The Game Loft

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Our Story

FREE to participating youth, TheGameLoft is an award winning 4-H program serving the educational, emotional, and social needs of youth in Waldo County, for the past 18 years. Open to all youth, 50 weeks a year, between the ages of 6-18 who are enrolled in school or are home-schooled. Annually, the program serves over 200 youth who are regularly attending our program in Belfast and at our satellite program at Mt. View Middle School in Thorndike. TheGameLoft’s core program, offered to all participants, provides food, friends and safety. Trained staff mentor youth and create a safe and welcoming atmosphere. A USDA approved menu of lunch and snacks are provided daily. Since 75-80% of the youth participating in the program receive free or reduced school lunch all programs are free to the participants. The mission of TheGameLoft is to promote Positive Youth Development through non-electronic games and community involvement. The program goals are to guide young people to become confident, competent, caring, contributing and connected adults. Youth who attend TheGameLoft’s programs are given opportunities to serve their community and gaming experiences that lead to increased knowledge and understanding of themselves and the world. TheGameLoft operates during non-school hours, including school vacation and the summer months, offering developmentally appropriate recreation opportunities that enrich academics, promote engagement in learning, build social and life skills, foster healthy family relationships, and guide youth to become caring, competent, confident, connected, and contributing adults. There are many opportunities for growth within the program including many volunteer opportunities. Youth learn voice and choice through membership on the Youth Advisory Board, 4-H Leadership Club, Game Master Training program and by participating in and leading many of TheGameLoft's other programs. TheGameLoft stresses community involvement. Over 60 youth contribute over 2000 hours of volunteer service each year. Community involvement is a core value of the Game Loft and promotes civic engagement. In addition to being a community based prevention program TheGameLoft has an active intervention program to assist young people with academics, work force training and life transitions. These special programs are targeted to specific age groups: - Trailblazers works on building social competencies; A key component of the Trailblazers program is a collaborative program with 4-H uniting game skills with healthy living skills. - Navigators works on academic competencies;A key component of the Navigators program is TheGameLoft's experiential role-play game, Coming of Age in America designed to actively engage youth in an exploration of American and Maine history. - Pathfinders works on life management and transition skills. A key component of Pathfinders is TheGameLoft's Circle of Care program, in which 7th and 8th graders are placed within a community support group using a board of director’s methodology with the youth acting as President of their board. Additionally, TheGameLoft has an physical activity program, Live Action Combat that meets the Maine State Learning Standards for physical education. TheGameLoft also offers ENCOUNTERS an inquirers program run as a contract with three local churches. TheGameLoft does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, disability, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. On Mondays the program is open for those ages 12 and under. On Tuesday and Thursday the program is open for ages 12 and up; on Wednesday at Mt. View Middle School for 4th through 12th grade, and on Friday for ages 12+, mostly teens. Finally every aspect of TheGameLoft program utilizes the eight keys of Positive Youth Development as fundamental to program outcomes: Safety, Belonging, Self-worth, Independence, Closeness, Competence, and Self-Awareness, culminating in a belief that a young person has a future and that success is possible. For more information or to schedule a tour of the program, call 338-6447 or email [email protected]