The Sooke junior youth group gathers round a map to locate their pen-pals in other countries.

Sooke, British Columbia, 26 February 2008 (CBNS) — On Wednesday afternoons, when most older kids in Sooke have already gone home, a number of their 11 year old peers are staying after school to nourish their spirits. About ten students of Sooke’s Journey Middle School are now a part of the recently instituted Junior Youth Empowerment Program, a group intended to give youth a safe space to express themselves, help them build healthy relationships, and connect them with youth around the world.