MaineStay Youth & Family Services announces fall programs

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Big Brothers Big Sisters fall mentoring program is an award-winning program that offers youth ages 8-13 the opportunity to be paired with highly-skilled adult mentors who help them build leadership skills, and enhance their self-confidence, social skills, and academic achievement.

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The Parent Support Group, a free monthly group that focuses on practical ways to be a more effective parent, will begin Wednesday, Sept. 11, is open to parents/guardians of pre-K to 5th grade students.

MaineStay Youth & Family Services has announced fall programs that are open to Maine Township residents. They include a Parent Support Group, Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program and an Anxiety Skills Coping Group.

The Parent Support Group, a free monthly group that focuses on practical ways to be a more effective parent, will begin Wednesday, Sept. 11. The group, which is open to parents/guardians of pre-K to 5th grade students, meets the second Wednesday of the month from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Childcare is provided free of charge.

Big Brothers Big Sisters fall mentoring program kicks off Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The award-winning program offers youth ages 8-13 the opportunity to be paired with highly-skilled adult mentors who help them build leadership skills, and enhance their self-confidence, social skills, and academic achievement. Free for participating families, the program gives youth the opportunity to participate in a variety of fun, diverse activities and field trips with their mentors many of whom have extensive work experience in fields such as medicine, business management, and human resources. To apply online, visit www.mainetown.com/mentoring.

The Anxiety Coping Skills Group, which begins Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 5 to 6 p.m. helps children ages 8-13 learn effective ways to deal with anxiety and stress. The research-supported eight-week program helps participants learn how to recognize anxious feelings and physical reactions to anxiety, how to clarify thoughts and feelings in anxious situations, and how to develop plans for effective coping.

The fee for the entire eight-week program is $50 and includes a 58-page workbook for participants and a 25-page parent companion guide. Just 10 spaces are available for the upcoming session. For more information or to sign up please contact Naomi Bowman at nbowman@mainetown.com or 847-297-2510 x273.

For more information on these and other MaineStay programs visit www.mainetown.com/mainestay, email mainestay@mainetown.com, or call 847-297-2510.