Calgary John Howard Society 2009 Annual Report

8/9/2019 Calgary John Howard Society 2009 Annual Report

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Calgary John Howard Society

Annual Report 2009

Planting New Seeds to

Grow New Roots

Celebratng 60 Years of Service!


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OUR VISION:

An informed community ac ve in preven ng crime

OUR MISSION:

Promo ng posi ve change through humane, just and informed community responses to crime and its e ects

OUR CORE VALUES

1. Every person has intrinsic worth and must be treated with dignity, equity, fairness and compassion.2. Every person has the right to live in a safe and peaceful society.3. Maintaining a safe and peaceful society through humane responses to crime is

every persons responsibility.4. Every person has the right and the responsibility to be informed about the criminal jus ce system.5. Jus ce is best served through measures that resolve con ict, embrace diversity, and repair harm.6. Society has a unique responsibility to promote a posi ve developmental environment for youth.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1. Crime preven on is best served through social development.2. Jus ce should be restora ve.

OUR ENDS

1. Individuals at risk of o ending will have alterna ves.Ra onale: Vulnerable groups at risk of criminal involvement should be iden ed. Individuals within those

groups should be o ered opportuni es and resources to make posi ve changes in their lives. Programs, ser-vices and resources must be available to assist those who have been, or who are likely to be, in con ict withthe law. Individuals must have opportuni es to address those personal and societal issues that contribute to acriminal lifestyle.

2. Responses to crime will be community-focused and restora ve in nature.Ra onale: The jus ce system should be accessible and responsive to the needs of the o ender, the vic m andtheir community. To be e ec ve, the jus ce system should provide opportuni es for involvement for the of-fender, the vic m, and their broader community and embody the principles of restora ve jus ce.

3. Communi es will take ownership in preven ng crime.

Ra onale: E ec ve preven on of crime occurs at the community level. Communi es need to take responsibil-ity for the preven on of crime primarily through social development. By increasing their awareness of the rootcauses of crime and methods of preven ng crime, communi es may choose to be more involved and thereforemore accountable for restoring harmony.

4. The community will be informed about the criminal jus ce system.Ra onale: E ec ve responses to crime are best achieved through knowledge and understanding of criminal jus ce issues. To e ec vely support and par cipate in the criminal jus ce system, the community must beknowledgeable about that system.



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Report from the Chairman:On behalf of the Calgary community and the stakeholders of the Calgary John Howard Society, I would like toexpress our sincere thanks to the management, sta and volunteers of the Calgary John Howard Society. Thework performed by the CJHS sta and volunteers over the past year con nues to exemplify our core values of restora ve jus ce.

2009 was a year of celebra on for the Calgary John Howard Society as it marked 60 years of serving the Calgarycommunity. Our anniversary event in November gathered us together to look at the achievements of thesociety and to celebrate with colleagues, coworkers, clients and friends. The evening brought many tributesfrom poli cians, the Calgary Police Service and various charitable organiza ons, messages that our sta andvolunteers deserve to hear. The anniversary celebra on also highlighted the history of the society and gave usa sense of the op mism and enthusiasm that will con nue to see our organiza on grow in the future. I wouldlike to again thank all those who assisted in the planning for our 60th event.

The long-term strategic planning ini a ve that was begun in 2008 focus the direc on and priori es of TheSociety con nued to take shape over the past year. Gordon Sand, the management team and the board of

directors have undertaken work to chart the future course of the society; there is a strong desire to see thepro le of the society raised within the Calgary community, and an increased understanding of the work it does.

2009 was also a year of challenge as we con nued to look for a new loca on for the exis ng Bedford Housefacility. This is a project that has been rst and foremost in the minds of those involved with the CJHS for thepast four years, and it is one to which the board of directors and the management team dedicated much meand e ort over the past year. Towards the end of 2009 a course of ac on was becoming clear, and a site inthe Manchester area has been iden ed. While currently light industrial in nature, it is close to MacLeod Trailand the LRT, and is in an area poised for redevelopment. To develop this site to frui on will take crea vityand determina on, but these are elements that I know we possess as a society. I would like to once again,on behalf of the board of directors, state that we are commi ed to ensuring that the work that is done by the

Bedford House team con nue in a new facility as soon as possible.On behalf of myself and the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Gordon Sand, the management team,sta and volunteers of the Calgary John Howard Society for their commitment, dedica on and enthusiasm inanother successful year for the organiza on.

James Clark

Chairman, Board of Directors


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Report from the Execu ve Director

It is di cult to think back to 2009 with all the ac vity going on the past several months as a result of seekinga land use re-designa on so that we can relocate Bedford House to the Manchester area. As in 2006 we arefacing opposi on from community residents and a emp ng to provide the necessary informa on to gaintheir support. We have held two open houses and held several mee ngs with Community Associa on BoardExecu ves.

De nitely, the highlight of 2009 was our 60th anniversary celebra on. The evening itself was grand and theteamwork and e ort the sta put into organizing it was terri c, with a special thanks to Susan Elford whohelped us through the process. The evening was to celebrate the work and the people of the agency for thepast 60 years of service to the community. It highlighted the long tradi on of dedica on sta members andvolunteers have given over the years to help improve the lives of people and the quality of life in general forthe community. I would like to thank our present sta members as this dedica on con nues today, and it is thee ort and enthusiasm of the sta and volunteers that makes the di erence for the individuals we work with.

The past year was also successful in that were able to maintain funding for our current programs and o era new program, the Youth Drug Impact Program (YDIP) supported by a new funder for the agency, HealthCanada. We have been fortunate nancially to be able to weather the economy and I would like to thank theorganiza ons who fund and support us and they are highlighted at the end of this report.

Finally, I would like to thank the members of the Board of Directors, especially the chair, Jamie Clark, for thee ort they have put into nding a new loca on for Bedford House. This issue has dominated the work of theBoard for some me and the extra e ort and support they have provided me is appreciated.

Gordon SandExecu ve Director



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Residential Services

Bedford House

Bedford House is a community residen al facility (CRF) which provides a non-ins tu onal living environment for o enders oncondi onal release. Bedford House a empts to meet the clinical and social needs of our residents by providing referrals to out-pa ent programs for sex o ender treatment, substance abuse, anger management, family violence and employment programming.There is a visi ng psychiatrist and mental health nurse that a end in-house on a weekly basis. Program par cipa on plays a largerole in the reintegra on process and in the overall management of risk. All residents are expected to work towards becoming sociallyand nancially independent to the best of their abili es and are expected to be engaged in appropriate programming, counsellingand/or therapy.

Residents are provided with assistance, advocacy, counselling and encouragement from sta to support them in mee ng theirindividual goals set out in their interven on plans. In all aspects of the reintegra on process, Bedford House works closely withthe Calgary Parole O ce, the Calgary Proba on O ce, the Calgary Police Service and other community organiza ons to ensureconsistency of approach. Bedford House provides a safe environment for o enders to successfully reintegrate into the communitywhere they are able to con nue addressing the factors that contributed to their o ending behaviour while minimizing future risk tothe community.

Our Goals are to meet the social and clinical needs of o enders on condi onal release through treatment and programming andproviding support in nding alterna ves to criminal involvement. As part of the reintegra on process, our mul -need clients requiremore structured treatment and supervision services than are o ered in the more tradi onal halfway house se ng.

Wed like to tell you about Phillip* who arrived at Bedford House a dysfunc onal young man with a history of being sexually

assaulted, abandoned by family, and severe substance abuse issues led Phillip to prison. Throughout his en re life, Phillip wasrepeatedly taught all of the wrong ways to deal with problems such as bo ling his emo ons and using drugs as a coping mechanismand those inappropriate traits con nued to progress un l Phillips way of living became so destruc ve and unhealthy that he sexuallyo ended and landed himself in jail.

Upon arrival, Phillips goals were to obtain gainful employment, learn to be a func oning member of society, control his deviantfantasies, and remain substance free. Phillip u lized the services of Bedford House, the Calgary Parole O ce, and COSA (Circles of Support and Accountability) to help him meet his goals and achieve personal success.

While Phillips struggles were numerous; deviant sexual fantasies, signi cant substance addic on, unhealthy coping mechanisms, anddistorted views of rela onships, he worked hard to overcome the issues that he could and learn to control the issues that he couldnot completely overcome. Phillip learned for the rst me in his life how to func on appropriately in the community. Phillip found agood job and began to learn new skills and began to transform into a contribu ng member of society, something he was de nitelynot used to being. Phillip con nues to be out in the community; he is working and living on his own.

