Serving youth and families in Sebastian, Crawford, Logan, Polk, Montgomery, and Scott Counties in Western Arkansas since 1977.
Comprehensive Juvenile Services, Inc.
1606 South "J" Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 Phone 479-785-4031 Fax 479-785-5354
Janice K Justice - Executive Director
Support Groups
A structured support group for girls, 9-18 years, which aims to counteract social and interpersonal forces that impede girls’ growth and development by promoting an emotionally safe setting and structure within which girls can develop caring relationships and use authentic voice.
The Council aims to promote boys’ natural strengths, and to increase their options about being male in today’s world. The Council challenges myths about how to be a “real boy” or “real man”. It engages boys in activities, dialogue, and self-expression to question stereotypical concepts and to increase boys’ emotional, social, and cultural literacy by promoting valuable relationships with peers and adult facilitators.
The group format includes warm up activities, a “council” type check in opportunity, experiential activities that address relevant topics, and a reflection and group dialogue component. The focused activities may include group challenges, games, skits or role plays, arts, and so on.
To participate, boys need only have the interest, make a commitment to attend the meetings, and agree to follow the council agreements. These agreements are developed by the group itself and typically include: no put-downs or interruptions, offer experiences - not advice; keep the focus on yourself and your experience; and keep what’s said in the group confidential. Facilitators explain the legal and ethical limits to confidentiality in order to safeguard the boys’ well-being. Boys are free to participate at their own pace. Participants can express a range of ideas and emotions with peers and can expect respect and high regard from one another.
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The Girls Circle does not aim to provide advice, but encourages girls to share experiences that are helpful to one another. To participate, girls need only have the desire, make a commitment to attend the meetings, and agree to follow the circle guidelines, i.e. respect, no put-downs or interruptions, offer experiences - not advice, keep the focus on oneself, and keep what’s said in the group private. Girls are free to share at their own pace.
Girls Circle is the FIRST gender-responsive program in the country to demonstrate effectiveness in reducing delinquency for girls.
Call 479-785-4031 for more information.
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