PROFILE: Building Leaders – Louis & Pearl’s YNOT Journey

This summer, YNOT welcomed back two familiar FOY faces, not as counsellors, but as supervisors. Louis and Pearl started out as student hires from the Focus on Youth program, placed at YNOT. After a successful summer last year, their leadership skills as camp counsellors left a strong impression. Now, they’ve returned to YNOT for a new role, leading the same program they once worked in. Their story shows how FOY helps young people grow into leaders and take the next step toward success.

Their Growth & Experience

Louis and Pearl first joined YNOT last summer as camp counsellors from FOY. Their daily tasks were helping rotate campers between activities, setting up games, and leading arts and crafts or sports. They helped support the camp and its events and field trips. They worked well with the rest of the counsellor team and with each other, building strong communication and teamwork skills. By the end of the summer, they had grown in organization, patience, and leadership, leaving such a positive impact that YNOT could not overlook.

As supervisors, Louis and Pearl have taken on many new responsibilities. They do behind-the-scenes tasks like recording parent payments, camp attendance, and any more administrative work. They also help plan and organize activities throughout the week and create daily schedules for the kids and staff. On top of that, they make sure campers stay safe by keeping track of allergies and other important safety concerns. They also supervise the other FOY staff to make sure everyone is staying responsible and doing their part to run the camp. When we visited, it was clear how sharp both of their teamwork skills were with each other and the other staff who helped run the camp. Louis and Pearl play a big role in mentoring the current FOY student hires. They give advice on how to lead activities, and they encourage students to learn from the experiences. They lead by example by arriving early, staying focused, and showing strong leadership.

Since becoming supervisors, Louis and Pearl have helped the camp run more smoothly and helped everyone feel supported. During our visit, we saw this firsthand when Pearl immediately took care of a camper who got hurt, even while juggling other supervisor tasks. Our visit was also when YNOT hosted their community event: “Not Just A Camp – A Call to Action”, which celebrates the neighbourhood and gives back to families. There were free shoes, clothes, toys, perfume, and snack packs, along with food and guest speakers. Louis and Pearl helped set up, organize, and even open the event with a speech for the kids and community. Events like this show YNOT’s mission to support youth and build a strong community. The same environment that has helped Louis and Pearl grow as leaders.

Overall, Louis and Pearl are an important part of YNOT’s team. They are trusted, loved, and respected by everyone at camp. “Louis and Pearl are very dynamic. They are both creative and take good initiative” – Pastor Francis Ubah, Executive Director of YNOT. Through the Focus On Youth program, they were able to build on their skills and take on a bigger leadership role.