*Name has been changed for con den ality purposesLooking ahead, as a direct result of the Calgary Stampede Board expansion, in 2005 Bedford House was expropriated by the Cityof Calgary and is no longer owned by the John Howard Society. We con nue to seek alterna ves to reloca ng the communityresiden al facility which will be speci cally designed as a transi onal residence providing service to an increased number of individuals entering our community on condi onal release.

For the year 2009, Bedford House was home to a total of 71 residents.

From January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009, Bedford House reviewed 302 les for residency. Of these 195 were accepted forresidency, 68 were denied for residency and 39 were deferred for the comple on and/or addi onal ins tu onal programming and/orins tu onal interviews to be conducted.

From January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 Bedford House completed 131 Community Assessments (CA). Community Assessmentrequests are generated from within the federal ins tu ons for the purpose of informa on gathering and to assess poten al

community support for the o ender.In 2009, There were 25 Successful Releases into the community12 Returned to Federal custody due to breach of condi on or deteriora on of behaviour11 Returned to Federal custody for failing to return to Bedford2 Returned to Federal custody with new charges (Domes c Assault, Robbery)2 Remain Unlawfully at Large1 Provincial Resident was breached and arrested3 Tranfers to other CRFs1 Deceased2.8% of the residents residing at Bedford house in 2009 commi ed new o ences


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Berkana HouseBerkana House is a residence that provides a suppor ve environmentfor women who are transi oning from the federal prison systemback into the community. We also provide a nurturing environmentfor mothers to reunite with their children. The emphasis at BerkanaHouse is the crea on of a healing and empowering environmentbuilt on the founda on of trust and respect. We believe that anatmosphere that encourages independence, healthy life skills andrespect for self and others will allow women to contribute to a safeand well balanced community. Berkana sta provides individualsupport as well as in-house group programs including Dialec cBehavioral Therapy. A caseworker is assigned to each individual andthe women are linked with social and programming supports in thecommunity in prepara on for a smooth and safe transi on.

Goals:

1. Women at risk of o ending will have alterna ves.

2. Responses to crime will be community-focused.3. The community will be informed about the criminal jus ce system.

4. Communi es will take ownership in crime preven on and Berkana will assist by:

Providing emo onal, spiritual, physical and resource support to women released from a federalcorrec onal ins tu on thereby facilita ng a more posi ve transi on into the community

Providing a safe, respec ul environment to empower women in their posi ve transi on

Berkana House con nues to take the lead in o ering women a safe and nurturing environment to learn andprac ce skills that will assist them with a posi ve and produc ve re-entry into the larger community. The womenhave taken the lead in mentoring new residents and this has resulted in a lowering of Unlawfully At Larges

(UALs) and the incidences of substance use in and out of the house. We are experiencing a rising popula on of women with severe mental health issues along with substance abuse. Berkana House is rising to the challengeby providing training for the sta and by making connec ons with community resources. The work with anyof our popula on is done with tremendous support from our agencies, The Calgary John Howard Society andthe Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary along with our close team work with the Womens Supervision Unit at theCalgary Parole O ce.

Last year we spoke about a collage of success stories because we had so many. Well folks, this year we have evenmore. We have had many successful graduates of Berkana House and most of them stay in touch to keep us upto date on their busy lives and happy moments. This year we would like to report another kind of success story.Some of our women were not successful in nding housing or jobs in this lean market. Some have been ableto hang on to their healthy lifestyle while couch sur ng and acquiring further educa on; some have not beenstrong enough to withstand the pressure. Even though these women are not in a good place, they keep in touchfor moral and physical support; they know that one day they will be able to overcome this setback. Most of allthey know we will be here to walk with them through the light and the dark. That too is success.

While Berkana House did not operate at, or over capacity this year, we s ll need more housing. Time and againour women are denied access to housing and other services because of who they were and not who they havebecome. With our growing mental health popula on it is impera ve that we nd structured and semi structuredaccommoda on. Next year we will discuss success stories regarding our women in the community with goodaccommoda on and access to meaningful jobs. We just know it.



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Raido HouseRaido House is an eight bed, co-ed transi onal housing residencefor homeless youth between 14 and 17 years of age who requiresafe, supported, and stable transi onal housing and do not havegovernment or family support. The goal is to divert youth from livingon the street; youth who may eventually become dependent on theadult shelter and welfare systems. Raido is sta ed 24 hours a dayyear round with experienced Youth Workers who work closely withthe residents to iden fy goals and assist youth in their prepara onfor independence. The role of the Youth Worker can include, butis not limited to; client advocacy, support, resource access, familyreuni ca on, employability skills, educa onal needs, life coaching,counseling, appropriate medical care and rela onship building.

Raido House provides con nuous sta support to assist residents in personal skill development and nding longterm housing appropriate to their needs. Youth who can stay at Raido House include youth involved in the youthcriminal jus ce system who are without families or family support, homeless, non-child welfare status youth,and youth who are transi oning from or no longer have Child Interven on involvement. The program providesaccess to community based services rela ng to employment and educa on, ac vi es that strengthen emo onaland physical health (i.e. counseling, medical treatment), as well as opportuni es for recrea on and communityinvolvement.

Raido House employs a holis c approach to enhancing self-esteem, resiliency, and suppor ng developmentof the life skills necessary for the transi on to independence for our clients. We believe that setbacks andmistakes are a normal part of adolescent development and use these as opportuni es for learning to makehealthy choices. Under normal circumstances, no resident will leave the program or be discharged before theyand the team believe the young person has all necessary supports in place.

Raidos goal is to reduce the number of homeless youth in our city and provide a place they feel comfortable.The programs ul mate goal is to see as many youth transi on successfully as responsible young adults into thecommunity with a sense of worth and well being. The mission of the Youth Transi onal Residen al Services is toprovide a safe and secure residence for youth who are a emp ng to transi on from street life to a completelyindependent lifestyle. We strive to improve the quality of life for Calgarys homeless youth by providing avariety of services ranging from safe and secure housing; skill development through training in life skills, con ictresolu on, communica on, independent living, and self-management; voca onal support through employmentprepara on; connec ng youth to community services; and youth advocacy to help youth e ec vely deal withbarriers to physical, emo onal, and social health.

In short, the supports at Raido House focuses on 3 main areas:Pre-care helping poten al candidates meet the requirements for accessing services

Residen al care providing skill training, role modeling, and posi ve adult rela onships, and;

Post-care assis ng former clients with the ability to maintain housing and employment as well as stable,safe rela onships.

Raido and Windsor Park have hosted 3 youth/sta BBQs alterna ng between the 2 houses and we have seena great turn out of youth as well as sta . 2 members of Raido House where able to par cipate a collabora vecommunity event called Gear Up. At this event sta where able to connect with homeless youth and otherservice providers. This was a great success and many new connec ons where made with both youth andcommunity members/services.


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The two sta ng teams spent an a ernoon together including lunch, a ending the Avenue 15 open house andpar cipa ng in one larger team mee ng. The opportunity was invaluable, with sta from both houses providinginput and ideas on how to support our youth. The sta feedback to this was excellent, with the request that wecombine one team mee ng per month to con nue this collabora on and team building.

Raido is now 4 months into their program evalua on with sta responding well. This will assist us in streamliningour prac ces, reducing duplica on of paperwork, ensuring a higher standard of service, and be used towards theproposal process in September.

Raido House has seen an increase in referrals from legal services and youth struggling with aggression issues.We con nue to see an increase in the number of referrals who are exhibi ng mental health issues however,mental health among residents is stabilizing. Throughout the year it has been noted that we have seen manyyouth struggling with self mo va on and addic on issues and an increase in the youth using drugs/alcoholas a recrea onal ac vity. Throughout the year we have had 3 youth successfully transi on to Windsor Park, 1transi on to independence and 1 youth transi on home with family. The sta team at Raido has been pu ngin extra me with the youth on a 1-1 basis to complete key working sessions to ensure the youth feel supportedand to encourage success.

We also had the opportunity to work with NAL resources this year through Days of Caring. A team of people fromNAL came to Raido to paint our fence. These members went above and beyond our expecta ons. They paintedthe kids T.V room, painted the fence all the sheds as well as the stairs atour front door. As if this wasnt enough,they also bought a Nintendo wii for the house as well as gave us a gi cer cate to buy some games the youthwould like. This was a very special day for all of us sta and youth at Raido and it was very much appreciated.

