High School WRAP Facilitators

On Thursday August 30th the Copeland Center was back in Edmonton Alberta Canada to start the final phase of the WRAP infusion into HS project.  Advanced level facilitators Letty Elenes and Jenn Cusick along with WRAP facilitators Lorissa Arndt and Jawanza Hadley took 30 participants through the 5-day training.

This project, which is being done in partnership with Alberta Health Services of Canada, is the first of its kind.  Next the high school WRAP facilitators will start WRAP groups in two local high schools in Edmonton. Bellerose Composite high school along with Louis St. Laurent will likely have WRAP going and continuing on a regular basis with the month.

This project is intended to create an environment in high schools where youth can focus on being and staying well, that promote inclusion and self determination, and give youth a set of tools to manage distressing and unforeseeable events.

Jenn Cusick, an Advanced Level Facilitator from Vancouver B.C. who co-facilitated the training, says this about the high school participants: “I get very excited thinking about the new WRAP facilitators reaching out to their classmates and sharing this gift with them. I also love that this group of WRAP facilitators are prepared to go into their schools and live out the values and ethics of WRAP in ways such as upholding each other with unconditional high regard.”

Lorrisa Ardnt, who is a WRAP facilitator who also hails from Vancouver B.C., states that: “This was my first time working with youth that had so much drive and a genuine desire to learn about themselves, resulting in the opportunity to “help others”. I was fortunate enough to be able to connect with a few of the youth in a more personable way, discussing matters of the heart and soul and how WRAP can be incorporated in those areas of their lives. I am sincerely greatful for the opportunity to have been apart of this training and for working with awesome co-facilitators that I was able to observe and learn from. This experience had been one of growth for me.”

Stay tuned for more information about the progress of the WRAP groups within the high schools. Below is what some of the participants said about their experience with the 5-day WRAP training.

"I learned a lot about how to facilitate properly and I enjoyed how my public speaking improved." – Aiden

"There is a lot more to facilitating than just speaking." – Ross

"I think this week was amazing. My favorite part was practicing facilitating to the group." - David

"I believe this is not an experience we will forget." – Pablo

"The thing I like the most was that because we all knew each other everyone was open and supportive because we were all learning to facilitate." – Jaymie

"I am definitely a lot more confident to be a facilitator and the best part was the facilitators because they were so supportive and opening and welcoming." – Brianne

"This 5-day has changed my outlook on so many things. My favorite part was feedback because it gave me so much confidence to facilitate." - Chelsea