The next Quesnel leaders can now step forward. All who do will likely experience personal growth, many will become leaders, and two will become official ambassadors for the city.
Registration is now open for the Quesnel Ambassador and Leadership Program. Some - both male and female - have already signed up for the six months of learning and growing, and organizers hope that is a sign of a strong field this year. Registration closes on Jan. 12 and the menu of activities gets underway on Jan. 16, finishing in July with two selected to be the year’s community ambassadors.
“The kids come out, honestly, from the first meeting where they hardly say a word to each other, by the middle of it you can’t get them to stop talking, and by the end you see all the confidence they have, their ability to meet people and engage with the community, it’s amazing. It’s really cool to watch them all,” said program mentor and chaperone Cara Nault.
Sponsors are arranged for each candidate, no matter how many there are, so the program is not a cost to the participants. A lot of volunteerism also underwrites the activities, because this is no beauty pageant; it is a weekly personal development regimen.
“They go through various workshops, about 20, learning a lot by the end,” said Nault. “We have weekly meetings. They come out of the program with so many benefits and so many skills.” The recurring workshops each year include public speaking, car maintenance, self defence, dress for success, a trip to City Hall to learn municipal governance, and many more. It is a variety of experiences that usually go beyond what a youth would learn in school.
“They receive four school credits for doing our program, and there is a financial earning for each of them (a stipend) from our scholarship fund they get for completion,” said Nault, thanking real estate agent William Lacy for sponsoring that feature.
Registration forms are available on the Quesnel Ambassador and Leadership Program website.You can also get the sign-up sheets from either of the current ambassadors, Avery Cassidy and Jamie-Lynn Fedoruk. They are frequently seen around the community at various public events where they act as hosts, volunteers, and other community service duties.
Those with any questions after spending time on the website can call Nault at 250-261-9614. “It is for anybody aged 15 to 17. It’s open to every gender, every ability, every walk of life,” Nault said.
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