34 youth accessed services in 2009, one of those well call Sandy:

Sandy came to Raido House from Windsor Park in March 2009. While residing at Windsor Park, Sandystruggled greatly with her a en on seeking behaviour, educa on, and boundaries with the sta and her peers.An infatua on with a male sta at Windsor Park created some challenges for the team and Sandy. A er ana empted suicide and subsequent hospitaliza on, the two teams determined that Sandy needed to focus onstabiliza on and crea ng a healthy, resilient lifestyle. Although Sandy was 18 at the transi on, the teams agreedto move Sandy into Raido House due to the obvious fact that she was neither prepared nor ready for semi-independence nor independence. While residing at Raido House Sandy began to a end counselling and learnedhow to set and maintain healthy boundaries. Sandy a ended mainstream school and managed to hold a part

me job throughout her stay. Most signi cantly, she stabilized and her a en on seeking behaviours decreasedsigni cantly. The sta team worked hard with Sandy in preparing her to move out on her own, with transi oningbeing the most noteworthy focus in her goal plan. Sandy began buying various items to move in to her ownapartment. On January 1, 2010 Sandy had found an apartment and moved onto independence. Raido Housecelebrated Sandys success with a transi oning party. We started a new tradi on of gi ing the youth with acrock-pot with the rst meal already cooking inside as well as a cookbook made of the sta s favourite recipes,and some sundry kitchen items. Sta from Raido helped Sandy move into her apartment as well as helped herset up her new home. Sandy has now been in her own home for 3 months and is doing very well. Sandy is s ll

a ending school and will be gradua ng this year from high school as well as she has maintained the same job asshe had while residing at Raido. Sandy has built strong rela onships with the sta teams at both Raido Houseand Windsor Park and con nues to stop by for dinner or just to chat about life.

2009 was a year of change for Raido House. In addi on to a new Team Leader and Residen al Coordinator, wefound ourselves needing to adjust to meet the demands of our changing service environment. In an a emptto reduce our relief budgets a rota ng schedule was implemented resul ng in a signi cant drop in the use of relief sta due to the more e cient use of sta ng and a reduc on in relief costs, allevia ng the strain on theopera onal budget. The Program Evalua on was implemented and the new data tracking has resulted in asigni cant collec on of valuable sta s cs.



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Recently there has been a sta ini a ve to create strong connec on with other service providers and communitymembers. Three members of Raido House where able to par cipate a collabora ve community event calledGear Up. At this event sta where able to connect with homeless youth and other service providers. This was agreat success and many new connec ons where made with both youth and community members/services. Wewill con nue to support our sta in researching and networking with the greater community in order to be moreadequately prepared to support and transi on our youth.

We con nued to provide professional development opportuni es to our team, including opportuni es in FetalAlcohol Spectrum Disorder, Restora ve Jus ce, Housing First, evalua on, and so on.

Most importantly, we con nue with the program uni ca on between Windsor Park and Raido House which hasbeen a top priority for the residen al leadership team. In the past the two programs have maintained as separateen es. The changes have come in the form of moving the two programs to func on under one umbrella whilemaintaining the unique nature of each program and its teams. In addi on to the rota ng schedule, we reducedour on call budget by half by crea ng one on call system for the two houses, and now share similar proceduresand paper work. We also use the same case working and key working principles. There is a clear direc onthat youth will now follow when accessing our program. Once per month the 2 teams come together for acombined Team mee ng/pot luck lunch to increase communica on and cohesion between the houses. Whileboth programs will provide opportuni es for skill development, they maintain their primary focuses which for

Raido House is the skills for and transi on towards successful independence.We have seen an increase in the number of youth that have transi oned between Raido House and WindsorPark from 0 previous to 3 since this year.

The two houses have begun regular monthly BBQs alterna ng between the two loca ons. The intent behindthis was to increase the accessibility for the youth to the two houses and sta . Elimina ng the boundaries andunknown, hopefully increasing a youths comfort level through the stages of transi on. These events have alsoallowed for sta from each house to get to know each other, increasing communica on and the sense of teambetween the two houses.

Raido House is Funded in part by:The United Way of Calgary and Area

The Calgary Homeless Founda on (Service Canada)

Anonymous Donors

Intact Insurance (formerly ING)


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Windsor ParkWindsor Park is a nine bedroom house that is sta ed byexperienced youth workers 24 hours, 7 days a week. WindsorPark provides long term, supported, semi-independent housingfor youth between the ages of 15 and 22 (at intake) who do nothave access to child interven on services or family supports.The program will provide 24-hour support and supervisionfor youth who require long term housing and support beforeembarking upon independent living. Residents live in asupported, independent program designed to empower themin iden fying their needs and accomplishing future goals.Sta at Windsor Park assist residents by helping them developself-con dence, and iden fy and learn skills needed to liveindependently. Youth workers aid residents in developingliving skills, recrea on, employment, volunteer ac vi es, andschooling. They also assist in advoca ng on residents behalf

in order to help them access important community and health services. Priority is given to candidates who havedemonstrated a degree of independence and have iden ed important personal goals but s ll require support andguidance to transi on to self-su cient adult-hood.

The mission of the Youth Transi onal Residen al Services is to provide a safe and secure residence for youth who area emp ng to transi on from street life to a completely independent lifestyle. We strive to improve the quality of lifefor Calgarys homeless youth by providing a variety of services ranging from safe and secure housing; skill developmentthrough training in life skills, con ict resolu on, communica on, independent living, and self-management; voca onalsupport through employment prepara on; connec ng youth to community services; and youth advocacy to helpyouth e ec vely deal with barriers to physical, emo onal, and social health.

In short, the supports at Windsor Park focuses on 3 main areas:

Pre-care helping poten al candidates meet the requirements for accessing services

Residen al care providing skill training, role modeling, and posi ve adult rela onships, and;

Post-care assis ng former clients with the ability to maintain housing and employment as well as stable, saferela onships.

The most important highlight the year for Windsor Park is the ongoing changes in our programming structure.These changes are to ensure we are mee ng the needs of our clients and the requirements of our changing serviceenvironment. Some of the program adjustments come in the form of our case management process and ourpartnership with Raido. The success of these changes have been represented in the increased number of youthtransi oned between Raido and Windsor, the increased average stay of our residents, and the improved recordingand evalua ons methods of our program. Along with these improvements, Windsor and Raido have enjoyed jointac vi es such as BBQ, hockey games, and joint team mee ngs. Another great highlight for Windsor Park is thetremendous support received from the community in improving its physical environment. Under the direc on of the

United Ways Days of Caring program, Shell Canada came to rebuild build the fence around the property, reset ourcement pa o, and help paint the kitchen and boardroom. The fence replacement was a great success despite theaggressive a acks by a colony of wasps! The most important change of all is that Windsor has changed its prehistoricrugs for modern laminate ooring. Looking good Windsor!

53 youth accessed services in 2009, one of those well call Stephanie:

Stephanie is an 18 year old client that came from Raido to Windsor Park. During her stay at Raido she had severaliden ed barriers to living a life free of homelessness and had stabilized her life. Some of the issues Stephanie dealtwith con nuously included addic ons, family issues, peer rela ons issues, mo va on issues, educa onal issues, andemployment. During her stay at Raido sta where able to support her in the iden ca on of her personal issues, set



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Residential Servicesgoals, and access support services. In this me she was able to access addic ons treatment, strengthen her peer topeer rela onships, and achieve a regular school schedule. A er staying at Raido for several months there was a clearneed for her to move into a more independent living situa on and begin to learn and build healthy, independentliving skills. However, she clearly was not ready to live in the community on her own as she s ll required signi cantsupport. It was at this me Stephanie was transi oned to Windsor Park. When Stephanie arrived at Windsor Parkshe was con nuing to address issues including depression, lack of mo va on, and unemployment. Stephanie wasat signi cant risk for falling back into homelessness and addic ons. Windsor Park sta were quick to support her

in iden fying areas in her life that needed a en on and set goals to address these issues. Stephanie was able toaccess counselling and employment services to deal with her depression and employment concerns. Sta con nuedsuppor ng her in many ways to help create engagement in her life. Today Stephanie has successfully maintainedemployment for several months and has saved a signi cant amount of money through our forced saving program.Stephanie, along with the support of sta , is currently looking for independent living arrangements. When we look atStephanies progression from her me at Raido to Windsor Park, she was able to confront and overcome some verydi cult personal issues to the point where she can now live an independently with minimal supports. Stephanie is,for us, a perfect example of a youth that bene ted from the con nuum of services that Raido and Windsor Park o er.

2009 was a year of change for Windsor Park. In addi on to a new Team Leader and Residen al Coordinator, we foundourselves needing to adjust to meet the demands of our changing service environment. In an a empt to reduce ourrelief budgets a rota ng schedule was implemented resul ng in a signi cant drop in the use of relief sta due to

the more e cient use of sta ng and a reduc on in relief costs, allevia ng the strain on the opera onal budget. TheProgram Evalua on was implemented and the new data tracking has resulted in a signi cant collec on of valuablesta s cs.

