How We Can Help
Relationship Skills for Violence Prevention (RSVP)
The program focuses on first time offences of youth assault of a parent, sibling or dating partner. The young person is referred to this program at the discretion of a judge and by court order. The charges are withdrawn if the youth successfully completes the counselling program. These young people are not yet entrenched in the criminal justice system and the goal is to prevent them from becoming more deeply involved.
The 16-week program involves individual counselling as well as group work. The counselling and the groups are tailored to the needs of the individuals involved. Some must deal with anger management issues; others are coping with family violence. It is made clear to participants that to successfully graduate from the program they must make a committed effort to improve or change their behaviour.
Early Release Support Program (ERSP)
This program supports youth out on bail, while they are awaiting trial. Many are granted bail by the courts because of CTYS’ program involvement. Otherwise, these young people likely remain in detention. ERSP offers support to youth as well as their parents. The goal is to assist the young person to better understand how their thinking, behaviour and actions have brought them to the current situation. Youth are supported along a path to help them make better choices.
Transitions Program
The program assists youth who are completing an open custody sentence make a successful adjustment back into the community. The young person enters the program one month prior to leaving custody and is supported for three months once they are back in the community. The follow up work can continue for up to six months. The program involves individual counselling as well as group work and parents are expected to be involved in the process. The program takes some of the most challenging youth and helps them reconnect with their families, their communities and moves lives in a more positive direction.
Probation Outreach Program (POP)
POP aims to prevent youth, who have completed their sentences from re-offending. It provides services to youth who are under a probation order and in need of the kind of support offered by the program. These clients often face a myriad of difficulties. POP focuses on helping them learn positive behaviour and social and relationship skills to help them begin piecing their lives back together. POP staff work with probation officers to help develop a case management plan for the client.
Youth are then assigned a worker who interacts with the individual in the community and supports the youth in a range of areas, including going back to school or finding a job. The support can last for the length of the probation or up to a year.
Accessing Our Programs
Each program has its own intake worker. RSVP clients enter the program as a result of a court order. ERSP clients are sanctioned by the courts or directed by a probation officer. Probation officers generally make referrals to POP and the Transitions Program. In all cases, youth must consent and make a commitment to participate in the programs.
