The Portage la Prairie Youth Hub, operated under the umbrella of the Portage Community Revitalization Corporation, is marking a milestone year with record participation and expanded programming.
Program coordinator Shaye Lernowicz says this summer was the busiest yet, with theatre activities, swimming at Splash Island, and other engaging sessions bringing in more young people than ever.
“We saw the highest numbers that we've seen with the youth in our community,” notes Lernowicz. “In September, we have a full calendar ready to go.”
Among the fall offerings are yoga sessions with Erin McLeod, Friday cooking classes, Muay Thai training with James Donald, and a welcome workshop designed to help local youth engage with newcomers to the community.
“We really want to connect with those kids and continue with our connections within the community,” adds Lernowicz.
Building life skills and financial knowledge
Peer Coach Randy Lilley says the Hub has focused on both recreational and practical skills, adding new financial literacy programming.
“Some of our staff took financial courses so that they could teach kids all about credit and savings,” says Lilley. “We've seen some really good feedback from the kids for that.”
He explains the Hub now has daily events when open, designed to give young people a stronger foundation for the future.
“We're very proud of this calendar and the partners that we have,” continues Lilley. “We're coming up on a year now, and we're very excited for the years to come.”
Celebrating one year in the community
The Hub opened its doors in October last year and will mark its first anniversary with special events. Lilley says the momentum has been encouraging, as word has spread through students, families, and even those who wander in by chance.
“There’s been so much positivity, regardless of who walks through the door,” notes Lilley. “We've had so many good conversations.”
Strong attendance has meant some programs require splitting groups into separate cohorts to manage demand. Staff also provide food, creative outlets, and drop-in opportunities for art and painting alongside structured programs.
“We're expecting now that the school year will be more busy, at least in the evening,” says Lilley.
New initiatives and partnerships
Both staff and community partners are expanding offerings. Path sessions encouraging long-term goal-setting, tree-planting initiatives, and involvement in reconciliation events are all on the calendar.
“We’re still partnering with Family Resource Centre to run the cooking programs,” says Lernowicz.
“The staff that we have who are going to be helping with it are so pumped,” adds Lilley.
The Hub is also partnering with the PCRC’s immigration program, aiming to connect newcomer youth who may not yet know how to access services or find peers in Portage. A workshop on September 17 will help youth practise being a welcoming presence in schools and the community.
“It’s a really important program that we do,” says Lernowicz.
Looking ahead
As the Hub closes in on its one-year anniversary, staff say they are grateful for the growth and enthusiasm they’ve seen.
“It’s been really fun,” says Lilley. “Launching it in the first place was really cool, but seeing it grow and seeing more kids come in and having a youth come in and say, ‘Thank you for helping me achieve this goal,’ was really cool to hear.”
He says plans include building a youth leadership team to help shape programming for years to come.
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