Weekend Alternative Program
Teenagers who take part in the Weekend Alternative Program experience an extraordinary transformation. Most participants enter the program with feelings of hostility, anger, and denial. During the youths’ participation, these self-destructive feelings are slowly replaced with self-confidence, self-awareness, and a sense of accountability.
Designed as an alternative to more extensive out-of-community placements or as a first response for youths who have begun to head down the wrong path in life, the Weekend Alternative Program operates from Friday through Sunday at the Diakon Wilderness Center campus in Boiling Springs, Pa., allowing youths to remain at home during the week while receiving therapeutically beneficial services on the weekends. This approach allows a youth to set goals and experiment with change plans that they developed with guidance from WAP program staff on the weekend within their homes, community and schools during their week. This process allows participants to solidify these change steps through feedback and affirmation of progress from family, teachers, community and Weekend Program support staff.
