the sex trade agency] aren’t much older,” he [a detective on the case] added: ‘I guess the stereotype that a lot of people think of is of somebody much older, savvy to the business and knows how to play the game

— but it’s young people who are realizing just how

lucrative prostitution can be’.! We are posting this content to make the public more aware of this situation. If you would like to read the full article, please follow the following link: http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/624657/cchildren-victimizing-children-toronto-police-seeing-young-people-involved-in-human-trafficking-cases/

Source: Jessica Smith. Children victimizing children: Police seeing teens involved in human trafficking April 14 2013: http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/624657/cchildren-victimizing-children-toronto-police-seeing-young-people-involved-in-human-trafficking-cases/

Below is a written copy of a letter received to our staff by a former resident. We wanted to share this with our readers as it is confirmation of the hard work we do to give our residents the best possible stay and home while they are with us.Please know the following letter has not been edited: we wanted to keep the genuineness.

Jen MHey how are you, I miss you hopefully i come back and you can be my prime worker again. Since I’ve been in the Roy I’ve gotten five credits but being locked up for 3 months isnt fun i wish i was out injoying the good weather. I regret everything i did. If i come back im going to be a diffrent Kid, I really hope I come back, its like you guys are all family well your like a second mother. I’ve learned my lesson now and it’s time for me to change im done with drinking and doing drugsits not worth being put in Jail and it just brings me down…Much Love

JEN’S PLACE - ORANGEVILLE

SPECIAL