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Summer break

Garth Goodwin

This past spring has been a remarkably busy one for Child and Youth Care associations across Canada. Many will be looking forward to the summer of 2001 simply to take a break, get away and engage in that process of recreation so essential to practice.

The two largest Child and Youth Care associations in the country held provincial conferences in May. The CYCAA revived the tradition of these in Alberta with a highly successful event. The Council of Canadian Child and Youth Care Associations held its annual meeting in conjunction with the conference. It was a welcome opportunity to meet C. Niall McElwee, the Opening Keynote speaker for From Sea to Sea and produce an interview with him for the National Conference site. Meanwhile, over in London, Ontario the OACYC held its first provincial conference of the year and began working toward a second in October in Sudbury. The emergence of provincial conferences is so encouraging for both the association movement and the profession as local practitioners are coming forward to gain experience at presenting. Hopefully, they will answer the Calls for the National and International conferences out of their experience. Other associations have held workshops such as Lorraine Fox in New Brunswick or hosted events such as the Red River Child and Youth Care Graduate Celebration in Manitoba.

Summer can be a time to put your cares aside and get out and enjoy the season. For many in Child and Youth Care, it can be a time of anxiety over the relaxation of routine, the pull of the street for many young people and the need to program to provide an alternative. Moreover, this programming often has to take place on slim resources, without senior team members who take holidays and with the constant uncertainty of both the weather and the young people's temperaments. Summer is a trying time for everyone and it is so important to focus upon it with positive attitudes and all the resources one can gather to create opportunities to fully and simply enjoy those precious days. Best Wishes on your summer break.

Sincerely,
Garth