Youth Justice Fund Projects - 2009-2010

Afri-Can Foodbasket: A Path Towards Finding and Mobilizing Community Partners/Stakeholders

Location
Barrie, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$58,320.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a conference to engage youth, community members and government agencies in discussions regarding what is working and what is not working in terms of programming when reintegrating youth in conflict with the law back into the society, with a focus on female youth in conflict with the law and involved, or at risk of being involved, in gangs. The conference targets approximately 50 participants from the local community, service providers and other community social service agencies.

Astwood Strategy Corporation: 2010 Canada-U.S. Gang Summit, March 24 to 26

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/15 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$41,000.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient, in cooperation with Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, is bringing together North America's top youth/street gang experts to share their experiences and knowledge of best practices in street gang prevention, reduction, intervention and re-integration. The goal at the 2010 Canada-U.S. Gang Summit is to both highlight the state-of-the-art in Canadian gang programming, as well as learn from America's five decades-plus worth of lessons learned, including those derived from rigorously evaluated programs. This project helps to offset some of the costs associated with providing passes for 100 participants who are front-line workers involved with the youth criminal justice system serving youth who are in conflict with the law and involved in or at risk of involvement in gangs. In addition, funding also supports translation services for the conference.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton & Area: Edmonton Urban Games Youth Business Development Project

Location
Edmonton, Alberta
Duration
2009/05/01 – 2011/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$499,900.00
Edmonton Urban Games

The Recipient proposes a two-year project which is a collaborative, community-development approach to develop work skills for youth involved with the criminal justice system who have recent or current gang involvement. Through a mentorship and business coaching model, support is provided to a team of approximately nine youth who develop, organize and manage an Edmonton Urban Games

View the Edmonton Urban Games Youth Business Development Project video

View the summary of the project evaluation

Boys and Girls Club of Canada: GPTTO Forum (Gang Prevention through Targeted Outreach)

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$155,000.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to host a two-day Forum entitled Gang Prevention through Targeted Outreach. The Forum brings together experts to share their knowledge and success in the area of youth involved in the justice system who are gang involved or at risk of gang involvement. Attendees include approximately 120 participants from Boys and Girls Clubs across Canada who are currently serving youth in the justice system through a variety of intervention programs. As well, each Club attending invites at least two key stakeholders from their respective communities. The Forum will take place in Toronto, Ontario. Members from across Canada will be joined by video link.

Brampton Neighbourhood Resource Centre: Supporting "Smart Choices" in the Region of Peel: Working Together to Support a More Effective Youth Justice System

Location
Brampton, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$79,575.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a two-day interactive youth-focused conference that brings together a range of stakeholders connected with the youth justice system in the Region of Peel. The focus of this conference is on supporting youth involved with the justice system to make "Smart Choices" in terms of resisting and exiting gang involvement and in connecting youth to tangible, supportive, inclusive, accessible and responsive programs and services that support their educational, vocational, recreational and cultural needs. The conference targets approximately 140 crown attorneys, criminal defence lawyers, judges, educators, social and community agency service providers, students, members from the business community and youth.

Calgary Youth Justice Society: Development and Community Outreach

Location
Calgary, Alberta
Duration
2009/07/01 – 2010/06/30
Total Youth Justice funding
$35,766.00

The Recipient proposes to develop and begin implementation of a community resource database of programs and services to improve access and create additional and more varied options for youth to be considered by youth justice committees.

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police: Youth Mental Health and the Justice System Conference

Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Duration
2009/09/17 – 2009/11/30
Total Youth Justice funding
$84,991.00

The Recipient proposes a conference to offer participants an opportunity to learn about the issues related to how the youth criminal justice system in particular, and other systems in general, respond to youth with mental health issues. Through breakout sessions and small group discussions, promising practices are examined and input is provided for recommendations on systemic change to improve outcomes for youth with mental health issues involved with the youth criminal justice system.

