STAR

In 1922, Christie Lake Kids began its rich history of serving at-risk children and youth as a summer camp for inner-city boys who were in trouble with the law. Today, Christie Lake has two major programs; a year-round after-school and weekend program known as the STAR (Skills Through Activities and Recreation) Program and Christie Lake’s summer residential camp; together serving nearly 700 underprivileged children and youth from the Ottawa area.           

Since the early 1980’s, under the guidance of Dr. Offord, world-renowned child psychiatrist and former Christie Lake Kids’ Director, the STAR Program has been providing after school and weekend programs in education, sports, and the arts to economically disadvantaged children aged 6-16 years. The programs are focused in several social housing communities in Ottawa and aim to improve both the short and long-term prospects of poor children by targeting the risk factors associated with poverty.
           
The STAR program is unique compared with other after school programs in three main ways. First, the programs are skill development based, allowing children to acquire a competency in a specific skill area. Acquiring these skills is a known protective factor against maladjustment and it increases the participant’s self-esteem. Second, STAR staff actively pursue children in the neighbourhoods. ‘Active pursuit’ ensures that those most at-risk and, those in greatest need of; positive role models, self-esteem benefits, improved social skills, and positive recreational activities provided by the programs are participating. Third, STAR ensures that the typical barriers to participation faced by poor families are overcome by providing programs, equipment, and transportation at no cost.
           
In 2008, STAR will provide 800 opportunities in programs such as cooking, leadership, swimming, basketball, skating, hockey, camps (winter, spring, summer, and fall), rockers (a club building social skills through team sports), visual art, guitar, and martial arts. That adds up to more than 80,000 hour of skill-development offered annually by Christie Lake Kids.