Youth Diversion

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559 Bagot Street
Kingston, ON

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Category: Health & Wellness
Ages: 7-24
Students from the Limestone District School Board and the Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic District School Board who have been suspended or expelled from school receive academic and non-academic programming to assist in their reintegration to the learning environment. 

Team

Rebound

Category: Health & Wellness
Ages: 7-24, Adults
Rebound is a ten week program designed to provide youth with the skills necessary to overcome the challenges of adolescence. In a ten week, structured and fun environment youth work with trained volunteers to learn and practice skills such as communication, decision making and teamwork. 

Staff

MEND

Category: Health & Wellness, Counselling and/or Family Health Support Services
Ages: 7-24, Adults
The MEND approach is a restorative practice that focuses on relationship building within LDSB school communities.

MEND supports preventative community building in classrooms, provides restorative training for staff and students and responsively assists students in conflict to find restorative resolutions.

MEND (Mediating by Empowering using Nurturing Dialogue) is a collaborative Youth Diversion/LDSB initiative. 

Team
Arley Irvine-Kerekes, Intervention Specialist airvine@youthdiversion.org
Joyce Eikre, Intervention Specialist jeikre@youthdiversion.org

Kairos

Category: Health & Wellness
Ages: 7-24, Adults
Kairos is a counselling service which specializes in treatment for youth who are experiencing any level of substance abuse, personally or with a family member. Our service is available as an outreach program in all local elementary and secondary schools, as well as alternative education sites and group homes.

Treatment is based on a harm reduction approach. Staff assist clients to identify and set their own treatment goals in the areas that may be having a negative impact on their lives. Assessment services are also available to assist clients who may require residential treatment. Staff also share their expertise through public education sessions and professional development workshops for staff of other agencies. 

Team
The service is free and confidential and provided by the following counsellors:

Intersection Program

Category: Health & Wellness
Ages: 7-24
Intersections is an evidence–informed early intervention program for children and youth who are at-risk of becoming justice-involved and it provides supports to their families as needed. These young individuals and/or their families often come into contact with police because of situations related to mental health issues or illnesses, childhood and youth developmental issues and/or substance use issues. In order to reduce and prevent further interaction with police services and the justice system, this program helps young individuals and/or their families to access available support services within the community.
Heather Morrison

Good 4 Youth

Category: Recreation
Ages: 13-24
The Youth Diversion program offers a variety of social and recreational programming designed to engage youth (up to age 17) in positive activities. These include a drop-in recreational program, an improvisational theatre program and arts and cultural activities. Good 4 Youth is offered at 559 Bagot St. on Thursday afternoons from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. Contact Tanya Downey or Jake Beatty at Youth Diversion for more information. 

Improv Program

Category: Recreation
Ages: 13-24
In partnership with KEYS, Youth Diversion offers youth (ages 13-17) the opportunity to participate in a 7-week program where they learn the art of improvisation. At the end of the program, students put on a show to showcase their new skills. The program is offered two times per year and registration is required. Contact Youth Diversion for more information. 

Step Crew

Category: Recreation
Ages: 13-24
In partnership with Queen’s University Step Crew, youth are offered the opportunity to learn the step dance style. The program is offered two times per year at the Robert Meek Centre, and is a drop-in for any youth interested in attending. Contact Youth Diversion for more information.


Leadership Camp

Category: Recreation
Ages: 13-24
Offered in the summer months, Youth Diversion runs a week-long leadership camp for youth (ages 13-17). The camp is free but registration is required. Dates vary. Contact Youth Diversion for more information.




Youth Justice Programs

Category: Health & Wellness
Ages: 13-24
Our Youth Justice Programs can be used to support youth who are aged 12 to 17 at the time of their offence who have been charged with a low risk offence within the Frontenac, Lennox and Addington county areas. Following referral by the Crown or Police officer, a youth can be referred to our programs. Our workers, upon meeting with the youth, determine whether or not the youth fits suitability for diversion. Our Extrajudicial Measures and Extrajudicial Sanctions programs funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services seek to hold youth accountable for their actions. We also receive referrals to our volunteer facilitated Youth Justice Committee program funded by the Ministry of the Attorney General which seeks to follow a restoration of harm approach and involves persons harmed and victims in discussions about the offence. Our youth justice programs aim to provide rehabilitative and reintegration programs and services to youth in conflict with the law.
Examples of Low risk offences suitable for consideration may include: 
  • Theft under $5000
  • Possession under $5000
  • Mischief under $5000
  • Minor Assaults
  • Take Motor Vehicle without Consent
  • Fraud under $5000
  • Cause Disturbance
  • Other charges as determined appropriate
Youth Diversion and our Youth Justice Programs strongly believe that early intervention is key to preventing a youth’s further involvement in crime. This program is an opportunity for first time non-violent offenders to seek an understanding of their actions and find another way to repair the harms they committed. Our programs seek to bring together the young offenders, parents, victims, community volunteers and the police to respond to challenges experienced by adolescents. 

More details about our Youth Justice Committee


Team
Tammy Wright, Youth Justice Coordinator
twright@youthdiversion.org

Gillian Geneja, Youth Justice Case Worker
ggeneja@youthdiversion.org

Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY)

Category: Health & Wellness, Counselling and/or Family Health Support Services
Ages: 13-24, Adults
SFPY is a 9-week skills-building program for families with teens 12 to 16 years old. The “whole family” approach helps parents/caregivers and their teens create stronger family connections, and develop trust and mutual respect. Each week, participants come together for a healthy meal, and then parents/caregivers and teens will work in separate session to discuss a variety of topics. Finally, parents/caregivers and teens come together for a one-hour session to build on the topics and skills they’ve explored separately. At least one parent/caregiver must participate in the program with their teen. There is no cost to participate; but registration is required. Transportation assistance may be provided and attendance prizes are available. Contact Carol Chafe or Victoria Cadue at Youth Diversion for more information. 

Mentoring

Category: Health & Wellness
Ages: Adults
Mentor volunteers work 1:1 to help youth to achieve goals established for the relationship. While many of the activities between Mentors and youth are "fun" activities designed to strengthen the relationship, the purpose of mentoring is to help the youth to overcome the challenges of adolescence. It is a short term, goal based program

Team
Amanda Dyson, Mentoring Coordinator: adyson@youthdiversion.org
Contact our Mentoring Coordinator at 613-548-4535 x. 223 adyson@youthdiversion.org

Youth Outreach Worker Program

Category: Health & Wellness
Ages: Adults
The Youth Outreach program is a prevention and intervention program that supports at-risk youth to make healthy life choices and is designed to connect youth, 12 to 21 years of age, and their families to services in the community. Further, the Youth Outreach Workers (YOWs) will seek to help youth and their families navigate systems and to engage youth in pro social activities in their community. As such, our YOWs can be seen at a variety of events as well as walking/talking around Kingston. Our program also links to an Enhanced Youth Outreach Worker (E-YOW) from Pathways for Children and Youth who can assist with more clinical advice and support. Meanwhile, our YOWs remain connected to a wide variety of social, employment, health and other services that might be called upon to resolve ongoing risks/issues with the youth and family. YOWs invite referrals from other connector organizations, schools, families and even self-referrals.

Staff
613-548-4535 ext 226