Canadian Community for Dialogue and Deliberation (C2D2): C2D2's 2009 Conference

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2009/09/24 – 2009/11/30
Total Youth Justice funding
$50,000.00

The Recipient proposes to give youth involved in the youth justice criminal system and vulnerable to gang involvement an opportunity to provide assistance in the organization of the youth stream of the C2D2 2009 Conference. It also provides them the opportunity to fulfill community service hours with the support of the Canadian Community for Dialogue and Deliberation (C2D2) who is hosting this conference in partnership with Toronto Community Housing. The youth also participate in dialogue and community engagement to talk about issues of concern to them and are given the chance to engage provincial and federal government officials and community leaders in discussion on these issues.

Canadian Training Institute: Enhancing the Effectiveness of Reintegration Services for Youth at the Community and Family Level

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$44,756.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a one-and-a-half day youth-driven conference directed at youth in conflict with the law, who are gang involved or at risk of gang involvement, and their families from the identified Toronto priority neighbourhoods of Jamestown/Stovetop; Weston Road/Lawrence; Lawrence Heights and Jane Finch through to Falstaff. Discussions center on how to better support these youth to successfully reintegrate them into their communities. The primary focus is to critically examine existing services, and through this, to identify both gaps and improvements that could be made to support youth and their families in adopting pro-social lifestyles to support reintegration. The conference targets approximately 125 community and government service providers, educators and policy makers.

Catholic Social Services: Deep Brain Learning - Understanding and Intervening with Youth at Risk

Location
Edmonton, Alberta
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$49,178.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize a conference for approximately 150 participants that addresses new research and understanding of how youth in conflict with the law get into gangs, how to interact with these youth and how to assist them to make smart choices. Immediately following the conference, a two-day workshop is organized for approximately 80 front line staff and supervisors to translate theory into practice.

Change The Future Foundation: HAPPY Retreat - Helping Aspiring People Progress Youthfully

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$68,938.00 (funded under both Main Fund and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize a two-day pre-conference workshop with approximately 20 youth in conflict with the law. The focus of the workshop is to develop ideas about how to formulate programs specifically targeted at these youth. The workshop is immediately followed by a two-day conference with the youth and an additional 50 youth workers to provide the opportunity for networking as well as information gathering and sharing.

Committee for Anglophone Social Action: Youth Justice Services Conference

Location
Gesgapegiag, Quebec
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$36,120.00 (funded under both Main Fund and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a two-day conference that brings together approximately 100 participants, including youth justice professionals, service providers and non-traditional partners in the Gaspé region. The focus of this conference is networking amongst participants, giving them the opportunity to share and discuss available services to youth in conflict with the law, promote new successful intervention strategies and examine the accessibility to these services.

File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council: Keskiminiheywina (Lessons of Life)

Location
Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan
Duration
2009/07/02 – 2012/07/02
Total Youth Justice funding
$354,000.00

The recipient proposes a three-year gang exit reintegration pilot project that supports Aboriginal youth leaving gangs as they transition into their home communities. Support, programming and guidance are provided by outreach workers who facilitate the making of "smart choices", re-integration, healing and recovery of youth into their home communities through traditional teachings and healing approaches guided by elders with the assistance of two Keskiminiheywina (Lessons of Life) workers.

For Youth Initiative: For Youth Initiative's "When Youth Speak"

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$47,904.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a full-day conference for approximately 300 participants that address issues between youth-related workers and youth who are in conflict with the law and are involved with gangs or vulnerable to gang activity. Speakers include youth who are at different stages in dealing with the law, as well as politicians, top level executives, youth outreach workers and more.

Intercultural & Community Development Resources Inc.: Motivational Interviewing: Training for Youth Justice Committee Volunteers

Location
Regional (held in Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton) Alberta
Duration
2010/01/22 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$110,039.00

The Recipient proposes to undertake the organization and delivery of Motivational Interview Training for youth justice committee volunteers in Alberta. This training provides enhanced interview skills that assist in engaging young persons in conflict with the law with illicit substance abuse issues, and in establishing and completing Extrajudicial Sanctions agreements that may help address a young person's drug use. Four 3-day training sessions in Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton help teach motivational interview techniques to approximately 88 volunteers.

