Pincher Creek Voice: It's Career Month at Youth Employment Services

Friday, August 7, 2015

It's Career Month at Youth Employment Services

At Pincher Creek RCMP Pincher Creek detachment

At Pincher Creek Veterinary Clinic

submitted

It has been a great start in the month of August for Youth Employment Services. The coordinator for Youth Employment Services (Kelsi Byam) has planned for the month of August to be a “Career Exploring Month” a month where the youth will have opportunities to learn about certain jobs in the community through the workshops provided.

Getting a tour of the Pincher Creek Veterinary facility

Looking at x-rays

To start the first week off the youth visited the Pincher Creek Veterinary Clinic, Wednesday Aug 5, where they got a hands on experience looking at animal x-rays, listening to their heart with a stethoscope, and checking their own oxygen and heart rate levels. The kids had lots of fun learning about pet care and the various roles of a veterinarian. Coordinator Kelsi Byam Said “The youth had lots of fun looking at the x-rays and seeing the weird objects some dogs had swallowed”

Maryn listening to her own heartbeat

The second workshop took place on Thursday, August 6, where the youth got another hands on experience of the duties of an R.C.M.P. member.

Viewing the police cruiser

The workshop began with a tour of the station, which included an opportunity for the youth to go into a jail cell and get a feel for what it’s like to be locked in jail. The workshop proceeded with the youth getting opportunities to handcuff each other, try the sirens in the police cruiser, trying on a bullet proof vest, and learning about an officer’s uniform and equipment they wear. When asked what the craziest part of the workshop was participant Aiden Crowshoe, Said “Getting locked in the jail cell and then hand cuffed!”

Kelley, Tiffany and Okley taking a turn in the cruiser

The youth asked a lot of questions regarding the duties of a police officer. There were a few mentions from the youth that they might want to become a police officer some day. When asked if he wanted to become a cop one day, participant Okley Kipling stated “I want to be a police officer if my brother is going to be one”

In regards to the two workshops Byam Said “It has definitely been the busiest month so far for workshops and we are only into the first week of August. With 6 youth attending the Veterinarian Workshop and 10 youth attending the Police Officer Workshop, that is more than the number of youth who attended or workshops in the month of July. With three more workshops scheduled for the month of August and possibly a fourth I feel like it is going to be a great month of career exploring.”

Group Group Youth garden at Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village

Youth Employment Services is affiliated with Group Group Youth. Other initiatives of the two organizaions this summer have included car washes, BBQs, scrapbooking at Vista Village, and a plot at the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village community garden. Related story: It's a Group Group Youth summer