Youth Justice Fund Projects - 2008-2009

African Canadian Legal Clinic:
National African Canadian Policy Conference and Forum on Anti-Black Hate: Taking Charge and Actualizing Change

Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Duration
2009/03/05 – 2009/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$37,500.00

The Recipient proposes to organize a three-day national conference in Ottawa, Ontario that includes a focus on engaging youth involved in the criminal justice system in a plenary and workshops on the rise in gang activity and substance abuse issues among African-Canadian youth. The objective is to collectively find solutions, identify best practices and successful models that have resulted in meaningful changes for racialized youth. The conference also provides an opportunity for participants to discuss critical issues from an African-Canadian perspective with key government officials, institutions, service agencies and public servants to strengthen and encourage civic engagement and participation on issues related to health, education, poverty, criminal justice, youth justice, and immigration. The recommendations developed will be captured in a final report and distributed widely.

Ardrossan Dream Catcher Nature-Assisted Therapy Association:
DreamMaker Pilot Project

Location
Ardrossan, Alberta
Duration
2008/05/20 – 2008/11/30
Total Youth Justice funding
$156,265.00

The Recipient proposes to provide services to approximately 60 Aboriginal youth in conflict with the law in Alberta. The project intends to work with a variety of young offenders such as youth involved or at risk of becoming involved in gangs, youth with mental health issues, youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) or youth with addictions. The project provides adapted interventions such as Aboriginal cultural awareness activities led by a respected Elder, animal-assisted therapeutic activities led by a provisional psychologist and gang awareness/education activities offered by an Aboriginal ex-gang member. The objective of the project is to help young Aboriginal offenders develop knowledge and pro-social skills leading to an alternate lifestyle in order to reduce the risk factors related to gang involvement and criminal recidivism.

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police:
National Invitational Symposium on Youth Illicit Substance Abuse and the Justice System

Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Duration
2008/12/22 – 2009/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$74,944.00

The Recipient proposes, on behalf of the Coalition on Community Safety, Health and Well-being and with the help of the Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and the Child Welfare League of Canada, to host a National Invitational Symposium on Youth Illicit Substance Abuse and the Justice System. The symposium brings together approximately 42 individuals from across the country, including those from remote and Aboriginal communities, who have experience with the health, justice, education and social service systems. The voices of youth are also heard through the full participation of six young persons. Several participants are from the national non-governmental organizations which make up the Coalition on Community Safety, Health and Well-being. Sectors invited to participate bring experience in dealing with youth in a range of settings, including youth with substance abuse problems, youth who have been victimized, youth in conflict with the law and youth in the process of reintegration into mainstream society.

Empowword Inc.:
9 Heavens Healing Academy

Location
Alliston, Ontario
Duration
2008/09/01 – 2009/10/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$194,244.00

The Recipient proposes to pilot and evaluate, over a period of one year, a community program targeting male youth in conflict with the law from the Jane and Finch neighbourhood of Toronto. The program consists in bringing approximately 20 male youth involved in the justice system and in gang activities to weekend camps outside of the city. At the camps, the youth participate in activities designed to foster pro-social skills and reduce offending behaviour. Activities such as horse therapy, drug/alcohol education and intervention, traditional native Pow Wow, life skills / communication skills / anger management training, gang intervention workshops and different sporting opportunities address the interdependence of the spiritual, emotional, psychological, physical, social, cultural, economic and broader environmental aspects of the participant's health. The goal of the "9 Heavens Healing Academy" project is to reduce the youths’ level of involvement in unlawful and gang activities.

File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council:
Family Group Conferencing & Youth Justice Committee Training

Location
Fort Qu’Appelle / Regina, Saskatchewan
Duration
2008/10/29 – 2009/04/30
Total Youth Justice funding
$46,704.00

The Recipient proposes to develop the knowledge and skills of their members and justice professionals in the Fort Qu'Appelle and Regina areas in the use of Section 19 (1) and (2) of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which encourages the convening of conferencing at key decision points within the youth justice system. The Recipient also proposes to produce an international literature review of existing family group conferencing training modules and test out a training model based on Canadian First Nations cultural values, both in rural and urban settings. The two training models address issues related to youth in conflict with the law and involved in guns, gangs and drugs. In total, sixty individuals are to have received training with certificates.

