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Weekend Camping Experience The weekend therapeutic camping and outdoor, cactivity program envisioned for Cabarrus County will serve approMimately 8 youth, both male and female, from ages 10-17. A screening committee will be established by the Cabarrus County Community Based Alternatives Task Force to devise an apprcp~iate re- ferral form and to review referrals for admissiom into the progrnn. Referrals will come from agencies such as the Juvenile Counselor Service and Public Schools. This program is desigoed to serve as an alternative tree~ment process for local youth experiencing behavioral problems or who have had contact with the juvenile jostice program. At least 80% of all referrals to thc program will actively be on juvenile probation or conditional release. The weekend camping progrem will consist of one trip to Pisgah National Forest-Northern Section. Each camping component is to be conducted in an in- dividual ae~ting which contributes favdrably to a successful outcome. This program will encompass imtensive backpacking, hiking, rockelimbing, and camp- fire interaction sessions. ~ach activity is designed to develop either physical or inner strengths within the camper s~ that he/she might b~tter cope with problems in the future. Individual skill and achievement is encouraged, self- discipline is emphasized and personal responsibility for one's actions and decisions is stressed. Before a camper actually participates i~ a camping experience he/she must attend a minimum of three counseling sessions. These sessions will be staffed by work~rs who will be going on the camping experiences with the youths. The purpose of the sessions will be to discuss personal and group goals in relation to the upcoming trip. Efforts will be made to involve the campers parents in these sessions. Ail necessary parental and medical consent from will be re~ viewed and signed at these meetings. Also discussed will be program policy re- lating to participant behavior and discipline. Ail campers and .parents will be encluraged to attend post-trip counseling sessions to discuss the effectiveness of the program. This program will be staffed by an employee of the Caharros Connty Parks and Recreation Department. This person will participate in the trip, On this trip another, worker, from a local agency, will accompany the aforementioned worker and serve as a co-leader. Ail of these workers will have appropriate training and/or certification in either counseling or recreation. Budgetary considerations for the program are as follows: contracted ser- vices $200.00, ~iient transportation $135.00, liability and medical insurance $40.00, food $70.00, miscellaneons $26.00. Total fonds needed from CBA to establish this program are $471.00. Am in-kind metch of $432,00 will come from professional services rendered by employees from the Cabarrns County Parks and Recreation Department and workers from local agencies. Ail of these employees are paid solely with local monies. Program Directdr for this camping program will be William Cowan, Director of the Cabarrus County Parks and Recreation Department. Mr. Cowao has a B.A. Degree in Recreation from East Carolina University. Overall hoped-for resnlts from this pro, ram will-be increased self-discipline and the ability to more successfully handle stress on the pert of the campers. It is hoped that each camper will gain inner strengths in order to more effectively deal with stressful situations in the home, school and community. I