Jabari Lindsay: "Keep the Faith" Research and Information Sharing Conference

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$61,920.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a conference to discuss best practices and types of faith-based programs and services to support youth in conflict with the law who are involved, or at risk involvement, in gangs and who are returning back to their community. The conference engages approximately 200 participants from faith- based groups, community agencies, and government agencies and also includes youth.

John Howard Society of Canada (The): Guns, Gangs and Drugs: Connecting Services and Sharing Best Practices

Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$182,650.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a two-day interactive conference to bring together community members, youth gang members, service providers, public health professionals, research academics, and policy/law makers from Winnipeg, rural and northern Manitoba, and across Western Canada. This conference provides the opportunity to share information and best practices and generate ideas and develop recommendations for a strategy to improve support for youth in conflict with the law who are involved, or at risk of being involved, in guns, gangs and drugs.

John Howard Society of Ottawa-Carleton: Summerville Project

Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Duration
2009/11/12 – 2012/07/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$324,960.00

The Recipient proposes to run a gender-specific supportive residential housing program designed for young women currently involved in the youth criminal justice system to help prepare them for independent living and to reintegrate them back into the community. The young women in this program receive professional support on-site to plan success in four major life areas: career, family, community and self. Supplementary programming supports them to develop assertiveness and self-advocacy skills. The program also gives them access to secondary and post-secondary education and provides support with job preparation, training and placement.

Kla-How-Eya Aboriginal Centre of Sacs: Communities Mobilizing for Our Youth

Location
Surrey, British Columbia
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$101,930.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a conference to engage youth, community members and government agencies in discussions regarding issues and solutions affecting gang involved youth in the justice system. The conference targets approximately 100 participants from the Aboriginal community, local community, regional governmental service providers and other community social service agencies.

Legal Aid Manitoba: Accommodation Counsel for Youth Living with FASD

Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Duration
2009/04/15 – 2012/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$418,355.00

The Recipient proposes a three year pilot project to develop, implement and evaluate an Accommodation Counsel for Youth Living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) model which will provide specialized support for approximately 150 clients of Legal Aid Manitoba who are involved in the youth criminal justice system and who have or are suspected of having, FASD. The model includes the provision of legal counsel and paralegal, specialized in dealing with FASD youth, who will represent these clients to ensure they receive appropriate measures or dispositions and effective collaborative case management.

Liberty for Youth: Champion Series

Location
Hamilton, Ontario
Duration
2010/01/01 – 2012/12/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$484,335.00
Liberty for Youth

The Recipient proposes to pilot and evaluate a series of programs targeted at youth in conflict with the law who are at risk of, or involved in, gang activities. Approximately 150 youth are estimated to participate in programs that encourage making positive choices, peer and mentor learning, relationship and communication skills building and social activities designed to re-integrate them into the community. These programs are delivered within youth correctional facilities and with various partner organizations in Hamilton.

View the LIBERTY FOR YOUTH: Champion Series video

Partners for Youth Inc.: Youth Inclusiveness and the Risk of Gang Culture

Location
New Brunswick, Canada
Duration
2009/07/01 -2011/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$48,000.00

The Recipient proposes to deliver a workshop with participants from across the province of New Brunswick. The goal of the project is to develop localized community actions plans to address issues related to youth in the justice system and in particular, youth involved in gangs. These action plans raise awareness of and address gang involvement issues and find community based solutions to deal with young offenders being reintegrated back into the community after sentencing.

Peacebuilders International Inc.: From Criminality to Engagement: Restorative Approaches to Guns, Gangs, Drugs and Violence

Location
Toronto, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$130,430.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a one-day training conference to assist educators, justice officials, youth and participating community members to learn about alternative approaches when dealing with youth in the criminal justice system who are gang involved, or at risk of gang involvement. The target group for this conference is approximately 250 teachers and student teachers, youth, justice officials and community members.