Recently there has been a sta ini a ve to create strong connec on with other service providers and communitymembers. Two members of Windsor Park where able to par cipate a collabora ve community event called Gear Up.At this event sta where able to connect with homeless youth and other service providers. This was a great successand many new connec ons where made with both youth and community members/services. We will con nue tosupport our sta in researching and networking with the greater community in order to be more adequately preparedto support and transi on our youth. We con nued to provide professional development opportuni es to our team,including opportuni es in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Restora ve Jus ce, Housing First, evalua on, and so on.

Most importantly, we con nue with the program uni ca on between Windsor Park and Raido House which has beena top priority for the residen al leadership team. In the past the two programs have maintained as separate en es.The changes have come in the form of moving the two programs to func on under one umbrella while maintainingthe unique nature of each program and its teams. In addi on to the rota ng schedule, we reduced our on call budgetby half by crea ng one on call system for the two houses, and now share similar procedures and paper work. Wealso use the same case working and key working principals. There is a clear direc on that youth will now follow whenaccessing our program. Once per month the 2 teams come together for a combined Team mee ng/pot luck lunchto increase communica on and cohesion between the houses. While both programs will provide opportuni es forskill development, they maintain their primary focuses which for Windsor Park is the skills for and transi on towardssuccessful independence.

We have seen an increase in the number of youth that have transi oned between Raido House and Windsor Park

from 0 previous to April and 3 since then.The two houses have begun regular monthly BBQs alterna ng between the two loca ons. The intent behind thiswas to increase the accessibility for the youth to the two houses and sta . Elimina ng the boundaries and unknown,hopefully increasing a youths comfort level through the stages of transi on. These events have also allowed for sta from each house to get to know each other, increasing communica on and the sense of team between the twohouses.Windsor Park is Funded in part by:United Way of Calgary and AreaThe Calgary Homeless Founda on (Service Canada)Anonymous Donor


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Adult Literacy ProgramThis Program o ers the opportunity to address literacy skills free of charge to those persons at-risk andthose who are ac vely involved in or who have had previous involvement with the criminal jus ce system.At Remand; one-on-one tutoring is made available by the Literacy Coordinator and the part- me LiteracyFacilitator. In the community; the literacy program is available for individuals who do not wish to make aweekly commitment but who wish only to access the service at-point-of-need and is facilitated by the LiteracyCoordinator and volunteer literacy coaches. All services are funded to support learners to a grade 9 literacylevel. Learners work on reading, wri ng, numeracy, comprehension, and other skills needed to func on indaily life.

Our Goals:

To o er learning opportuni es to individuals who face barriers preven ng them from accessing literacyupgrading.

To o er learners a safe, non-judgemental, encouraging environment in which to pursue literacy learninggoals.

To contribute toward the improvement of the learner s self-esteem and personal skills.

To encourage learners, either upon release from custody or upon accessing the services in the community,to con nue with the free service for greater success.

The literacy tutoring program at the Remand Centre con nued to be a sought-a er service with an increasednumber of requests. There were inmates who wished they could have more regular access to this service. TheLiteracy Coordinator and part- me Literacy Facilitator are available to address the needs at Remand with thehopes of increasing the availability of literacy coaching for the clients.

When the Centre of Hope disengaged from the previous collabora on the Coordinator established a workingliaison with Inn from the Cold which commenced in August 2009.

Since that me two part days per week were established in the Resource Room at the Inn from the Cold centre.These drop-in mes have been busy and are sought by the clients.

The literacy coaching drop-in program at the Calgary John Howard o ces have been busy both with one-to-one coaching and group coaching for the Just Say YES program. Those who a ended seemed to have hadsigni cant barriers which some mes impacted their progress.

Di erent working rela onships have been and will con nue to be explored for the coming year in order toreach more learners via di erent avenues.

A 50 year old gentleman with a low literacy level and whose family became homeless (a wife and three teenchildren) were all housed and cared for at the Inn from the Cold. One day he appeared in the Resource Roomat Inn from the Cold and was encouraged to a end the literacy drop-in program facilitated by the LiteracyCoordinator. He not only regularly a ended the group classes on site but also reached out to further addresshis needs by mee ng one-to-one with the Coordinator at the agency main o ce.



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Reintegration Services

Due to his good verbal skills he became an advocate not only for the Inn from the Cold but the agency as well.He appeared in public rela ons videos and media interviews. He has progressed from having no con dencein reading or spelling to an individual who now sees that he can not only read to understand but can also spellwhen given the proper direc on and tools. He, together with the assistance of the Coordinator in studying andunderstanding the printed word, successfully passed his learners license (class 7) exam on the rst try. Thisgentleman is s ll keen to become a good speller and reader and s ll appears for assistance and guidance atthe agency o ce.

Looking ahead we con nue to explore partner liaisons with various other agencies such as the Elizabeth FrySociety, the Just Say Y.E.S. program, Berkana House, the Youth Employability Program, The Inn From The Cold,the Rockyview Adult Literacy, the Calgary Public Library and others.

Alberta Advanced Educa on relaxed their programming guidelines, as previously reported, to allow for groupclasses with a paid instructor. We have had an opportunity to ac vate this proposal through the Just Say YESprogram.

With the success of the Remand Literacy program and Drop-In programs both at Inn from the Cold and atthe agency o ce we are looking forward to the opportunity to o er further programming to learners and tosolidify the learning opportuni es currently being o ered. We are also endeavouring to ac vate the skills of our volunteer learning coaches in leading group presenta ons.

The Adult Literacty Program is funded in part by:

Calgary Learns

Alberta Advanced Educa on and Technology

Rotary Club


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Emergency Assistance & Intake ProgramThe provision of immediate and direct assistance to individuals who have had, or are at risk of havinginvolvement in the criminal jus ce system. Assistance may be provided in rela on to employment and/oreduca on issues, nances, counselling, advocacy, transporta on, basic needs, pardons and other documentassistance, facilita ng contact with family/community supports and internal/external referrals.

Our Goals:

Crime preven on Providing alterna ves Removal of barriers Increased knowledge of resources Increased access to resources Increased likelihood of independent and e ec ve func oning in the communityA total of 1000 contacts with clients were made through the Intake Program in 2009. There were 520 newclients registered with the agency and 746 contacts were made in person. In 631 instances, clients needs wereeither sa s ed directly or access to appropriate resources was facilitated; a total of 155 referrals were made. In2009:

294 clients obtained bus ckets to get to and from employment, job interviews, educa on commitments,or to a end to basic or medical needs;

76 clients obtained nancial assistance; 48 clients obtained needed iden ca on; 15 clients obtained nancial assistance for Greyhound transporta on; 59 clients obtained needed documents; long distance telephone calls were facilitated for 39 clients; 130 clients obtained assistance in rela on to basic needs; 188 clients obtained employment related assistance; 356 clients obtained resource informa on, guidance and support; 65 clients obtained pardon assistanceOf all the clients served in 2009, 17% were homeless and 8% had been released from custody within the pastthree months; 26% of clients served were female and 19% were of Aboriginal descent. The average age of clients was 35 years.

The Caring for Families Project gained much momentum in 2009. The development of and o cial prin ng of the Informa on & Resource Guide and pamphlets was nalized and interest in the group has been expressedby various communi es and organiza ons throughout Alberta. Invites to share experiences at community jus ce forums has also raised the pro le of the ini a ve.

Nine Alterna ves to Violence workshops were facilitated in conjunc on with the employment program andfeedback from par cipants con nues to be most posi ve.

In July, Calgary Legal Guidance gathered community stakeholders together to dialogue about issues of iden ca on and cards of en tlement. A collabora on was soon formed and working groups emerged;slowly but surely these issues are being resolved at both a municipal and provincial level which will have animmensely posi ve impact on our clients.



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Wed like to tell you about a woman who contacted the agency seeking informa on and support in rela onto her son who had come into con ict with the law and was an cipa ng a federal sentence for drug relatedo ences. Extremely distraught and confused, she expressed her fears, indica ng she had never had reasonto acquire knowledge of the criminal jus ce or correc onal systems let alone navigate her way throughboth. Several mee ngs were held to support this woman through her experience; she was also invited to join the Caring For Families Group. Accompanying the woman to court on the date of her sons sentencing inaddi on to providing her with informa on, referrals to resources and o ering uncondi onal emo onal/moral

support was pivotal; the woman stated she was able to manage her response to the experience in a muchmore posi ve way. This extended to her experience of maintaining contact and a rela onship with her sonthroughout his incarcera on, something she was not con dent she would have had the capacity to do had shenot had the support o ered through the Intake Program and subsequently the Caring For Families Group. Todate, this woman has become an integral part of the Group, con nuing to be most ac ve in all aspects of thedevelopment and expansion of this ini a ve.

