About the Program
The Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Juvenile Probation/Detention Services staff has established a challenge course program, Jr’s Challenge, to provide minors on probation and court supervision with an opportunity to develop a higher level of motivation, self-worth and confidence.
Each Jr’s Challenge course session includes 6 to 12 participants, a lead facilitator, and an assistant facilitator. There is a low course and a high ropes course. Each course takes approximately four hours to complete. A Participant Packet must be filled out prior to participation on the course. Participants must first complete the low course before completing the high ropes course.
The facilitator completes an evaluation form for each participant, which is then returned to the assigned probation officer. The evaluation areas include communication, participation, decision-making, conflict resolution, leadership, and goals. The probation officer is present during the course to encourage and support his/her clients. The probation officer is then able to help the course participants relate the difficulties and challenges that were overcome on the course with day-to-day challenges the client experiences in the course of serving the probation period. It is anticipated that clients will have learned strategy skills that will help them to be successful in areas where they have experienced difficulties in the past.
