U of S nursing project supports youth: K+S Potash Canada sponsoring community mentoring program

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) College of Nursing and K+S Potash Canada GP came together today to celebrate an exciting new partnership supporting Regina’s Street Culture Project Inc.

K+S Potash will provide $21,000 distributed over three years to help U of S College of Nursing students in Regina provide mentorship and deliver health promotion programming to youth at Street Culture.

Marie Dietrich Leurer, assistant professor at the College of Nursing Regina Campus, will lead the project.

“As part of the nursing students’ community or mental health clinical placement, they will offer weekly sessions at Street Culture designed to provide social support and skill development,” Dietrich Leurer said. “Sessions will include preparing meals with the youth, followed by a variety of interactive educational and recreational activities. The youth will be involved in the planning of the sessions, creating a unique and dynamic learning environment for both the Street Culture youth and the nursing students.”

“K+S Potash Canada is proud to partner with the U of S and the Street Culture Project, so consistent programming can be offered, which will result in improved health outcomes for vulnerable youth and ultimately, the community of Regina,” said Kim Poley, vice-president of human resources and corporate services.

Street Culture is a non-profit, charitable organization that provides support and mentorship to marginalized and under-serviced youth in Regina. Using social entrepreneurialism and positive adult role models, they connect with youth to help change their lives.

“We are extremely pleased to receive this sponsorship from K+S Potash Canada, as the anticipated program is well designed and will meet the interests of our youth,” said Street Culture CEO Kim Sutherland. “What is really exciting is the concept of hands-on mentoring between the nursing students and youth. This is exceptional and critical in our efforts around “normalizing” a street youth’s experience in government-based housing services.”

College of Nursing students currently completing a placement at Street Culture has indicated that this investment provides an opportunity to focus on mental health by forming meaningful relationships with Regina’s at-risk youth, engaging them in activities that facilitate healthy practices and emotional well-being.
The U of S College of Nursing has had a presence in Regina since 1996 as part of the Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan. When the new U of S Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program was created in 2012, a U of S nursing campus was opened in Regina, making the program available to 100 new nursing students per year. The rollout of the new BSN program provided an increase in the number of students available to complete community placements, such as this one at Street Culture in Regina.

For more information, contact:
Kylie Kelso
Marketing and Communications Specialist
College of Nursing
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1323
kylie.kelso@usask.ca