PALS

• Participate
• Have Fun!
• Make New Friends
• Spend Time with Encouraging Adult Role Models
• Learn Skills
• Stay Active
• Develop New Abilities
• Build Greater Confidence

The goal of PALS is to excite students about involvement in constructive activities with positive people and keep them involved in such activities. Research has shown that between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. many youth are unsupervised and are more at risk of partaking in problem behaviors. By keeping students involved in activities with positive peers and role models after school, they can grow in many beneficial ways and avoid the potential negative consequences of idle time spent without supervision.

PALS is meant to be an introductory program, and our sessions focus on having fun while teaching the basic fundamentals of each program’s skill. Our goal is not to produce an instant athlete or actor, but a learner who is excited about being involved and eager to continue developing. Even if the participants do not continue afterwards with the specific skill being taught, the program is a success if the youth feels good about trying new things and meeting new people and go on to become involved with other activities.

PALS is facilitated by Youth For Christ/Campus Life. Hanover Area Youth and Family Alliance has partnered with YFC/Campus Life to run the PALS program because of Campus Life’s staffing capabilities and their experience in maintaining programs for youth. While Campus Life is a faith-based program, PALS is administrated as a non-faith-based program, meaning no religious instruction is provided at PALS activities. However, students involved in PALS are encouraged to come to Campus Life as a way for them to remain involved in positive activities. Similarly, while the YMCA is a separate organization, it assists PALS by offering space for some of the programs, and students may also be encouraged to get involved with other programs that the YMCA has to offer.