Police have announced the dates for the annual Youth Leadership Program in Caledon. It will be held from Tues. July 23 to Fri. July 26, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Acting OPP Sgt. Joe Brisebois said it’s a program that is important to police.
“It is an opportunity for us to interact with youth. Nowadays we don’t have the opportunities we did in the past. They are able to work with us for four days and we engage them in meaningful work in the community.”
In the past, participants’ duties have included assisting with food drives, building picnic tables at a conservation area, park cleanups and painting over graffiti.
“At the end, they get 40 hours of community work needed to graduate high school. We hope it positively influences them and we do have motivational speakers who talk to the kids,” added Brisbois.
Applicants must be a Caledon resident, be enrolled in high school, motivated to actively participate, and possess a genuine interest in contributing to the community in a meaningful way.
An OPP permission form signed by the applicant’s parent/guardian along with a brief essay (minimum of 250 words) are also required.
Permission forms are available through email by contacting PC Melissa Sheardown at [email protected].
The program is supported by the Optimist Club of Caledon and relies on community support and involvement to ensure its continued success. To donate, contact Sue Montgomery from the Optimist Club of Caledon at [email protected].
