The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-01-21, Page 17Entertainment *Features
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r -UODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1987—PAGE lA
�:r C e
Community volunteers have positive impact on young offenders
Arie
By LOU -ANN HOPE
Bll'aewater Centre for Young Offenders --
A secure custody institution for young of-
fenders, both male and female, run by the
Ministry of Correctional Services and
operating under the Young Offenders Act.
A, multi -disciplinary program and treat-
ment centre for young people, who at the
time of their offence were aged 16 to one
day short of 18.
Volunteers - Persons who offer or per-
form a voluntary service, especially a
public; service, of their own fret will or
choice, not fisced or compelled to do so.
Put the two together and you end up with
Bluewater Centre volunteers, a group off,A
dedicated people who spend quality time
with the centre's residents in various pro-
grams, ranging from friendly visits to arts
and crafts and tutoring.
How the program began.
"Volunteerism has a high priority with
'the Ministry of Correctional Services,"
Jane Whitney, Bluewater Centre volunteer
co-ordinator, said, explaining . that the
mtnistry • encourages community par-
ticipation in well-planned programs for
persons in their care.
-There are two reasons for this. First,
the ,ministry feels the volunteer. program
enhances the resident's opportunity to
assume responsibility for himself ky ac-
quiring knowledge._ and skills; and second,
' the ultimate objective of all programs is
• the successful re-entry into the community
by the young offender. The ministry also
feels that public understanding of .the
ministry can be 'facilitated by community
•particiption," Whitney said.
The Bluewater Centre volunteer pro-
gram came into being when Whitney was
hired as a volunteer co-ordinator in
.November of 1985. For the next few mon-
ths she compiled a needs analysis among
Bluewater staff and residentsto see what
.they perceived would be needed in terms •
of a volunteer program as well as getting a
sense of what the. organization was about.
. The volunteer program actively began .
in March of .1986 with about 12 volunteers.
"When'I arrived there were two or three
requests for. interviews from people in-
terested in volunteering.. In the spring (of
19861, Bluewater conducted tours for the
public; especially community service
groups, and there was a lot of interest in
volunteering from group members. There
was no formal recruitment of volunteers.
The interest • in _volunteering was
Motivated primarily from persons
themselves or those with past connections
to the facility (when it was a psychiatric
hospital and home for the mentally retard-
ed )," Whitney said.
Volunteer requirements
Persons interested iri, volunteering
undergo an initial interview, a training
period and a second interview by Whitney.
"Many people who are interested in
volunteering have an interest irrand a
desire to. work with young people,_ an in-
terest in being a correctional officer, an in-
terest in being a helping person in the com-
munity, are familiar with the facility or
are people with a special skill," she said.
One of the two major requirements to be
-a volunteer is that the person must be 21
years or older: The second requirement is
that the potential volunteer must be will-
ing to sign a form allowing a police Iden-
tification check to be made.
During the first interview, which Can
last up to two hours, Whitney determines
the personality and appropriateness of the
person in working with young offenders.
All potential volunteers take part in a
training course which the ministry re-
quires Bluewater Centre provide. This
course runs eight to 10 hours and is run by
Whitney. In it she covers such topics as
the Young Offenders legislation, a profile
of a young offender (what kind of persons
Volunteers and residents work together to make the programs.
enjoyable. In the top photo, volunteer co-ordinator Jane
Whitney and volunteer Susan Finch watch a -resident work on a
string art project. In the bottom photographs, from left to right,
would.be in the institution and what pro-
grams the institution offers), security and
the relationship between the volunteer and '
• residents. Following this course, Whitney
conducts a second interview with each
volunteer to see if they want to continue
and what part of the program they are best
suited for.
"If the person has a particular interest,
• then we try to tailor that interest to work-
ing in a secure facility.
"I try to keep it as open-ended as possi-
volunteer Catherine Boddy assists a resident with a ceramic
mosaic project; volunteer Del Geddes conducts a leatherwork
session; and, Jane Whitney discusses a string art design with a
resident. (photos by Lou -Ann Hope) •
ble because I've found that if people make
their own decisions about what they want
to do, they are happier," Whitney said.
