Summer, with its sun-kissed days and carefree adventures, offers more than a break from school—it's a golden opportunity for growth in summer programs. Summer programs provide valuable resources and opportunities for children and youth to explore themselves, enriching their health, wellbeing, and safety. Responding to the needs expressed by newcomer parents and families for additional academic and social support, REACH Edmonton supported local grassroots and community partners in creating the Out of School Time (OST) Collaborative to address this demand.

As a part of the collaborative, the annual OST Conference, held at the NAIT campus in Edmonton, brought together over 150 professionals dedicated to enhancing summer programs for children and youth. The event featured interactive sessions aimed at building staff and organizational capacity in community summer programs.

“This was an amazing experience to learn novel strategies and an opportunity to network with fellow peers working with diverse youth,” said Alom Deng, a Youth Worker at the Newcomer Centre.

One of the standout sessions was presented by Alberta Wellness ED, “Re-claiming Bodies: Confronting Systems of Oppression.” Previous studies have shown the significant impact of sociocultural factors on body image and the resulting negative diet culture. Notably, only two-thirds of young people with a healthy weight feel that their body is the right size. This session explored the harmful effects of diet culture, rooted in colonialism and racism by addressing issues such as body dissatisfaction, negative body image, poor self-esteem, psychological distress, depression, and anxiety; all linked to sociocultural beliefs about ideal body types. Participants learned strategies to challenge existing diet culture narratives and teach youth to embrace the diversity of bodies.

Another impactful session led by EverActive Schools focused on ensuring inclusive play and participation through games. Hafsa, from Action for Healthy Communities, shared her experience: "I came to learn how we can include children from different backgrounds. As a Lebanese Muslim, I dress modestly in an abaya and hijab, which sometimes restricts my participation. The facilitator innovatively suggested using an imaginary space as my 'legs,' allowing me to play fully. It worked perfectly, and I was able to participate with everyone." By providing diverse youth communities within Edmonton targeted support and resources, REACH Edmonton focuses on enhancing community livelihood and positive relationships.

According to the research, children with high levels of parental support are 52% more likely to have a positive school experience and 45% more likely to feel a strong sense of belonging. The Edmonton Immigrant Services Association highlighted the importance of cultural identity and family engagement. The workshop highlighted the benefits of parental involvement in educational activities, leading to improvement in children's social skills, reduction in mental stressors associated with novel environments, and increased academic achievement. The session underscored that active parental engagement can mitigate the effects of bullying and racism, contributing to a more positive and inclusive experience for newcomer children.

The conference received enthusiastic feedback, with participants eager for future Out of School Time Conferences. The OST Conference is just one of the many capacity building opportunities that REACH provides to support local and grassroots partners to continue to create and offer high quality summer programs for vulnerable children and youth across our city. These opportunities play a crucial role in enhancing youth programs across Edmonton, fostering a community of learning and collaboration among professionals dedicated to supporting our youth.