As a not-for-profit organization located in one of the GTA’s 13 priority neighbourhoods, we have seen how the lack of effective service provision can have a devastating impact on youth. We understand that there are large gaps in service to the much needed demographic of youth and youth-at-risk. Youth are either, unaware, unwilling or unable to access appropriate support services. It is one of our goals to attempt to reach out to as many youth as possible in order to help them evolve and develop into contributing members of society.
Our initiative improves upon existing practices in the community by addressing violence as an issue of personal and public health, working toward holistic wellness for youth, modeled by well-balanced youth leaders. The VIBE violence recovery and prevention strategy hinges on providing services that are meaningful to youth in their social context, not one imposed by adult minds, and by engaging youth leaders who are role models, but to whom youth-at-risk seldom have access. Youth facilitators and mentors focus on peer support and modeling effective, non-destructive personal behaviours, based on the Healing Place’s vision of self-care, personal empowerment and resilience. Our program is innovative in that it involves a music interactive therapy component, a media interactive component (visit our media interactive community partner, www.cruetv.com ), as well as a life skills training program. We use creative and stimulating methods of communicating with our youth that jump start their healing process from the trauma they have witnessed and/or experienced.
As a result of the desire to expand effective and long term programming for youth and youth-at-risk, a capital fundraising campaign to raise $5 million dollars to build The Changa House National Youth Centre has been launched. The Changa House model speaks to our desire to give youth the power and courage to move forward and effect change in the world,” says Dr. Roz Roach, Executive Director of DRHP. The youth centre will ensure that young people requiring support, inspiration and guidance receive it not only on a temporary basis, but consistently throughout their lives until adulthood. “It is our aim to see that no youth gets left behind,” says Atiba Roach, Coordinator for the VIBE Program, “currently the demand for our program exceeds are ability to serve the amount of youth who desperately want and need our help.”
In this time of challenge and change, it is now more apparent than ever that programs that speak to the specific needs of youth are developed to help ensure that they survive their formative years. To many children and youth have lost their lives in a battle to be understood, accepted and loved.
For more information or to donate towards the Changa House capital building campaign,
please contact Leeann at (416) 264-0823 x 233.