Looking ahead, more barriers for clients obtaining iden ca on and cards of en tlement will be removedin 2010 and an iden ca on storage bank will be created to protect original copies. Collabora ve e ortsinvolving Calgary Legal Guidance, United Way and representa ve stakeholders from various community andgovernment sectors will con nue making signi cant progress and the agency will con nue to par cipate in an

established working group.The interest expressed by the Calgary Police Service in collabora ng with the Caring For Families Group maypoten ally result in CPS distribu ng informa on to family members in appropriate instances where they maybe witness to the arrest and apprehension of a loved one. Proposals and presenta ons will be arranged in2010 to promote CPS involvement by referring individuals to contact CFF for informa on and support.

Although we have not been able to expand the facilitator base of AVP (Alterna ves to Violence Program) therehas been a stronger connec on made with AVP Alberta. In 2010 it is hoped we can add one more facilitator toassist with facilita on of the workshops at the agency.

This program is funded in part by:

The United Way of Calgary and Area

Lawson McMechan Founda on

Calgary Learns

Correc onal Services Canada Vic m Services


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Extended FASD Support ProjectEFSP is a support program for adult men and women who are living with FASD and are at risk or involvedin the criminal jus ce system. The main purpose is to develop a Community Support Team (CST) for eachclient. Services for clients include ongoing support, clinics for Diagnos c Interpreta on of Abili es (DIA),iden ca on of the clients strengths, recommenda ons for interven on and preven on strategies, and accessto community reintegra on programs o ered by the CJHS to youth and adults. Addi onally, the program o ers

educa onal workshops on FASD for the CJHS sta and other community agencies.The Goal of the program is to iden fy adults living with FASD, to make appropriate referrals for diagnosis andprovide a DIA assessment for a CST. We provide ongoing support to the client including par cipa on in thedevelopment of their CST and the resul ng clinic. Following the clinic we will assist the CST and the client inaccessing the necessary resources for ongoing success and long term community integra on.

The EFSP has increased the knowledge and awareness about FASD both internally at the CJHS as well as toother service providers and criminal jus ce ins tu ons. It has increased referrals to the CJHS, strengthenedcollabora ve work with community agencies, jails, parole and proba on o cers and other FASD services.We o er a safe and suppor ve environment through which clients have built rela onships not only with theEFSP but with other program sta ; clients increase the possibility to receive help in accessing other available

resources. We have worked with the transi onal houses in which we have been able to provide a home forsome clients. This has helped to resolve some crises, reduce risks and prevent homelessness. Some clientshave a ended LEEP, Literacy, and other programs that have helped them learn skills, increase self-esteem, andincrease con dence to apply for employment.

Wed like to tell you about a young adult male client. Vince was living in a tent when his mother came tothe CJHS to advocate and nd support for him. His mother suspected that he was living with FASD; Vincedid not believe in social support as he had transi oned through a variety of group homes since he was veryyoung. Vince enrolled in LEEP and was accepted into Windsor Park House (WPH), where he lived for vemonths. Vince blossomed during his me taking LEEP; he was included in the groups ac vi es as opposed tohis previous educa onal experiences where he was marginalized and labeled retarded. Vince built strongrela onships with the CJHS sta , both in WPH as well as at the main o ce, found a job and was able to payhis rent on his own. A new crisis came about as a consequence of losing his job and being evicted from hisapartment; Vince immediately came to CJHS looking for support. He was able to reapply to the WPH, was given

rst priority, and obtained a room immediately. Vince accessed resources at the main o ce, searched for a joband planned alterna ves such as returning to school. Vince con nues to access the support o ered by manysta at the agency and is scheduled for his FASD assessment; an assessment facilitated and funded throughEFSP.

The EFSP is in a con nual building process to respond to our clients needs; we hope to con nue to be able too er assistance to current and new clients. We are also looking at the possibility of developing communitysupport teams for each client ensuring that they have an increased chance to succeed. We are also workingin nding the nancial resources to assess for the FASD diagnosis of each client. It is expected that each client

with medical FASD diagnosis will have the DIA assessment interpreta on and a clinic with the CST.This program is funded in part by:

The Calgary Fetal Alcohol Network



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Learning Employment Enhancement ProgramLEEP is an employment prepara on program aimed at people who have been or are at-risk of coming intocon ict with the law. The program runs in modules of three weeks, o ering job prepara on, an Alterna ve toViolence workshop and industry training. Clients are assisted in crea ng func onal cover le ers, rsums andlearning basic computer skills. The integrated alterna ves to violence workshop is an experien al componentwhich assists clients further develop self esteem, communica on, coopera on and e ec ve decision making

skills. Industry training includes H2S Alive, First Aid/CPR and Construc on Safety with WHMISThe goal of the program is to assist ex-o enders and those at-risk of o ending in becoming produc ve ci zensin the community and assis ng them in nding alterna ves to commi ng crime. LEEP focuses on ensuringclients have the skills that support obtaining and maintaining employment which includes maintaining posi verela onships, both personally and at work.

2009 was a great year with high a endance in both LEEP and AVP sessions. The bene ts of integra ng AVPinto the LEEP program have con nually been represented in the posi ve a tudes of the par cipants. In 2009there were 320 work related ckets obtained by clients, including the Basic Level training for AVP. A facilitatorhas re-cer ed in the Red Cross Instructor training ensuring a con nued assurance that cket training can beo ered in a safe and posi ve learning environment.

Wed like to tell you about Suze e who had come to the John Howard Society with her partner, Bosco. Boscocould not read or write so Suze e helped him ll in his le to see an intake worker. While si ng in thewai ng room, Suze e saw the brochure for LEEP and had decided that she wanted to register. Suze e wasinterviewed and accepted that same a ernoon. Through the rst week of the program Suze e admi ed thather current partner had been abusing her and that she was running from him, fearful of what he might do.Suze e con ded in the group that without the support of the other par cipants she wasnt sure she couldhave le the rela onship. CPS was no ed and Suze e bravely told the o cer what was happening; womensemergency shelters were called and the search began to nd Suze e a safe place for her to stay for thedura on of the program. Suze e showed up every day for LEEP, despite her challenging situa on and showedtrue commitment to improve her situa on. Suze e graduated, found an apartment and is currently registeredin Mount Royal Universitys Business Program learning about Franchises as it was always a true passion forher.

We are hoping to add the Petroleum Safety Training (PST) Ticket to the LEEP program, as well as upda ng ourso ware needs in order to be able to provide addi onal training to clients. A new module will hopefully beadded to LEEP, as both LEEP facilitators are taking Money Management training sessions; these will providethe current facilitators with the proper tools to assist clients in learning money management tools.


Calgary Learns

The United Way of Calgary and area


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Ins tu onal Visita onServices are provided to individuals incarcerated in the Calgary Remand and Calgary Correc onal Centre andat the Forensic Assessment Unit. The program Coordinator/ Caseworker responds to individual requests andtailors services to meet the needs of individuals. Clients can request contact by telephone or by submi ng aformal request form at the Ins tu on; referrals are accepted from any source. This program provides a link tothe community for individuals in custody; contacts with family, employment or other resources are facilitated.Services provided may also include advocacy, pre-release planning, provision of resource informa on, direc onand guidance and/or the facilita on of internal and external referrals.

Our Goals:

To meet the diverse needs of incarcerated individuals.

To facilitate the expedient release from custody those individuals needing to access their own funds forpayment of bail or nes.

To assist individuals to increase with successful reintegra on into the community

2009 was a signi cant year for the Ins tu onal Visita on Program. Taking into account the ever increasingnumber of requests for assistance and the limited resources available, a complete evalua on of serviceswas needed and a refocusing of program direc on was concluded. Although it was determined that exis ngservices were of value, a shi in resource direc on was needed to provide more meaningful contact withindividuals interested in making posi ve changes in their lives. By diver ng more resources towards assis ngthese individuals in formula ng solid release plans and facilita ng their connec on with appropriate resources,we could inevitably increase the likelihood of successful reintegra on thereby providing more posi ve impactfor both individuals and the community. It was also determined that other valuable services could con nue tobe provided with the help of volunteers. Throughout the extensive program planning stages that took place in2009, key correc onal facility sta remained very encouraging, helpful and accommoda ng.