PLEA Community Services Society Of British Columbia: Reintegration Demonstration Project

Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Duration
2009/07/06 – 2012/06/30
Total Youth Justice funding
$585,300.00
Reintegration Demonstration Project

The Recipient proposes to provide long-term follow-up support to all youth leaving the Waypoint or Daughters and Sisters residential addiction treatment centres. The project provides follow-up support with the goal of improving long-term treatment outcomes for youth, decreasing substance use and criminal justice involvement. Support includes re-integrating youth into their home communities, helping youth to secure concrete services when they cannot return home and supporting and connecting youth with appropriate local services.

View the Reintegration Demonstration Project video

PLEA Community Services Society of British Columbia: Career Path

Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Duration
2009/10/01 – 2012/09/30
Total Youth Justice funding
$387,000.00
Career Path

The Recipient proposes to run a pilot program that offers comprehensive specialized services for youth in the justice system and who are at-risk or involved in gang activities. The program offers youth educational, training and employment opportunities by connecting them with an employer who also acts as a mentor to facilitate the making of "smart choices," foster pro-social attitudes, build leadership skills, and gain valuable employability skills as a viable alternative to gang membership.

View the Career Path video

Regroupement ethnoculturel des parents francophones de l'Ontario (REPFO): Unir nos forces pour mieux répondre a la criminalité des jeunes ethnoculturels

Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$40,437.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and hold a forum to look at promising models and propose possible solutions that will allow for better adaptation and coordination of services for young minority-language francophones from ethno-cultural communities who are in conflict with the law and involved, or at risk of involvement with, street gangs. Approximately 60 participants from community and government agencies are to attend the forum. Church and mosque representatives, parents of youth who are or have been in trouble with the law, as well as the youth in question are to also participate in the forum.

Street Culture Kidz Project Inc: Going Forward Together

Location
Regina, Saskatchewan
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$79,078.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a two-and-a-half day conference to bring together representatives from effective working programs to share ideas and develop an inter-provincial strategy for youth in the criminal justice system who are gang involved, or at risk of gang involvement. The conference identifies what is working elsewhere, and also raises awareness of resources that are available and can be accessed by these youth. The conference focuses primarily on Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba given the common issues, close proximity and demographics. The target group for this conference is executive directors, coordinators, and front-line workers from various gang prevention and intervention programs, police, and other interested stakeholders.

University of Ottawa, Institute for the Prevention of Crime: Developing a strategic approach to criminal youth gangs

Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$65,490.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a workshop to focus on youth whose gang involvement brings them into contact with the criminal justice system and about how best to respond to them. The workshop targets approximately 30 representatives working with this client group in the Ottawa area.

W.J. Stelmaschuk and Associates Ltd: Youth and Gangs - Making a Difference

Location
Kenora, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$100,500.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to bring together up to 200 service providers, educators, law and justice workers, community and social service workers, aboriginal leaders, researchers and youth to share information and best practices on youth gang prevention and intervention for youth who are involved in the justice system. The forum provides an opportunity to examine what progress is being made and how services can be better coordinated to fill identified gaps. The forum focuses on the unique challenges and diversities in North-western Ontario.

Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health: Young Mental Health and Guns, Gangs and Drugs Symposium

Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$151,000.00 (funded under both Main Fund and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize a 2-day symposium to provide a forum to bring together approximately 200 participants, including Elders, community leaders, youth justice and other professionals such as educators, social workers and police officers who work with youth involved in the youth criminal justice at risk of gang affiliation. This symposium includes presentations by experts in the field of youth justice and youth mental health services. The forum also facilitates interactive group discussions for the exchange information and sharing of best practices and expertise.

Wet'Suwet'En Treaty Office: S.A.F.E.R. Communities Symposium

Location
Prince George, British Columbia
Duration
2010/02/01 – 2010/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$220,945.00 (funded under both Guns, Gangs and Drugs and Drug Treatment)

The Recipient proposes to organize and host a symposium to engage youth, elders, parents, legal professionals and community members in discussions regarding issues and solutions affecting gang involved youth in the justice system. The SAFER (Students and Frontline Workers Explore Resolutions) Communities Symposium provides these youth and communities an opportunity to engage, discuss, plan and find local solutions to the growing concerns around guns, gangs and drugs. The symposium targets approximately 300 participants from the Aboriginal community, local community, regional governmental service providers and other community social service agencies.