Variety of programs offered
Bluewater Centre offers a variety of pro-
grams conducted by the volunteers and
supervised by Whitney. Each program.
runs in a four-week session.
"We Whitney and the original group of
volunteers) set goals and short term objec-
tives so that an evaluation could be made
and changes could be made if necesgary.
Relationships are import
By LOU -ANN HOPE
"There really isn't a person who if they
felt the desire or interest to volunteer
whose background and interests can't be
used in this program." - Carl DeGrandis,
superintendent of Bluewater Centre for
Young Offenders, commenting on the in-
stitution's volunteer program.
Carl DeGrandis, superintendent of
Bluewater Centre for Young Offenders,
said the instititution's, volunteer program
is imprtant, not only for the residents but
also for 'the volunteers.
"The volunteer program is important
from several standpoints.
"First and foremost, it allows for in- ..
teraction with residents and men and
Women from many walks of life with many
sets of mores and morals, personal skills
and interest on a wider range and scope
than they have with our own paid staff.
"Second, they •(residents and
volunteers) form relationships on a level
different than the relationships formed
between paid staff anti residents- It can
become very inhibiting for residents to on-
ly relate to people who they see on a day-
to-day basis. Our experience with the boys
is perhaps not as free-flowing as it can be
with the volunteers. ,The volunteers only
purpose is to share time with residents.
".Third, it allows us to enhance the pro-
gram itself by having that many more peo-
ple which make the program better,"
DeGrandis said. •
He said the boys at Bluewater Centre are
very appreciative of persons who
volunteer their time and skills.
"The residents appreciate the
m
We decided to try the program's for four
weeks at a time because it is not so hard
for the residents or volunteers to make a
four week committment," Whitney said.
Programs offered include:
)1) Pastoral visiting - Volunteers with
special skills provide a visitor -friend -role
model and -or counselling as needed under
the supervision of Rev. Clare Geddes;
) 2 )Friendly visiting - Volunteers pro-
vide visits to residents who request contact
Turn to page 3 •
t to residents
Carl DeGrandis, superintendent of Bluewater Centre for 'rung Offenders.
volunteers who give up their own time to
share time and skills with them. They
know the volunteers come in to be with
them. They appreciate having the oppor-
tunity to havethe time to relate to a human
being on that level. The volunteers are
always seen as friends and confidants by
the residents," DeGrandis said.
He stressed that people who want to
volunteer do not have to bring with them
any particular set of circumstances, for
example a university education or being a
master tradesman.
"The biggest thing they bring with them
is their own personna. There really isn't a
person who if they felt the desire or in-
terest to volunteer whose background and
interests can't be used in this program."1/4.
He noted that persons who volunteer do
so" because they have a need to fill
something within themselves.
"It can't be a orfe-way street. You don't
get a successful volunteer who comes in
and leaves with only the resident being
fulfilled. The volunteer has to gain also or
he will eventually opt out of volunteering.
Nothing is positive ,if it's just a one-way
street because it breaks down at some
point," he said.
DeGrandis agreed with volunteer co-
ot}di`.nator Jane Whitney who said more
volunteers are needed.
"Our goal in the volunteering program is
that our volunteer base has• to be approx-
imate the same count as the residents.
Now we have only 42 volunteers ( for ap-
proximately 85 residents )," he said.
He said with more people, the programs
could be expanded and the opportunities
for the residents woa.ld be enhanced.
BY
WILLIAM
THOMAS
hey ratted
on the feline
In the small but vain village of Fonthill
- the town that serves as the bedroom of
St. Catharines and ' the birthplace of
Marlene Stewart Streit - somebody rat-
ted on the cat.
The cat is Tinker - a 30 pound fur ball
that hasn't missed a meal since 1973 and
is quickly garnering the same kind of
fame as the aforementioned world class
woman golfer.
Tinker is not really a eat at all. Rather,
he's a tiny little person, who by some
quirk of biology came wrapped in a two
inch thick black and white coat with two
opal eyes that can see right through you.
About six months ago Tinker showed
up at the door of The Red Checker pet
supply shop on Fonthill's main street and . .
dutifully reported for work. Darcie
Gignac, the manager and woman who
knows a perfect promotion when it
meows at her door, hired Tinker on the
spot.