Despite the irregularity of service provision at the ins tu ons during 2009 due to program planning ac vi es,there were 352 clients that accessed services and a total of 580 contacts made over the course of the year. TheAdult Service Team did a tremendous job of working together to ensure that the best interests of the clientsremained paramount and that working rela onships with stakeholders both in the ins tu ons and in thecommunity remained ongoing and posi ve.

The Ins tu onal Visita on Program will focus more on providing clients with more meaningful support asthey transi on from the ins tu on to the community. Resource connec ons in the community will be madeto reduce barriers for clients needing to access housing, basic needs, iden ca on, nancial, employmentand addic on related supports. The Adult Service Team will apply a more integrated approach to working withthese individuals to ensure clients needs are being addressed most e ec vely.


The United Way of Calgary and Area



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Youth & Educational Services

Alterna ves for Adolescent Males ProjectThe Alterna ves for Adolescent Males Project (AAMP) is a process/discussion group that meets for 2 hoursonce a week for ten consecu ve weeks. AAMP provides males 14-18 years of age with an opportunity to gainself awareness through the topics of communica on, anger management, male gender roles, and empathy.Par cipa on is voluntary, however clients are encouraged to contribute as much as possible, as topics areguided by group discussion.

The main goal of AAMP is to provide clients with insight and understanding into why they do what they do.This includes, but is not limited to, undergoing cri cal self examina on and re ec on on their pa erns of behaviour, taking responsibility for their ac ons, and the ability to use alterna ve behaviours that establishhealthy, non-abusive and pro-social rela onships.

The format of AAMP was altered to include ten 2 hour sessions instead of eight 2 hour sessions. In addi on,the curriculum was revised to incorporate a process group approach rather than an educa onal approach.

AAMP experienced increased numbers of par cipants and comple on rate. 57% of youth (20/35) completedAAMP in 2009 compared to a 50% (10/20) in 2008.

A number of service providers regularly refer to AAMP, resul ng in waitlists for future sessions.

Pre and Post Group evalua ons from 2009 AAMP session demonstrated that:

100% of youth comple ng AAMP (20/20) demonstrated an increase on the pro-social behaviour scale 100% of youth comple ng AAMP (20/20) demonstrated a decrease on the abusive behaviour scale 100% of youth comple ng AAMP (20/20) demonstrated an increase on the cri cal self-examina on and

re ec ve scale

Following are some par cipant comments taken from AAMP evalua on forms:There were ways to show life from a di erent perspec ve.

[The facilitators] were really nice and bonded well with us.

If youre less angry, or realize something about yourself you can manage your life, and make your own

decisions.I nd this group helpful because you can talk about anything.

It helped me to think before I act.

It gave me a be er outlook on things.

A lot of what they said sunk in and made sense.

It helped me nd ways to get in touch with myself.

It helped me to nd di erent ways of dealing with anger.

I have more pa ence now.

Alberta Children and Youth Services Community Incen ve Fund program has concluded. As a result, CJHShas experienced challenges obtaining sustainable funding for a full me Coordinator for the AAMP and CIPprograms. CJHS is exploring op ons for re-structuring the Youth Services Team to ensure sustainable deliveryof e ec ve programming, including AAMP.

This Project is funded in part by:Community Incen ve FundLawson-McMechan Founda onWinstar Resources


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Calgary Community ConferencingA Community Conference is an opportunity for everyone a ected by a crime or harmful act commi ed by a young personto par cipate in acknowledging and addressing the harm caused. This involves a mee ng between the young person, his/her family and supporters and the vic m(s), their family and supporters. The conference is organized and guided by afacilitator. Personal mee ngs are held with par cipants in their homes in prepara on for the community conference. Anagreement is developed and then provided, along with a summary of the conference, to each par cipant, as well as tothe referral source.

Referrals may come from the Youth Court following a guilty plea as a pre-sentence measure or from public schooladministrators to re-establish safety in the school community.

Our Beliefs:

Con ict is an opportunity for learning and change. Resolu on of con ict belongs primarily to those most a ected. Young people have the capacity to address and repair the harm they have caused. Restora ve prac ces are opportuni es for par cipants to be ac ve in their own and each others learning and

healing.

In May, 2009, Calgary Community Conferencing hosted Dr. Michael Ungar, an interna onally recognized expert onresilience in at-risk youth. Dr. Ungar is a professor at the School of Social Work at the Dalhousie University and runs aprivate prac ce specializing in working with children and adults in mental health and correc onal se ngs. The full dayworkshop was well a ended by school administrators and teachers, youth workers and proba on o cers. 85 par cipantsa ended with evalua ons indica ng par cipants expecta ons were exceeded.

A facilitator from CCC has been on the Alberta Restora ve Jus ce Associa on (ARJA) Board since its incep on. Thismember sat on the coordina ng commi ee for ARJA Provincial Conference and was re-elected to the board at the AGMin November, 2009. CCC facilitators took part in the ARJA conference in November, 2009.

There were 106 young people referred to CCC in 2009.

Wed like to share with you a story about a number of students in a local high school were enmeshed in a long standingcon ict which resulted in one student being assaulted in his community by two other students. This situa on culminatedwith a ght at the school involving many other students. Those responsible were suspended from the school and a total

of 9 students were referred to CCC.The conferencing process required the students to examine their role in this ongoing con ict and to determine what theyneeded to take responsibility for. In the course of this prepara on, two of the students acknowledged responsibility forthe assault in the community which they had denied responsibility for. Their parents also assumed their innocence of this assault.

In mee ng with this student and his parents, these two boys set the record straight by acknowledging, with their parentspresent, their responsibility for the assault in the community. This enabled the vic m to speak about the fear it causedhim. In response, the students responsible were able to give assurances that he had nothing to fear in the future, andthat they felt bad for hur ng him.

With the key players in this ongoing con ict accep ng responsibility for their ac ons and making commitments toposi ve behaviour in the future, this situa on was resolved without resor ng to criminal charges. Most signi cantly, allstudents were able to remain ac vely involved in the school community without fear of punishment or retribu on.

CCC will con nue to support the Alberta Restora ve Jus ce Board by having a representa ve a end all mee ngs.

CCC is currently exploring opportuni es to collaborate with partnering organiza ons to enhance the services beingo ered to referral sources.

This Program is funded in part by:

The United Way of Calgary & AreaAlberta Solicitor General: Alberta Community Restora ve Jus ce Grant



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Crime Impact ProgramThe Crime Impact Program, (CIP), is a free, con den al one-on-one service designed to implement the theore calprac ce of restora ve jus ce in a suppor ve and safe environment. CIP is for youth who are presently involved or atrisk of becoming involved with the criminal jus ce system. Youth referred to CIP complete an intake, and a 1 to 2hour session where the impact of crime on vic ms is discussed, along with the impact of the individuals ac ons onthemselves, family, other signi cant people in their life, and the community.

The goals of CIP are:

Young people will be aware of the consequences of their ac ons on family, vic ms, themselves and the community Young people will take ownership and responsibility for their ac ons Young people will be aware of alterna ves to o ending behaviour. The Crime Impact Program received 135 referrals and had 116 successful comple ons in 2009.

Surveys completed by clients in 2009 indicated an increased awareness of the e ects of their ac ons on themselves,their vic ms, and the community:

95 % of respondents (103 of 108) indicated the session increased their awareness of the consequences of theirac ons on family

91% of respondents (98 of 108) indicated the session increased their awareness of the consequences of their ac ons

on vic ms 68% of respondents (79 of 108) indicated the session increased their awareness of the consequences of their ac onson the community

97% of respondents (105 of 108) indicated the session increased their awareness of the consequences of theirac ons on themselves

90% of respondents (97 of 108) indicated they have learned what triggers their o ending behavior 100% of respondents (108 of 108) iden ed strategies to make be er choices for themselves

Feedback from the CIP evalua on forms:

This session was be er than I thought it would be; the facilitator was not judgemental at all. Thank you very much.

I enjoyed si ng here knowing I can talk with someone who will listen and help me with my problems.

It was a good experience to know that there is someone that you can talk to about your issues.

The facilitator was very accep ng and easy to talk and open up to.

I like this type of way to deal with problems. If ever I would give advice to someone I would say that this session helpedme out and that they should try it.

The program was really good to learn more and understand more about the consequences of crime.

This session made me more aware of the consequences that happen to not just the vic m but everyone involved.

I have a broader view on why not to steal and who it strongly a ects. This was de nitely a produc ve session on mybehalf. Thank you.

Looking ahead, The Calgary Young O ender Centre has inquired about delivery of CIP sessions at the ins tu on prior to a

youths release.CJHS has experienced challenges with securing sustainable funding for a full me Coordinator for the CIP and AAMPprograms. CJHS is exploring op ons for re-structuring the Youth Services Team to ensure sustainable delivery of e ec veprogramming, including CIP.


