INTRODUCTION: Approximately one in five Ontario children show symptoms of significant mental health problems. These children exhibit impairments at home, at school and in the community, often with long-lasting effects. Involvement in structured community-based recreation programs may be protective for these children; however, they often encounter multiple barriers to participation (e.g., facility fees, lack of family or peer support, and reluctance to try new activities). METHOD: The Recreation Mentoring Program is a community-wide program that reduces barriers to participation while providing an important relationship with a caring, young adult mentor. Trained volunteer mentors are matched with at-risk children, and meet regularly at a community recreation centre near the child's residence. The mentor's role is to: 1) stimulate participation in recreational programs, and 2) promote the child's continued participation after the mentorship ends. RESULTS: Limited program evaluation suggests that the Recreation Mentoring Program engages at-risk children in community-based recreation, that it is operationally feasible, and that it produces high levels of client satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The Recreation Mentoring Program holds promise as an effective community-based intervention for children with mental health problems.
INTRODUCTION: Approximately one in five Ontario children show symptoms of significant mental health problems. These children exhibit impairments at home, at school and in the community, often with long-lasting effects. Involvement in structured community-based recreation programs may be protective for these children; however, they often encounter multiple barriers to participation (e.g., facility fees, lack of family or peer support, and reluctance to try new activities). METHOD: The Recreation Mentoring Program is a community-wide program that reduces barriers to participation while providing an important relationship with a caring, young adult mentor. Trained volunteer mentors are matched with at-risk children, and meet regularly at a community recreation centre near the child's residence. The mentor's role is to: 1) stimulate participation in recreational programs, and 2) promote the child's continued participation after the mentorship ends. RESULTS: Limited program evaluation suggests that the Recreation Mentoring Program engages at-risk children in community-based recreation, that it is operationally feasible, and that it produces high levels of client satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The Recreation Mentoring Program holds promise as an effective community-based intervention for children with mental health problems.
Authors: J J Breton; L Bergeron; J P Valla; C Berthiaume; N Gaudet; J Lambert; M St-Georges; L Houde; S Lépine Journal: J Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 1999-03 Impact factor: 8.982
Authors: D R Offord; M H Boyle; Y A Racine; J E Fleming; D T Cadman; H M Blum; C Byrne; P S Links; E L Lipman; H L MacMillan Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 1992-09 Impact factor: 8.829
Authors: D R Offord; M H Boyle; P Szatmari; N I Rae-Grant; P S Links; D T Cadman; J A Byles; J W Crawford; H M Blum; C Byrne Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 1987-09