A Simi Valley Family YMCA counselor in training program will be offered in the fall for young people who are interested in building their leadership skills. The program is similar to the YMCA's CIT program during summer camp in which teens learn about serving as a camp counselor.

The program is open to youth ages 12 through 15 and will be taught weekdays after school until 6:30 p.m. Additional training and retreats will be held twice a month.

The cost is $100 per month.

Participants in the fall CIT program will take part in a training class before they are placed at one of the YMCA afterschool childcare sites at a Simi Valley elementary school. Each person will be paired with a staff member as a mentor.

Participants will learn how to plan and lead children's activities, develop leadership and teamwork skills, and learn responsibility, motivation and creative thinking.

"The skills teens learn during the fall CIT program will help them in their daily life as well as in their schooling and future jobs," said Stacey Fedyski, Simi Y's camp and teen program director. "Many of our CIT participants later go on to be hired childcare and camp staff." For more information, call Fedyski at (805) 5835338, ext. 239.