Partnerting with community members, youth mentors, and school staff- Bamboo Shield is a life skills program steeped in culture.

Bamboo Shield is an intensive youth intervention program that provides personal and life skills coaching to teens that have grown up in challenging circumstances. The program is targeted to refugee/immigrant and Aboriginal teens.  These youth may benefit from interventions and mentoring that strengthen their confidence and self-esteem.

Modelled after the Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence curriculum, Bamboo Shield helps teens understand how factors beyond their own control have influenced their life choices and opportunities.  The program is led by qualified professionals and uses culturally sensitive teaching to help participants learn more about the challenges in their own lives. Through both adult and peer role modelling, the goal is to increase participants' capacity to make healthy decisions.

Selected youth typically start the program in grade seven and may receive up to three years of support and intervention.

To find out more about Bamboo Shield, please contact:

What to expect as a participant

Learning Modules: Curriculum Overview

What to expect as a participant

Bamboo Shield participants can expect between one and three years of support and intervention, depending on the individual's needs.  This typically involves:

• Three group sessions per week, led by a project leader and police resource officers.
• Ten learning modules on various life and personal skills
• Time every week with mentors, who may provide recreational or cultural companionship, tutoring, social outings, etc.
• Two facilitated monthly sessions with parents and/or guardians
• One monthly session with community leaders (advocates, parents, resource officers, Elders, etc.)

Learning Modules: Curriculum Overview

The core Bamboo Shield curriculum is covered in ten learning modules, which are delivered to participants over the course of one year via weekly group sessions (three times per week).  The modules are:

Module 1: Self-Assessment and Goal Setting

Module 2: Healthy Relationships

Module 3: Healthy Decision-Making

Module 4: Study of Cultures

Module 5: Anti-Racism Education

Module 6: Interpersonal and Communications Skills

Module 7: Academic Success

Module 8: Mentorship

Module 9: Conflict Resolution

Module 10: Community Service