Super Nova Support program offers kids a fun way to get a break from stress at home
Every family experiences conflict. When change happens at home, it can be difficult for everyone, and conflict between spouses can affect children more than we realize. Kids tend to isolate. Fear of being different can keep them from sharing their struggles with friends - even their best friends. But often kids have more in common than they realize.
The Super Nova program provides a safe space and fun learning
environment where kids between the ages of three and 18 can share what’s going
on in their lives. Participants find
out about healthy relationships, learn they are not alone, and receive tools to
help them deal with conflict in a positive way.
Super Nova, formerly called the Children Who Witness Abuse (CWWA)
Program, is a provincial government-funded support program that’s been
operating in Kelowna for more than a decade.
“The kids who participate in SuperNova don’t have to come from a
chaotic life, and the conflict they’re experiencing can be minimal,” points out
Zoe Borzovoy, who along with Sharon Hulston, leads the program. “Our goal is to
provide a safe place where they can come together and meet with other kids or
meet with us one on one and talk about what’s going on: what are the changes
happening in their life and how has that affected them, and where do we go from
there? How do we put those puzzle
pieces back together again in a way that’s going to be really positive for
them?”
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| Top Left: Sharon Hulston and Zoe Borzovoy's enthusiasm as youth counsellors is positively contagious! |
In a typical day, SuperNova starts with icebreaker games based on
the week’s theme. If the theme is self-esteem, the group might discuss what
makes them special, what leads to not having self-esteem and what are ways of
developing great self-esteem.
There is always a game, snack and craft, which in the case of the
self-esteem theme might involve making a mirror with positive messages about
the child around the border.
Programs operate for about six weeks during fall, winter, spring
and summer. The winter session
starts in Mid-January and runs until March break. Each session becomes a closed group after the second week in
order to provide the children a safe environment where they feel comfortable
opening up.
And while participants aren’t compelled to share their personal
stories, and often don’t want to talk much right away, as time goes by many
begin to realize they are not the only one experiencing conflict, and they tend
to share more openly.
Zoe emphasizes whatever they share is confidential, unless there
is a safety issue or a crime has been committed.
“Sometimes the child wants a parent to know something but doesn’t
know how to talk about it. If a child brings something up that might be
beneficial for mom to hear, we’ll ask ‘Do you want mom to know?’” says Zoe.
If transportation is a barrier to a child’s participation, that
can be arranged. There is also counseling available for moms, and if dads want
to be involved in the child’s learning process, information will be provided.
To
learn more about Super Nova, contact Zoe or Sharon at cwwa@coess.ca.
Submitted by: Elizabeth Hostland
KWS Volunteer
