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78 # R I S I N G Y O U T H C O M M U N I T Y I M P A C T V O L . 2 Engaging At-Risk Youth Through Outdoor Sports Reda El-Mohri R eda El-mohri wanted to find a way to engage at-risk youth in his community of Kirkland, Quebec. He organized four meet-ups with the goal of introducing youth to activities such as outdoor callistenics, or bodyweight training, and jiu-jitsu. He chose these activities, intentionally to remove barriers such a the costs of gym memberships and the lack of knowledge that many youth can feel when it comes to their physical fitness. "My hope was that one (or both) of these activities would have a spark of interest in the youth so that they may pursue them by themselves in order to encourage them towards healthy lifestyle habits, since sports is considered to be a protective factor," explains Reda. "One of our volunteers, who is an addictions counsellor, also had informal discussions with some of the youth attendees during commutes about topics, such as vaping, drugs, and alcohol." Those four weeks of group training fostered strong bonds of connection amongst the youth, especially after long periods of isolation due to the pandemic. As Reda shares, "The turnout was great. We had great food and music playing. The weather was perfect. We had such a great time!" My hope was that one (or both) of these activities would have a spark of interest in the youth so that they may pursue them by themselves in order to encourage them towards healthy lifestyle habits... A special thank you to Camp Lift for sharing the #RisingYouth grant opportunity with Reda to make this project possible.

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