The United Way of Calgary and AreaCommunity Incen ve Program


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Child and Youth Empowerment StrategyThe Child and Youth Empowerment Strategy is an early interven on program for youth involved in the criminal jus cesystem. CYES focuses on crime preven on by challenging young people with at risk behaviours to acknowledge theimpact their behaviours have on their own lives, rela onships and in the community. The program o ers individual andgroup sessions. These sessions encourage youth to explore ways they can change their behaviour in order to avoid ayouth criminal record and the consequences.

The goal of the Child andYouth Empowerment Strategy is to intervene with children and youth at risk before theirbehaviors become habitual and long term. Through the program, children and youth are assisted with developing aposi ve sense of self, e ec ve communica on skills, problem solving techniques, empathy, and con ict resolu on. Theseskills will provide par cipants with the means to address day to day challenges e ec vely and to make posi ve choicesfor a healthy future.

The Child and Youth Empowerment Strategy provided individual sessions for 70 youth. Each par cipant met with theCYES Coordinator for between 2 and 5 sessions.

100% of clients comple ng individual session evalua ons reported awareness of how their behavior impacts themselves,their family, and the community.

90% of clients a ending individual sessions successfully completed condi ons of a diversion program (Youth Jus ceCommi ee, Gateway Ini a ve, Extrajudicial Sanc ons).

In addi on, 11 group workshops were facilitated. Workshops were held at the Calgary Young O ender Centre, Holy CrossSchool, Sir Wilfred Laurier Middle School, and St. Rose of Lima Junior High School.

100% of clients comple ng workshop evalua ons reported increased knowledge of how their choices can a ect theirfuture

The Child and Youth Empowerments Strategy received a Cer cate of Apprecia on from the Alberta Solicitor Generaland Minister of Public Security. In addi on, the Youth Extrajudicial Sanc ons Coordinator with the Calgary YouthA endance Centre provided a le er of support sta ng the CYES program is unique in the sense it is one of the onlyprograms in Calgary where youth with various behaviors, anger management issues, drug and alcohol issues, or peerissues, can be referred to explore the emo onal, social, nancial and physical impact their crimes have on themselvesand the community they reside.

Looking ahead, The Child and Youth Empowerment Strategy will develop a new self report ques onnaire to be used asan assessment tool. The tool will iden fy risk factors, needs, and strengths for each par cipant. The data will be used toprovide appropriate individual sessions and select par cipants for group workshops on speci c topics.


The City of Calgary - Crime Preven on Investment Plan


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Restora ve Jus ce ProgramThe Restora ve Jus ce Program involves the coordina on and delivery of the Vic m O ender Reconcilia on Program(VORP) as well as building awareness in the community of the principles and prac ces of Restora ve Jus ce.

VORP consists of a media on process which involves providing the vic m and young o ender an opportunity to meet faceto face in a safe environment where an open discussion about the o ence can take place and issues stemming from it maybe explored. Par cipants are supported in resolving the incident in a way that may best address their needs.

Program principles & Goals: Respect, inclusiveness, accountability, trust, voluntary, repara on, and restora on.

Vic ms, young o enders and their supporters will have an opportunity to meet, to discuss the harm and what may bedone to repair that harm

Con ict resolu on and rela onship restora on

Restora ve jus ce principles and prac ces will be valued and understood within the community

Restora ve jus ce programs will be available and u lized for youth at risk

The Calgary John Howard Society was host to the 2009 Alberta Restora ve Jus ce Associa on Provincial Conference. Thecoordinator chaired the organizing commi ee, along with other members of the ARJA board.

The theme of the conference was Communi es Responding to Human Needs. Our keynote speaker, Sylvia McMechanshared her experiences of working with the stakeholders of the Fraser River Fishing Rights and her work in Africa which

added a Global perspec ve to the conference. The program con nued with concurrent workshops presented by Dr. AveryCalhoun, Sergeant Brent Sawatzky and Moira Brownlee and Pa Fisher. Dr. Avery Calhoun spoke to her recently completedresearch study An Inves ga on of the Impacts and Par cipant Experiences of Calgary Community Conferencing. SergeantBrent Sawatzky from Saddle Lake Cree Na on spoke to the restora ve work being done on the reserve. Caring 4 Familiesfacilitators, Moira Brownlee and Pa Fisher, along with current par cipants spoke to the experiences and challengesfamilies face when they have a loved one incarcerated.

There were 49 referrals to the Vic m O ender Reconcilia on Program in 2009.

Wed like to share a story about Joe who woke up in the hospital with s tches and his arm in a sling. His mother told himhe had caused a school to go into lockdown, had nearly lost the use of his right arm and been criminally charged. The lastthing he remembered was going for lunch with his friends and drinking a bo le of vodka. Over the course of the next fewdays, the details were lled in.

On the day of the incident, Joe returned to school and due to his odd behaviour was sent to the o ce. On the way, hebegan yelling and ac ng aggressively to the other students. The administrators seeing that students were at risk, managedto get Joe outside however, threats were made and a window was broken.

Joe admi ed himself to a treatment facility. During his treatment, he recognized his obliga on to make amends topeople he had harmed. Joe requested a mee ng with the person he had threatened and a referral to the Vic m O enderReconcilia on Program was made.

During the media on, both par es were able to speak about the incident and the feelings that arose from it. Joe was ableto apologize for his ac ons and nd away to personally address the harm he had caused to the school community and torepair the rela onship with the school administrator.

Looking ahead, the Restora ve Jus ce Program Coordinator was re-elected to the Board of Directors of the AlbertaRestora ve Jus ce Associa on (ARJA), which is a body that focuses on promo ng restora ve jus ce throughout theprovince and ac ng as a suppor ve, guiding body for current and future restora ve jus ce programs. The coordinator willcon nue to support the board and will assist in preparing for the 2010 provincial conference.

Keeping with restora ve jus ce services, the delivery of VORP will con nue to be evaluated and adjusted to be er suitthe need for reconcilia on in the community. The coordinator will also con nue to collaborate with the Criminal Jus ceEduca on Program in delivering presenta ons on Restora ve Jus ce.


The United Way of Calgary & AreaAlberta Solicitor General: Alberta Community Restora ve Jus ce Grant



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Youth Advocacy & SupportThe Youth Advocacy and Support Program (YAS) assists youth between 13-18 years old who are at risk of and/or involvedin the criminal jus ce system. These youth are assisted with the di cul es they are experiencing in the home, school,and/or in the community that may lead to risk of criminal behaviour. Program sta provides one to one support, familymedia on, crisis resolu on and counselling, for youth experiencing family breakdown/con ict, substance misuse issues,anger management, mental health and other issues.

Our Goals:

Assists youth to assess individual needs and work towards posi ve change through empowerment.

Young people will have alterna ves to criminal behaviour.

The YAS program was able to accommodate a prac cum student this year that came from Mount Royal College in her 1styear social work program. The Prac cum student was able to receive a great experience and opportunity to shadow theAdvocates daily ac vi es and also connect with clients on a one to one basis.

Funding was received to hire a Part Time Youth Advocate to support immigrant youth who are at risk and/or are incon ict with the law.

The Youth Advocates received referrals from schools, YARD, Youth Proba on, and the Gateway Ini a ve. The YASprogram provided support to 144 clients in 2009.

Client Feedback:...I would like to say this helped me out in life and I will s ll see Mark, to show that Im changing my life around.

Just have to add that youre a great listener and have really helped me learn a bit more about myself and how myemo ons work, also to see what to do to make life that much be er

Wed like to tell you about an 18 year old male who recently moved to Calgary from Vancouver contacted YAS for supportwith making changes in his life. While in Vancouver, he and his girlfriend were involved in the adult entertainmentbusiness, while raising two children. He had developed a serious drug habit and began having di culty accep ng hislifestyle, culmina ng in a suicide a empt. A er waking up in the hospital he decided to return to Calgary to access helpfrom his family.

The Youth Advocate had regular mee ngs with the youth to develop a recovery program. Support was provided by YAS

on a weekly basis over the next four months to help deal with and support the youth in changing his life style. The youthhas been drug and alcohol free and has been working full me driving a truck for over 6 months. He is also working onsuppor ng his family in Vancouver and trying to reconcile his rela onship with his girlfriend.

Looking ahead, the Youth Advocate will be par cipa ng in a Money Management Train the Trainer project facilitated byMomentum. Following the training, the Youth Advocate will incorporate Money Management into the range of serviceso ered through YAS.


