Culturally Enhanced and Relevant Youth Justice Projects

[admin]

Youth Justice Fund Projects - 2016-2017

McCreary Centre Society

Location
Vancouver, BC
Duration
April 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016
Total Youth Justice funding
$29,971
Project Name
Beyond a dreamcatcher: Youth-engaged research into promising practices for culturally relevant drug treatment approaches.
The McCreary Centre Society will work with young researchers from the Youth Research Academy to study innovative approaches and best practice models for culturally relevant drug treatment approaches for young people involved in the youth criminal justice system in British Columbia. Using proven youth engagement methods, this project will seek the perspectives of young people involved in the justice system, including their suggestions for what is working well, what can be improved and how their cultural needs can be better served in drug treatment services. This project will provide a unique, youth-led, youth engaged perspective on the issue of better meeting the needs of Aboriginal youth who access non-Aboriginal drug treatment services.

PLEA Community Services Society of British Columbia

Location
Vancouver, BC
Duration
June 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016
Total Youth Justice funding
$30,000
Project Name
Raising Hands: Connecting with Aboriginal culture to enhance existing programming.
The PLEA Community Services Society of British Columbia will assess ways to adapt their current drug treatment programming to better serve the needs of Aboriginal youth in the program. Through interviews, focus groups and surveys, PLEA will find out what aspects of their existing drug treatment programming should be enhanced and the best ways to do so. This research project will help determine whether there is a need to use new culturally relevant therapies for all of their drug treatment program participants. Research findings will also be used to enhance the philosophies and methods used in their other programming to better serve their Aboriginal youth clients.

The Yoga Outreach Society
Trauma informed Yoga for Youth in Conflict with the Law

Location
Surrey, BC
Duration
June 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016
Total Youth Justice funding
$11,600
The Yoga Outreach Society will explore whether a trauma informed intervention combined with other drug treatment programs has the potential to enhance drug treatment health outcomes for youth in conflict with the law. This initial assessment phase will allow the organization to conduct a literature scan of existing research to answer the question "Does trauma informed yoga enhance drug treatment outcomes for youth?" This research will help to inform what type of programming may work best with existing drug treatment programs for youth in justice system. In addition, an environmental scan of existing drug treatment options for youth in British Columbia, both inside and outside the justice system will be explored.

Action et développement jeunesse
Élaboration de programme afro culturelle contre la toxicomanie des jeunes

Location
Ottawa, ON
Duration
June 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016
Total Youth Justice funding
$29,400
Action et développement jeunesse will research best practices for culturally sensitive drug treatment programs for youth involved in the youth criminal justice system who come from ethno cultural francophone communities. This research project will involve consultations with a youth advisory committee and community members. Action et développement jeunesse will then develop a final report that combines the cultural values of the community with the latest advances in therapeutic interventions to determine best practices models for cultural drug treatment programs.

Caritas School of Life
Second Chances for Success Youth Justice and Caritas

Location
Woodbridge, ON
Duration
June 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
Total Youth Justice funding
$25,000
The Caritas School of Life will assess the feasibility of adapting and enhancing their existing drug treatment programming to be more culturally relevant and effective for youth involved in the youth criminal justice system. The recipient will explore the cultural dimensions of treatment approaches to enhance their current Therapeutic Community Model of drug treatment to better respond to the needs of their clients. Therapeutic communities are a form of long-term residential treatment for substance abuse that focuses on the whole person and overall lifestyle changes and not just abstinence from drug use.

John Howard Society of Toronto
H.I.P.P. Helping Individuals Plan Positively

Location
Toronto, ON
Duration
June 1, 2016 to October 16, 2016
Total Youth Justice funding
$26,993
The H.I.P.P. program works with youth involved in gangs or at risk of gang involvement, who are in open custody and in the community. It strengthens the protective factors that reduce the risk of youth involvement with gangs, such as family support and coping skills, and provides support for gang exit strategies. With this project, the John Howard Society of Toronto will conduct research on innovative approaches and/or best practice models for culturally relevant gang interventions for youth involved in the youth criminal justice system. The project will look at the organization and staff’s current levels of understanding of the different cultures they work with. They will then work to increase their understanding of the youth in the H.I.P.P (Helping Individuals Plan Positively) program, and adapt the program to be more culturally relevant.

Partners for Youth Inc
Youth Engagement for Alcohol/Drug Intervention and Prevention

Location
Fredericton, NB
Duration
June 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016
Total Youth Justice funding
$30,000
Partners for Youth Inc. will engage youth involved with the criminal justice system to determine, from their perspective and needs, the most appropriate directions for the development of culturally specific drug and alcohol intervention programs or adaptations to existing programs. Youth will be engaged in focus groups, one-on-one interviews and small group activities to design and frame a series of drug treatment measures focused on culturally sensitive approaches.