Provincial Youth Outreach Workers (YOW)
The Youth Outreach Worker Program is a multi-agency outreach initiative designed for marginalized youth in underserved neighbourhoods. Youth Outreach Workers (YOW) engage youth ages 12-29 years old through meaningful connections to services and support systems within their communities. The YOW program is graciously funded by The Ministry of Children and Youth Services and has been with ACSA since 2006.
R.A.C.K.S.
The program provides free 1-on-1 support to any youth (age 12-24) facing, or at risk of facing: school issues, legal troubles, housing concerns, challenges with additions or mental health, etc.
For more information or to make a referral, contact Marsha at 647-458-6912 or email pmarsha@agincourtcommunityservices.com.
Mental Health Resources
In 2018, Agincourt Community Services Association received a grant from the City of Toronto to support frontline youth workers and their supports to better meet the mental health needs of youth and their families.
We worked with The Students Commission of Canada to conduct focus groups with young people primarily across Scarborough, interviews with caregivers of youth navigating the mental health system, and surveys with frontline youth workers and their leadership. As a result, we learned more about the current experiences of youth, families, and frontline youth workers navigating supports for young people’s mental health.
Based on these findings, ACSA worked with JGB Clinical to develop two training curriculums: one for frontline youth workers and one for leadership who is supervising frontline youth staff. Throughout 2019, ACSA facilitated seven trainings for frontline staff and two trainings for their leaders.
Below is the training curriculum for both training sessions. Please have a look and share this resource amongst your network!
Supporting the Supporter: Knowledge for Frontline Youth Workers & Community Stakeholders
Knowledge Exchange for Leaders
Supporting the Supporter
TO Wards Peace
TO Wards Peace Project (TWP) is a risk-driven, inter-sectoral, and community-centric intervention model that takes a public health approach to the interruption, intervention, prevention and reduction of violence. It combines credible community members with lived experience of impact and/or involvement in violence with integrated City of Toronto, health and community staff teams aimed at violence prevention and interruption. TWP is that made-for-Toronto risk intervention initiative that is focused on addressing the elevated levels of gun violence and those involved and/or those most at risk. This model leverages the lived experience of affected communities to develop and implement effective community engagement approaches, innovative communication tools, social media strategies and focused investment geared towards violence interruption and prevention. TO Wards Peace uses a public health approach to violence prevention by improving the health and safety of all individuals by addressing underlying risk factors that increase the likelihood that an individual will become a victim or a perpetrator of violence. Click here for more information.
Methods of Engagement:
The model focuses on the place based collaborative efforts between local grassroots organizations, community health centres, hospitals and the City of Toronto to address the elevated levels of gun violence in the City of Toronto. The 3 methods of engagement include:
· In-person Violence Disruption Workers (VWD) that provide wrap around supports, working with individuals and their families
· Social Media Based E-VIBE (Electronic Violence Intervention Before Escalation) Program that focuses on shifting culture and experience of violence on-line and its influence and impact locally
· BRAVE: Hospital Based Violence Intervention Program with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
The model has been initially piloted in the City's North-West communities of Rexdale and Black Creek. With the increased trends of community and gun violence within Scarborough , a feasibility study was conducted to assess community needs and capacity to implement TO Wards Peace
ACSA & TO Wards Peace:
As the Pre-Implementation Agency Partner within TWP, ACSA leads the coordination of community consultations, outcome reporting, community outreach and community engagement. Additionally, ACSA leads the implementation of the Scarborough Peace Projects Fund that supports youth anti-violence projects for 2023.
Peace Projects:
As part of the community investments portion of the TO Wards Peace model, Peace Projects help promote youth engagement, empowerment and community safety in Scarborough. These projects aim to enhance and build on youth’s capacity to accomplish creative ideas and initiatives that aspires to shift local culture, bring peace, cohesion and unity to disrupt violence and conflict.
Youth-led groups ages 12-29 will be awarded funding up to $10,000 per project and will have the mentorship and support of a Youth Ambassador to implement their activities. Funding is intended for youth groups to facilitate their projects, creative ideas and initiatives. You can review the grant guidelines here and complete the application for your youth-led peace project here.
TO Wards by Ledia Hanna