The United Way of Calgary & AreaAlberta Solicitor General Alberta Community Crime Preven on Grant


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Youth Drug Impact ProjectThe Youth Drug Impact Project is a targeted drug preven on project for youth 13-18 who have begun using drugs andmaybe have become involved with the criminal jus ce system. The objec ve of YDIP is to help youth develop awareness of the impact of substance use, and rela onship between substance use and criminal involvement. The project is educa onaland informa on based, using interac ve ac vi es to help youth iden fy their behaviour and how it impacts many areas of their lives.

The goal of YDIP is to develop an e ec ve targeted drug preven on curriculum which can be disseminated to youth servingorganiza ons throughout Alberta. The curriculum will reduce the in uence of risk factors and increase protec ve factorsassociated with drug use for youth who are at risk of con ict with the law.

YDIP was launched in February 2009 with the recruitment of a full me Coordinator and part me Facilitator. The sta team developed the curriculum, evalua on strategy and tools, and began facilita ng groups which involved 6 sessions overa 3 week period to pilot the curriculum. Six groups were facilitated with 29 youth comple ng the program. In addi on,the Coordinator began Alberta wide networking to iden fy e ec ve strategies for adapta on of YDIP for rural and urbanloca ons.

A YDIP par cipant reported during a 6 month follow up interview that he recognized his involvement with drugs was moresevere than he previously believed and YDIP helped him to iden fy the signi cant impact substance use was having acrossseveral areas of his life. Consequently he made the decision to access a treatment program.

A second YDIP par cipant iden ed that her involvement with drugs was having a nega ve impact on her academicachievement. Previously, she was an A student, and her grades were su ering as a result of drug use. She had set a goalto reduce her substance use, improve her grades, and become more involved in dance. Within 6 months of comple ng YDIP,she had returned to being an A student, and was accepted into a school which o ered a dance program.

Looking ahead, an external evaluator will conduct a preliminary analysis of YDIP outcome data in the summer of 2010 andwill prepare a report which will be included in the province wide dissemina on of the project. In addi on, the Coordinatorwill begin working with service providers in the Fall of 2010 to develop YDIP projects in their communi es.


Health Canada



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Youth Opportunity RouteThe Youth Opportunity Route (YOR) is a collabora ve ini a ve involving CJHS, Momentum, and several otheryouth serving organiza ons. YOR targets mul -risk youth par cipa on in an Individual Development Account(IDA) program. IDAs are matched savings accounts that enable low income individuals to save, build assets,and enter the nancial mainstream. Par cipants include independent youth 16-24 years of age who areexperiencing housing instability or homelessness, and may be involved with the criminal jus ce system. Youthcomplete nancial literacy training, develop a savings plan, and access incen ves to acquire assets such ashousing, educa on and training, equipment for work, resources for a small business, eyewear and dental care,or a personal vehicle.

The goal of the Youth Opportunity Route is that mul -risk youth successfully transi on to adulthood. This goalis achieved by providing the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to gain nancial self-su ciency, buildpersonal assets, gain meaningful employment, and connect to the community.

Some Highlights:

54 youth par cipated in Youth Opportunity Route in 2009.

91% of youth who a ended Introduc on to Financial Fitness workshops reported increase in knowledge of money management

93% of youth who a ended Introduc on to Financial Fitness workshops reported they learned new moneymanagement skills

87% of youth who a ended Introduc on to Financial Fitness workshops reported feeling they could handletheir nances be er

100% of youth who a ended Introduc on to Financial Fitness workshop reported they were helped bya ending the workshop

Wed like to tell you about a young lady who struggled since moving to Calgary from Ontario enrolled in YOR inMarch 2009. She had experienced di culty maintaining employment, moving through a series of part me andtemporary jobs. Also, she was unable to maintain consistent housing, managing short term accommoda on

with roommates, couch sur ng, and lling the gaps with emergency temporary stays with family members.However, during her par cipa on in YOR, she completed a pre-employment program, obtained employmentand was able to nd a ordable rental accommoda on. Her personal savings and match savings in her IDAallowed her to pay for rst months rent and damage deposit, providing her with a founda on to con nueworking towards her goals and transi on to independence.

Looking ahead, The Calgary John Howard Society received a grant from the Carrera Founda on to pilot avaria on of YOR involving a cohort of 20 youth in an accelerated savings period. Youth will enrol in YOR in April2010 and save monthly between May and October, during which they will accumulate a 3 to 1 match of theirsavings. Par cipants will then have a 3 month period to u lize their match for an asset purchase by January2011.

CJHS and Momentum began discussions with Alberta Employment and Immigra on regarding future LabourMarket Partnerships for Financial Literacy and Asset Development projects.


Alberta Employment & Immigra on Labour Market PartnershipUnited Way of Calgary & Area


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Urban Aboriginal StrategyThe Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) targets Aboriginal youth aged 16 to 24 years within our client popula on;namely mul -barriered individuals who may have been involved with or at-risk of involvement with thecriminal jus ce system. The youth likely are at risk to live on the street, in an unstable or unsafe house, orin a shelter situa on. The UAS and Urban Aboriginal Outreach Worker support Aboriginal youth who resideat CJHSs two youth residences, Raido House and Windsor Park, as well as with youth within other agencyprograms, living in the community, or living in homelessness. The Outreach Worker supports Aboriginal youthto prevent their involvement in crime; to promote a posi ve lifestyle; and to re-unite with their Aboriginalculture and families.

Our Goals: To provide assistance in securing a ordable & safe housing To provide assistance nding and maintaining employment. To advocate for funding with bands, programs for further educa on or training To ensure that urban Aboriginal needs are being met and that related issues are being addressed One to one counselling Family Media on

Crisis Resolu on Counsellingfamily con ict, substance abuse, anger management, To facilitate Aboriginal community building enhanced capacity, iden ty, pride and a sense of ownership

Wed like to tell you about a youth who has been involved in the program for 5 months con nues to be soberfor 15 months and is currently par cipa ng in a life skills work experience program for the past 2 months.Her goal is to become an addic on counsellor and go back to her reserve and help others struggling withaddic ons.

A youth that has been in and out of the Calgary Young O ender Centre has been involved in the project andhas remain out of the centre for over 2 months and she has con nued to a end school on a daily basis and

obtained a part me job.In the coming year, the UAS will con nue to support aboriginal youth faced with mul ple barriers in preven onof poten al involvement in crime, the promo on of a posi ve lifestyle, and to re-unite youth with theirAboriginal culture and families. The Outreach Worker has plans to invited Elders and other individuals fromthe aboriginal community to host various events (Sweet grass Ceremonies, Sweat Lodge, etc.).

Since partnerships have been developed with various agencies in the community, more of an awarenessof what programs and services are o ered not only with the Aboriginal Outreach Project but Calgary JohnHoward Society overall. The Outreach worker has maintained a consistent schedule with the partnershipsto best provide services to help youth needing support. There are also upcoming plans to organize anAboriginal Awareness Day Celebra on for the agency. As well, ge ng youth involved and connected with work

experience with the 2010 Calgary Stampede. Also plans to help youth connect into post secondary programsfor the fall.

The Urban Aboriginal Strategy is solely funded through The Calgary Urban Aboriginal Ini a ve by the O ce of the Federal Interlocutor Indian and Northern A airs.



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Financial Report

2009 Summary of Revenue and Expenses

2009 2008Revenue

Government of Canada 1,466,904 1,679,345Founda ons and Grants 864,362 344,518United Way 594,504 691,759Government of Alberta 329,308 298,031Dona ons 255,097 218,506various funders 206,300 159,185Fees for Service 140,546 92,532Deferred Capital contribu ons 58,994 54,766Other revenue 99,213

4,015,228 3,538,642

ExpensesSalaries & Bene ts 2,849,229 2,504,932Program Expenses 460,908 368,374Occupancy 261,997 226,970Professional Fees 317,469 173,678Amor za on 76,644 77,729Bank charges and interest 18,944 27,657

3,985,191 3,379,340

Bedford expropria on recover (expense) -14,416 31,408

15,621 190,710


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37%

22%

15%

8%

6%

5%

4%

1% 2%

Revenue Government of Canada

Foundations and Grants

United Way

Government of Alberta

Donations

various funders

Fees for Service

Deferred Capitalcontributions

Other revenue

71%

12%

7%

8%

2% 0% Expenses

Salaries & Benefits

Program Expenses

Occupancy

Professional Fees

Amortization

Bank charges and interest

Financ

Calgary John Howard Society 2009 Annual Report

Documents

Transcript of Calgary John Howard Society 2009 Annual Report