Sudbury's Adult Enrichment Centre (AEC) has expanded its services to now include young people who might need personalized developmental programs to help them get support for life skills, social skills and even employment opportunities.
"AEC has been operational for the past eight years and provides a range of services including day programs, in-home and community supports, respite, residential, and online," said Ashley Pelland, AEC's Executive Director Assistant, EA. “All of AEC services are individualized and based on wants/needs/abilities/goals. We focus on a variety of areas such as life skills, social skills, budgeting, functional academics, independence skills, behaviour management, mental health awareness and wellness, coping skills etc.
“We are excited to now have the YEC (Youth Enrichment Center) to be able to offer all our services geared to youths with developmental and mental health struggles
Pelland added that the demand for services among young people has always been apparent.
"We have wanted to start these services for the past few years, we have slowly started offering services to older youth in transitioning into the adult sector but have now been able to expand that to younger youths as old as 11 years," she said.
Victoria Salewski, an AEC mental health worker, outlined the work done at the YEC.
"YEC helps young individuals, with developmental and mental health struggles, become as independent as they can be within their home and community. We help build and maintain a variety of skills that are important for them to be successful both as youth and as they transition into the adult sector," said Salewski.
"Many youth lack essential interpersonal communication skills. Even more so for those with a developmental disability or mental health struggle . What we see a lot in adults with a dual diagnosis is that struggle with life skill training, and independence. By providing these youth with a program that will motivate, nurture and promote growth we may be able to see a change before they reach adulthood," Salewski added.
She also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on younger people, spurring many of them to reach out for help.
"More than ever wellness services are needed. The younger population are already encountering challenging years, doing so during a pandemic can only make it more challenging. What YEC offers is a place where youth can come together to build social connections, and gain the support needed to rebuild their confidence and develop a sense of normalcy," said Salewsky
Pelland added that the YEC will become a regular part of the services being offered by AEC. She said it is not just a temporary thing because of the pandemic. Salewski said the need is there.
"The need for this community based, independent service for youth offered all under one roof such as provided by YEC is obvious. Due to that, this is a service that is needed to continue," said Salewski.
"Our program allows youth to develop and build skills in a safe and inclusive environment; an essential service that recipients can benefit from regardless of what is happening in the world. Our programming helps youth develop a good foundation of communication and interpersonal skills while improving self-acceptance and self-esteem, leaving them to feel confident to tackle life challenges," she added.
Pelland remarked that despite the pandemic restrictions and the new lockdown, AEC is still open to provide services in person, and online.
The AEC can be found at 1895 Lasalle Blvd., Unit 10 in Sudbury, or contacted by telephone at 705-588-2510.
