The Guide Program

What is the Guide program?
The Guide program has a long history of providing elementary school age boys and their dads with opportunities for fun times, learning, and mutual understanding.

Y-Guide programs are for dads who want quality, planned, one-on-one time with their sons. Membership in the program is open to every parent with a son K to fourth grade.

Participation in activities by both father and son is a vital part of Y-Guides. Father and son share in games, crafts, outings and campouts. The parent observes his child's relationship in the group, and see the child's strengths and needs, affording a basis for helping the child to grow. Likewise, the child observes the parent in action with other parents and kids. This provides the child with an important role model.

What does the Program Do?
Y-Guides is action oriented. Members develop their own tribal programs, elect their own officers, take turns hosting tribal meetings, and conduct the business of the tribe.

Tribes get together for campouts and family outings, visit historical sites and fire stations, take hikes to parks, zoos, and farms, and plan family picnics. Participants learn about American Indian people - their culture, their customs, crafts and games, and seek to bring new understanding and appreciation of the Indians' heritage and contributions to our nation.

Craft projects include construction of tribal property such as drums, headbands, and vests. Tribes may also have campfires and hold induction ceremonies that emphasize the importance of the father/son relationship.

In addition to the activities of the tribe, the Nation members participate in various Nation events throughout the year.

Benefits
Through Y-Guides, the YMCA provides the following benefits to both parents and children:

• Foster companionship and understanding and set a foundation for positive, lifelong relationships between parent and child.
• Build a sense of self-esteem and personal worth.
• Expand awareness of body, mind, and spirit.
• Provide a framework to meet a mutual need of spending enjoyable, constructive, and quality time together.
• Enhance the quality of family time.
• Emphasize the vital role that parents play in the growth and development of their children.
• Offer an important and unique opportunity to develop and enjoy volunteer leadership skills.
• Offer opportunities to meet other families with children the same age.

Organization
The tribe is the basic organizational unit for Y-Guide programs. Father and son attendance together is required for participation in activities. Tribes contain anywhere from eight to twelve families. Tribal meetings are usually held once a month in different members' homes, at the YMCA or other special settings, such as a fire-station. One dad is selected as chief, and the various tribal offices are delegated to other fathers and sons.

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The Smoke Signals is a newsletter for the South Hills Area YMCA Guide Parent/Child Program

South Hills YMCA, 51 McMurray Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15241
412-833-5600