Ymca Believes Ethics, Values Can Be Taught

As a kid, there’s something exciting about embarking upon the teenage years. Beside the magical effects of puberty come strides toward independence, like staying home alone and ditching summer day camps for more “mature” activities.

But until you acquire a driver’s license, access to true independence has been slightly limited - until now.

Each week, Brett Joachim escorts anywhere from five to 12 youths on three to five day trips around the Inland Northwest. These kids can regularly skip town through the Fostering Ethics and Values through Education and Recreation program offered by the YMCA.

Joachim, the teen programs coordinator at the downtown YMCA, oversees FEVER; recent excursions have included a Silverwood-North Idaho-camping trip, Grand Coulee, Seattle and Mount St. Helens.

A national YMCA program, FEVER is trickling its way into centers across the nation. In Spokane, FEVER has been operating out of the Valley YMCA for five years and started downtown this year.

The club offers youths ages 12-16 weekend activities and trips in a safe and supervised environment while encouraging cooperation, respect and leadership at a relatively low cost.

It seems the adventures are a cross between MTV’s “Real World” and “Road Rules.” Participants come from all different backgrounds and are stuck in a van together until the journey is over. They needn’t be YMCA members to participate.

The road trips are a step beyond camp as a kid. Youth are still supervised (by one male and one female chaperone) but are allowed the freedom to do as they wish, planning much of each jaunt according to a budget and timeline.

“It’s good for the kids. It gives them interest in the trip and ownership of the plans,” Joachim said.

Don’t be mistaken, though. Just because kids enjoy their independence, it’s by no means a giant free-for-all. Joachim emphasizes the importance of setting clear guidelines prior to each trip. If the rules are broken, they pay consequences suiting the offense, he said. “They soon realize if they don’t follow the rules, they don’t get to do anything,” he said.

Joachim, who previously worked as a nanny and at a day-care center, loves kids and thrives on acting as a mentor.

He said lots of teens are in trouble because they lack adequate role models and don’t live in homes where honesty and respect are paramount.

But he strives to nurture positive traits by having the teens set goals, take responsibility for their actions and learn to resolve conflicts. And it’s working. Often, he sees the teens act as counselors and mentors to one another.

“We want them to be leaders,” said Joachim. And people in the community can help. He urges people to get involved with teens. “Many Gen X teens do have a problem. The way to correct it is to support them,” he said.

FEVER’s three-day trips run $75. Five-day journeys are $125, but partial scholarships are available through the Y for both. For more information, call 838-3577.