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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIt was seven weeks of play-based, restorative, trauma-informed, no-cost day camp for youth ages 11-20. Using Compass School campus as a base, the thirty young people were able to try new things ranging from kayaking to community reciprocity and restorative practices. According to Friends for Change founder and co-director Hailee Galandak-Cochran, the campers focused on how they could give back to outdoor spaces in the community, such as cleaning up trash at Cold River, where they swam regularly during the hot weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Galandak-Cochran explained that all youth were welcome but programming was specifically created with individuals who have experienced trauma associated with poverty, discrimination, experiences with foster care or family instability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A range of activities were offered including many field trips to lakes, rivers and hiking spots in the region along with team-building games and art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLike its after-school counterpart, the summer-time Friends For Change program is designed for and by youth who have stories of resilience,\u201d described Galandak-Cochran. \u201cFriends for Change is about providing the scaffolding and opportunities to build skills to create real systems change,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now celebrating its 50th<\/sup> year building community, Youth Services prides itself on supporting innovation and being a catalyst for change, according to its Executive Director, Russell Bradbury-Carlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supportive adults help the youth lead community-building restorative circles, affectionately called \u201cdeep circles\u201d (because of the nature of the discussions), a hallmark of the group which was evident in the interactions during camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHealing of trauma occurs through peer support, as youth learn self-compassion, empathy, and the power of their stories,\u201d stated Galandak-Cochran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As one youth observed, “Friends For Change is about accepting people. We can show up however we are without being judged.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n At camp, the young people practice conflict-resolution and peer-support skills. Meghan Licciardi, the other co-director of Friends for Change, described how, as a result of activities like deep circles, the youth became more connected to their peers and positive adults in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n