• Tinker wasted no time ;in strutting his
stuff for Darcie and in grand display of
his. talents as the pet shop's resident pet,
-he stretched out and went to sleep. On the
highest pile of dog food bags in the place,
of course. Visibility is everything in
advertising and this cat didn't fall off the
back of the humane society truck on the
way into that town. He knows.
When Tinker got tired of sleeping he
got up and greeted customers at the door
- •'Hi, my name's Tinker and if you have
any questions about our merchandise,
don't hesitate to ask me, I've used them
all personally..." Even Darcie can't
make that claim.
No custmers around, Tinker would •
take inventory,' stalking the shelves, get-
ting in behind the litter bags where no '
human dared, to tread. Occasionally he'd
take a swipe at the, jangling cat toy, in
much the same way Kmart shoppers are
directed to 10 minute specials and the
.crowd would be attracted to the action,
Whenever the moment moved him,
Tinker would walk up to a box of Purina
cat food and paw at it. Darcie, dreading
the day his agent would arrive with the
contract, quickly fulfilled his every whim
by opening the box and feeding him on
the spot. Tinker has also picked up a little
accounting along the way and he'd often
help Darcie by banging on the keys of the'
cash•register and adding machine.
The star syndrome is well and alive in
Fonthill and Tinker was a hit from day
one. And each day evolved like an old
"Lassie" rerun - a smart and cuddly
star, a little intrigue, a lot of love, a hap-
py' ending and the audience got bigger
and bigger. Soon people were coming in-
to the shop just to see Tinker and buying
their pet supplies as an afterthought.
. It was enough to make a • marketing
manager at Eaton's salivate.
Tinker was no soap opera star, no hit
and run artist., Tinker was a blue-collar
showman working a full day with only a
brief break in the morning and another in
the afternoon when he went outside to
whizz. Like a good dry cleaning opera-
tion Tinker was in by nine and out by six
and he did it seven days a week.
•Unfortunately the pet shop was only
open six days a week. Tinker wasted
about four Sundays in a row sitting at the
locked front door before he finally caught
on' to, our Sunday closing laws. He was
"for" Sunday shopping if anybody is still
adding up the votes.
Just when Tinker got used to a six'day
week, along came Christmasand gonfus-
ed him so badly he started having dizzy
spells. Twice Tinker has been caught
napping and spent two weekends in the
store alone.
The pet shop people didn't know where
Tinker called home, he just showed up .
for work every morning at nine and at
closing they carried him across South,
Pelham Street and he'd toddle off up Col-
lege Street.
Tom Rice, the caretaker of the Fonthill
public school next door to the tiny plaza
on Pelham Street charges that Tinker is
a moonlighter, that he works part-time at
' the school as well. Tom gets to work at
7:30 a.m. each day and Tinkeris waiting
for him at the back door of the school.
Sofnehow Tinker usually manages to
wangle his way into the school and enter-
tain the kids. Tom is not a real cat fan-
cier but he just shakes his head when
Tinker is the topic. "I've seen kids carry
Tinker with their arms around his neck,
by his tail...you name it. The cat just
takes it all in stride and keeps hanging
around, where the kids are playing."
On arm days in the spring and fall
Tinker comes in through the open win-
dows of the school and creates a real
ruckus as he prances across all the desks
to the delight of screaming children.
When Tom hears the commotion, it's
his job to give Tinker the hood and he
gently bundles him up and out the door.
Occasionally, if Tinker thinks he hasn't
milked his audience dry, he'll do an en-
core and Tom gives him the bum's rush a
second time.
"If. Tinker isn't here by 6:15" says his
• owner and biggest fan Jennifer Brooks of
College Street, "then we know he's stop-
ped of the bank on his way home:"
Occasionally Tinker will make a late
stop. at the Pelham Credit Union and
soehow cons the cleaning people to ret
him in and entertain the troops for an
hour or so.
Al and Jennifer Brooks see the impor-
tance of bef'ng Tinker and his goodwill
ambassadorship to the village. On his
Turas to page 2