Youth Development

The Youth Development Division fulfills the primary role of helping others to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to deal effectively with youth addictions and its contributing factors. Youth Development is built on the firm belief that by nurturing a young person’s natural resiliency, you give them the tools necessary to overcome addictive behaviour and succeed in life, no matter what their past circumstances. The development of curriculum and the delivery of training draw on this belief and on proven methods and strategies for working with youth.

Partnerships with key Aboriginal organizations, education providers and communities ensure that the Youth Development Division truly serves the needs of Aboriginal youth. The Youth Substance Addictions Committee (YSAC), a national association with a network of youth substance abuse treatment centres from coast to coast, continues to be a valuable partner.

The division also provides consultation and intervention services to Aboriginal organizations and communities as needed.

The Youth Development Division was created two years ago in response to the rapidly growing Aboriginal Youth population. Since over half of all Aboriginal people in Canada are under the age of 25 (Census, 2001), it’s crucial that the challenges facing this broad section of the population are addressed. These youth are tomorrow’s leaders.