Taking Christmas to a New Level



It is in the true spirit of Christmas, but, in truth . more to help alleviate a long existing problem in our society that has long required action beyond “Best Wishes” . So we congratulate Fr Franklin Cuffy who will next month lead his “troops” at the Londonderry Youth Mentoring Camp for problem youth . It is overdue .



It is more than time that someone or some agency took this type of action to begin the rehabilitation and the healing process for those of our young for whom violent behaviour has become too much the norm . Fr Cuffy’s Camp (we use his name for convenience – he has many helpers and sponsors, including government) is due to last a mere one week . It is a start, but a more long term plan needs to be pursued .



One example we can learn from may be in an American programme by a Service Club that has made much headway .



The “Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services” is an agency that works with 12 to 18 year olds who are typically repeat criminal offenders on probation and have been sent to an Optimist Youth Home for the chance to rehabilitate rather than be in danger of making wrong choices that lead them to a life of further criminal activity . Most of the problem youth also struggle with aggressiveness and anger that they need to learn to cope with . “Our challenge is to offer these youngsters support and help with their problems and new strategies that will permit them to live productive independent lives as adults” says a Director of Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services . “We want them to be able to repudiate the cycle of violence and abuse that was a part of their formative years” .



Optimist Youth Homes operate a residential program for 100 adolescent boys; seven group homes that house a total of 30 boys (and 12 girls!) - and a private high school . The agency has a new state-of the-art academic and vocational training centre - The EveryChild Foundation Youth Learning Centre – which has opened to serve the diverse needs of severely troubled adolescents .



Like Fr Cuffy’s program, it all started small . The Youth Homes & Family Services was established in 1906 when a couple took on an orphaned nephew into their home on a farm . Another boy arrived the same year and by 1908 there were 13 boys living on the farm . Home for Boys was eventually established and in the late 1920’s local Optimist Clubs started working with the home . With the clubs’ dedication and financial contributions, the home’s name changed to the Optimist Boys Homes & Family Services as the agency’s programs expanded .



Youth Homes & Family Services kicked off its annual Mentor Awards Gala this year by dedicating yet another youth learning Centre . The program has obviously made great strides . Fr Cuffy and his mentoring programme can, too, if it gets the kind of support it most assuredly deserves . We trust everyone concerned will rally round . It will be their best Christmas gift to their country .