A new free program offered by Powell River Child, Youth and Family Services Society (PRCYFSS) has started to have meaningful impact on young people in the community.
“Blackbird Collective is a creative outlet for youth in grades seven through 12 who might not otherwise have one,” said PRCYFSS executive director Heather Gordon. “The collective offers both singing and creative writing sessions, depending on what participants are interested in exploring.”
Blackbird Collective began meeting in September 2019. It offers a vocal music group on Tuesdays and a creative writing group Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, as well as the opportunity for private introductory voice and songwriting sessions with facilitator Lesley Sutherland.
Sutherland helped start the Kettle Choir and Writer’s Guild in Vancouver, working with people who have experienced homelessness, addiction and mental illness to find a creative outlet and supportive community. The choir performed in Vancouver Opera’s Requiem for a Lost Girl in 2018 and The Troubadour and the Tallow Candle in 2019. The experience brought the healing power of music and writing into focus for Sutherland.
“When we started, people were closed and then gradually they started opening up,” said Sutherland. “They started relating to each other, talking more, and I saw tremendous change in them. When I moved to Powell River, I wanted to facilitate a program for young people to give them that kind of community and support, the confidence to express themselves, and the skills to work through a confusing time of their lives before they leave here for an even more confusing bigger city.”
Sutherland approached Gordon at PRCYFSS with the concept, and Gordon immediately saw the potential.
“It was a great fit with the other services we offer,” said Gordon. “It’s been extremely valuable for the participants in these first five months, which is so rewarding. When you start with an idea and build it into a vision, you hope to impact people’s lives, and when you see that start to happen, you feel grateful to be part of it.”
PRCYFSS and the Blackbird Collective received first-year funding from First Credit Union and 100+ Women Who Care Powell River, and recently received a grant from Evolugen, the company that operates the hydroelectric plants at Powell Lake and Lois Lake, for the second year. Gordon and Sutherland would love to see more youth join the program now and into the future.
“This program, like all PRCYFSS programs, are for all youth and all families in Powell River, and are completely free,” said Sutherland. “The collective provides a supportive space to help youth access their creative selves, and we also provide a community around them as they do that. And for those who might not feel comfortable taking part in a group, there are free private lessons available as well.”
Parents or youth who have questions about the Blackbird Collective or are interested in joining can contact Gordon at 604.485.3090, extension 6321, or [email protected].
