IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – In an effort to bolster family communication and address youth-related issues, Dickinson-Iron Communities that Care (CTC) has teamed up with the Dickinson County Library to introduce a new free educational program. The initiative, named *Guiding Good Choices*, targets parents or any adults working with youth aged 9-14, and is offered completely free to participants.
“This is the first time in about 4 years the evidence-based program will be offered to the community in a face-to-face format,” explained Bob Boivin, Prevention Coordinator at Dickinson/Iron CTC. The program’s inception marks a return to in-person engagement after a hiatus due to the pandemic. The 5-week program will run for 5 weeks on Wednesday nights in 2-hour sessions, hosted by the Dickinson County Library’s main branch.
“But I’m also going to move this, once we go to Dickinson County. I’m going to do it for 5 weeks here, then take a 3-week break, and then I’m hoping to implement the same thing in Iron County at the Crystal Falls library so that their community can also benefit from this,” Boivin elaborated.
‘Guiding Good Choices’ starts this upcoming Wednesday, February 28th, with subsequent sessions scheduled for March 6th, March 13th, March 20th, and March 27th. The meeting times are from 5-7 p.m.
“It’s a seminar almost, because I’m not teaching a class. I’m facilitating a discussion, and it’s sort of roundtable for parents or anybody who lives with or works with 9 to 14-year-olds… and the idea is to bridge communication, to reopen the communication, [and] to break down those barriers that exist a lot of times within our families.” Boivin emphasized.
The program, tailored to address critical issues such as drug abuse, bullying, and self-image, underscores the importance of family dynamics in fostering healthier communities.
“These sessions are good for coaches; they’re good for scout leaders,” Boivin remarked, noting that the program is for families and any adults who live or work with youth in the age range.
As part of its evidence-based approach, *Guiding Good Choices* builds on comprehensive surveys conducted by CTC alongside the health department, every 2 years, to identify protective and risk factors within the community.
“Don’t get me wrong, taking something like this is not going to fix all the problems or eliminate the problems. What it does is it helps to give families a foundation from which to speak on these issues so you can have a real dialogue with your children, so that you are helping to empower them to make these types of decisions, to face these kinds of issues.” Boivin clarified.
The program’s accessibility is further enhanced through strategic partnerships, including free family passes to the local bowling alley for course completers.
“The support for this has been phenomenal,” Boivin expressed. “And [Recreation Lanes] is offering me family passes to the bowling league for anyone who completes the course and that’s a 44 or $45 value, so that’s amazing.”
With flyers disseminated throughout town and convenient QR code pre-registration, *Guiding Good Choices* aims to equip families and adults working with youth with the tools to navigate challenges effectively.
To register for the program, visit:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1tzMPKciGaFgntGIeFBML4VCDnPzih6Zb6X0IXsPndHM/edit
To find out more about the Dickinson-Iron CTC, visit:
https://upctc.com/dickinson-iron
