History

Connect Youth was initiated as a result of a community focus group that involved youth, following the suicide of one of their peers in June 2001. Our goals are to “Connect Youth” with the appropriate services and programs, from a social development perspective, or develop programs necessary in conjunction with community partners. These services and programs seek to help youth adjust through difficult periods in their lives to enable them to reach their full potential and be productive adults in their communities.

Currently we are working hard to provide service to all young people who seek our help and to create awareness within the community so that both the youth and those that care about them know that there is a place they can go and people who can help them cope with their problems.

Main Program Goals:

• To provide support to youth in or out of school ages 14 - 21
• Work towards reducing the service gap for youth through advocacy and community coordination
• To promote and empower youth within their community

Mission Statement:

To assist, support and refer young people in need. To advocate for youth in partnership with our communities.

Objectives:

1. Provide one-on-one support for youth in crisis or in need of assistance in a central and accessible location.
2. Provide youth with information, referral to community resources, links with other youth and other community activities.
3. Share information with the community regarding needs of youth and resources available to youth.
4. Assist youth in accessing available community resources and to advocate for youth so that they receive appropriate assistance.
5. Educate and inform youth, parents and the community about the needs of youth and the resources available to them.
6. Coordinate an annual youth fair and maintain a current services directory.
7. Bring youth with common needs together and assist in providing programming that meets those needs.
8. Secure on-going, sustainable funding for Connect Youth.
9. Solidify a relationship with the Community Youth Initiative.
10. Gather/update information about Youth Needs and Gaps in services for youth.

Services Provided Include:

• Rural Outreach
• Ongoing Support
• Referral Services
• Professional Network
• Youth Advocacy
• Crisis Intervention
• Y Girls / Y Guys
• Rainbow Youth
• Workshops
• Recreation
• Employment

We continue to refine our services as needs within the community dictates and strive for sustainable funding.