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6TuesdayOctober142014ByDALICARMICHAELAsactivistsaroundtheworldcelebratedtheUNsInternationalDayoftheGirlChildovertheweekendoneinitiativeinYellowknifewasgearinguptoempoweryoungwomenonamorelocallevel.WorkonthenewYWCAYMentorspro-gramkickedofflastweekaimedatofferinggirlsaged11to13thechancetolearnaboutanddiscusstheever-evolvingmeaningofgirlhoodwithguidancefrompeerandadultrolemodels.SocialoutcomesskyrocketwhengirlshavetheopportunitytoconnectsaidAsh-leyMacDonaldtheprojectsleaderwiththeYWCA.Gradesgoupemploymentlevelsgoupjobreadinessgoesupself-identitygoesupself-esteemgoesupself-condencegoesup.Itsamagicalthingwhengirlsgettoconnect.MacDonaldheldasuccessfulrecruitmentnightforwomeninterestedinvolunteeringwiththeprogramlastWednesday.Onceeverytwoweeksthewomenwillbeexpectedtomeetupwithgroupsoftwotofourgirlsforvariousactivitiesfromsocialactivismtohostingcriticalconversationsaboutimagesofwomeninthemedia.OntheirweeksoffthementorswillcheckinwiththeirmenteesthroughasimplephonecallorSkypesession.Tojointheprogramallparticipantsareaskedtomakeaone-yearcommitmenttoallowtimefortheirrelation-shipstobloom.WhilethereisnosetstartdateforYMen-torsMacDonaldsaidshehopestorollitoutinthenearfuture.ThenewinitiativebuildsoffthestrongbaseoftheorganizationsGirlspaceprogramaleadershipandempowermentinitiativeforgirlseightthrough18.WhileMacDon-aldsaidsheisproudoftheworkshesdoneone-on-onewiththegroupshebelievesthegirlswillbenetfromlearningfrommulti-pleperspectives.ImtheonlyfacilitatorforGirlspacesotheyvebondedverystronglywithmeshesaid.Thisisgoingtoallowthemtoseeotherwomenwhohavedifferentex-periencesanddifferentskillsanddiffer-entbackgrounds.LocalworkreectsinternationalinitiativeThegoalsofYMentoralignwiththoseoftheInternationalDayoftheGirlChildcel-ebratedannuallyonOct.11.Theoccasionisdedicatedtopromotinggirlshumanrightswhileaddressinggenderinequalitiesdis-criminationandabuseoverwhelminglysuf-feredbygirls.ThisyearseventthemeisEmpoweringadolescentgirlsEndingthecycleofvio-lenceasentimentthatreectstheworktheYWCAisdoing.ItsreallyjustexcitingthatitstakingoffaroundthesametimeastheDayoftheGirlChildbecausegirlshaveittoughinalotofwaysbuttheressomuchtocelebrateMac-Donaldsaid.Imalwaysremindingthegirlsthatweresobraveandweresoerceandweresohardworkingandwehavethesein-natestrengthsthataresometimesinthemediaturnedaroundandmadetoseemlikeweak-ness.Theresstrugglesthatarereallyuniquetobeingagirl.Youcanhearacollectivesighinthegroupwhentheyrealizethattheyreallinthesameboat.WitheveryyearcomesafreshgroupofgirlseagertoembracethesenseofempowermentsharedthroughtheYWCAsprogrammingandwhoareoftenreadytospreadthefeelingthemselves.Ivebeendoingthisforveyearsandsee-ingtheeffectsoftheprogrammingonthegirlsisabsolutelyremarkableMacDonaldsaid.TheyarelittlepowerhousestheyreallleadersintheirownregardcomingoutofGirlspacealreadyhavingfoundtheirvoice.Thiswillgivethemabitmoreopportunitytotakethatoutofthelocationwherewevebeenworkingandgoingoutinthecommunity.YWCAtoempowergirlsthroughmentorshipprogramUNInternationalDayoftheGirlcelebratedasnewinitiativegetsunderwayHEALTHWELLNESSFAMILIESPhotocourtesyoftheYWCAYellowknifeHEALTHWELLNESSYOUTHParticipantsoftheYWCAsempoweringGirlspaceprogramwillhavetheopportunitytogrowevenmorewiththenewYMentorprogramwheretheywillhaveaccesstofemalepeerandadultmentors.FosterParentAppreciationWeekatimetoreectonthesystemByDALICARMICHAELEventhoughtheterritorialfostercaresystemwasslammedwithascathingreportfromtheAuditorGeneralearlierthisyearoneadvocatebelievesitsimportanttoacknowledgethegoodworkbeingdonebymanyindividualswhotakechildrenintotheirhomes.Oct.19to25marksFosterParentAppreciationWeekandthoughsomeintheterritorymightfocusonthenegativequalitiesofthesystemgovernedbythedepartmentofHealthandSo-cialServicesHSSothersaretakingthetimetoreectonitssuccesses.FosterParentAppreciationWeekisjusttoacknowledgethatfosterfamiliesdevotetheirtimeandenergytokidsbutalsototheirfami-liesbecauseitsaboutstrengtheningfamiliessotheycanbereunitedsaidTammyRobertsexecutivedirectoroftheFosterFamilyCoali-tionoftheNWT.Fosteringis24hoursadaysevendaysaweek365daysayear.Thatsalotofgivingthatpeopledo.AfosterparentherselfRobertssaidthereisworkthatneedstobedonetoimprovethesys-temwhichissomethingherorganizationisconstantlystrivingtoachieve.AuditorGeneralreportsfrom2014and2011revealedweaknessesintheaccountabilityoftheNWTsfostercaresystem.Mostegregiouswasthelackoffollow-upreportingdonetoensurethesafetyofchildrenintheirfosterhomesleavingyouthvulnerabletopotentialabuseandneglect.Whenthereportcameoutitwasntreallyshockingtoanybodywhoisinvolvedwithfos-tercareRobertssaid.Wehadalreadybeenworkingonalotoftherecommendationsthatcameoutofthe2011report.Werereallyhappythatsomeofthemareactuallygettingclosetobeingimplemented.AccordingtoRobertswhoseorganizationworkscloselywithHSSthedepartmenthastighteneduptheirreviewsonfosterhomestomakesurethattheyrefollowingstandardprotocols.TheJournalreachedouttoHSSforcommentbutdidnotreceiveareplybeforepublication.