Ka Ni Kanichihk:
Circle of Courage

Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Duration
2008/10/06 – 2011/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$216,679.00

The Recipient proposes to engage Aboriginal male youth between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age who are becoming involved (early stage of gang entry) or at risk of being involved in youth gangs through a pilot project. Using the Circle of Courage - Reclaiming Youth at Risk model, the Recipient provides 15 youth per year with intensive skills development and cultural reclamation programming, education, counselling, support and advocacy within a supportive community setting. Through collaboration with some of Manitoba's Youth Corrections Centres and Programs, including the Manitoba Youth Centre, Spotlight Program, Strong Heart Teaching Lodge and Probation Services, five of the 15 youth in the program are referred by the youth justice system.

McCreary Centre Society:
PLEA Programs for High-Risk Youth with Drug Addictions: Fostering Best Practices

Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Duration
2008/07/14 – 2011/07/13
Total Youth Justice funding
$225,740.00

The Recipient spearheads an independent assessment of the addictions and youth justice services at PLEA Community Services Society to assess treatment effectiveness, provide a greater understanding of youth in conflict with the law who have illicit drug issues, and provide information critical to modifying or developing new interventions and treatment strategies in British Columbia. PLEA is a not-for-profit organization that includes a range of community-based court-ordered addictions programs for young offenders in British Columbia. Douglas College is also involved in this project and interest in the project has been expressed by the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The results of this project are useful to individual youth and the adults who support them, to program development, and to a range of service providers and decision makers locally, nationally and internationally.

National Judicial Institute:
Train the Trainer Seminar on the YCJA to Judges

Location
National
Duration
2008/09/09 – 2009/02/27
Total Youth Justice funding
$80,000.00

The Recipient proposes to develop teaching tools on several issues that have been particularly challenging for judges in the first five years of implementing the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), and on any changes to the legislation proposed or voted on by February 2009. The training materials include the development of a broad collection of videos that raise difficult issues within simulated cases. The Recipient proposes to use the teaching tools developed to provide training, within its own resources, to approximately 60 Provincial and Superior Court judges from across the country and to 15 university law faculty members at a skills-based train the trainers' seminar. It is expected that the following year, the trainers will adapt the teaching modules to fit the needs of their respective court and train approximately 500 Canadian judges.

Partners In Process Equine Learning Centre:
Connecting Youth in the Justice System with Equine Assisted Illicit Drug Addiction Therapy - A Pilot Project

Location
Owen Sound, Ontario
Duration
2008/07/14 – 2011/07/13
Total Youth Justice funding
$259,025.00

The Recipient proposes to implement and evaluate a unique drug treatment program for youth in conflict with the law that will provide an alternative means for youth to deal with their illicit drug use. The program offers the resources and tools for the youth to learn for themselves about trust and taking responsibility for their own actions through the provision of a 12 session Equine Assisted Learning Program. The sessions are designed to challenge both their mental and emotional state with the objective of bringing forward underlying reasons for illicit drug use. Upon successful completion of the program, youth can remain involved by mentoring new youth entering the program.

View the summary of the project evaluation

Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services:
Canadian Association of Drug Treatment Courts (CADTC) Biennial Conference 2008

Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Duration
2008/05/15 – 2009/03/31
Total Youth Justice funding
$500,000

The Recipient proposes to hold a conference focusing on drug-addicted youth and adults in conflict with the law. The conference is to build knowledge and awareness about drug treatment courts and promote access to justice through the sharing of innovative approaches, best practices and evidence-based results that focus on equality and human rights in Canada. The conference also assists in promoting and strengthening the use of alternatives to incarceration with a particular focus on youth, Aboriginals and street prostitutes. Participants are to include treatment providers specializing in youth and adults in conflict with the law with drug addictions, criminal justice officials and federal, provincial, territorial and municipal officials. The conference is co-funded between the following departmental programs: Drug Treatment Court Funding Program ($40,000), the Youth Justice Fund ($75,000) and the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program ($35,000).