For Immediate Release July 18, 2018 Mayor Tory outlines community-focused anti-violence measures Funding for expanded and enhanced community programs to combat root causes of gang violence Backgrounder - Proposed Community Crime and Violence Intervention and Prevention Investments Initiative #1. NEW: Youth Violence Prevention Community Investments Type Prevention Description SDFA will continue to invest in and work with agencies who have existing funding relationships and a strong track record of partnership and collaboration to further enhance their youth programing designed to curb Youth Violence. One-time funds would be mobilized to these organizations. The Community Funding Unit would work to expedite payment and achieve the goal of working with the Most Vulnerable People (MVP) Youth in the City of Toronto to provide intervention and prevention support to mitigate crime and violence. Such organizations would provide coverage across the City of Toronto where there are high incidences of crime and violence. Where possible, grassroots groups working close to the community will be identified based on existing programs that can be built upon through expanded hours and capacity. #2. NEW: Community/City/Police Gang Violence Intervention/Interruption Intervention Agencies would identify the programs that meet the following criteria: • Intervention and prevention programs that provide support and services for MVP Youth • Age group: 10 – 29 • Ability to activate other community based resources to support programming inclusive of referrals for wraparound supports • Must serve youth in emerging neighbourhoods & neighbourhood improvement areas • Funding can be for programming, staffing and administration (to a maximum of 20% admin costs) Combine community violence intervention/interruption, Police Integrated gun and gang taskforce, and City of Toronto Youth Violence Prevention strategies and approaches. The City of Toronto would apply for a 5 year investment to: Provide youth violence prevention framework, methodology, training curriculum, and City backbone coordination and evaluation support for an integrated service model. This wrap around gang intervention/interruption model would combine community based violence interrupters, nurses and family support workers into integrated staff teams working in targeted neighbourhoods. The program would: 1 Initiative Type #3. EXPANSION: Intervention Youth Violence Prevention Community Prevention Development Officers #4. EXPANSION: Community Crisis Response Program Intervention Prevention Preparation #5 NEW: Youth Violence Intervention Project (Case Management Model) Intervention Prevention #6. EXPANSION: Youth Pre-Charge Diversion Prevention Description • Invest in community partners to hire lived-experience violence interrupters and community mentors to deliver the model • Invest in community partners to hire nurses and family support workers to deliver the model • Create the referral process for the Toronto Police Integrated Gang Prevention Taskforce to the integrated staff teams • Link existing intervention models including pre-charge diversion, FOCUS Toronto and through-care models • Develop a Violence Prevention marketing and communication strategy. Implement the Youth Violence Prevention Plan that focusses on: • Youth Equity Strategy • Anti-Black Racism • Youth Employment and Training • Youth Spaces and Engagement • Youth Violence Intervention and Interruption • Youth Mental Health The City of Toronto would apply for funding to increase the Youth Violence Prevention program staff from 1 temporary staff to 5 permanent staff: one staff for each Community Council district including a Supervisor. Current staff resources end for this work end March 2019, so ongoing permanent investment is required. This investment would allow the City of Toronto to expand FOCUS Toronto into other critical neighbourhoods. Expand the Community Crisis Response Program (CCRP) from 4 staff to 8 staff. The Community Crisis Response Program covers the entire City of Toronto under 3 programmatic pillars: Intervention, Prevention and Preparation. In 2017 the program responded 604 Violent Traumatic incidents, an increase over 2016 and 2015. With currently 4 staff for the program, a growing population in the City of Toronto and increased incidents, the program is stretched and has been reducing the necessary prevention and preparation work that is essential to the communities served. An increase in CCRP would allow the program to enhance supports offered to affected communities, but more importantly, support authentic and meaningful and community driven prevention and safety strategies. Intensive and comprehensive case management approach for youth with gun possession charges & convictions. Prevent recidivism and reduce risk of future involvement in crime and violence for youth. The model will provide targeted and effective intervention to positively re-integrate youth back into the community from the criminal justice system. Funding will cover 4 staff to provide case management activities, including wraparound supports/referrals and connection to the City. The Toronto Youth Equity Strategy (TYES) Pre-charge Diversion Program works in partnership with the province, the Toronto Police Service (TPS), youth-led and youth-serving organizations to support the roll out and implementation of the EJM (Extra Judicial Measures) pilot project being delivered by the province and the TPS. Specifically, this project supports the coordination, delivery and evaluation of TYES Youth Crime Prevention Workshops across the City in 2018 and 2019. 2 Initiative #7. NEW: Employment & Mental Health Type Prevention #8. EXPANSION: Mental Health & Addressing Trauma Prevention #9. NEW: Children's Mental Health and Trauma Recovery Intervention and Prevention #10. EXPANSION: Toronto Youth Partnership and Employment Program (TYPE) Prevention #11. NEW: Youth Transitions Prevention #12. EXPANSION: Employment Connections – Youth Reach Prevention Description Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) & Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) support for youth in federally, provincially and city funded employment programs to navigate within employment settings; support youth to gain and sustain meaningful employment. Funding would cover development and delivery of CBT & DBT community resources for youth engaged in programming before and during the employment period. Expand the Community Healing Project to 8 new communities. Funding is requested for this proven peer support for youth, year round. This peer-support model comes under the umbrella of 'Community Healing Project'. Residents are trained in peer support to facilitate community healing and develop meaningful conversations that promote strong community cohesion. Funding for dedicated support to parents and service providers to best support children who are impacted by community violence. Based on recent incidents and consultation, children are often left out of the conversation and this model will bring together, Children's Services, Toronto Public Health, Social Development, Finance and Administration, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and other divisions to develop and implement a tool kit and training to engage children and their parents. Expand the TYPE program from 5 Youth Outreach counsellors to 9 counsellors to serve the 4 districts of the city. The TYPE program provides a unique mobile case management approach to connecting vulnerable youth to employment, training and education opportunities. It serves youth most vulnerable to involvement in serious violence and crime who are disconnected from employment agencies. The expansion would allow for an additional 1800 youth referrals and intensive case management of another 180 youth per year. Most Vulnerable People (MVP) youth experiencing challenges or barriers with success in traditional academic settings are provided with an innovative approach to access training and mentorship through suspensions, behavioural and credit recovery. Referred youth are paired with a youth worker and post-secondary education mentor to access courses (mental health/trauma, employment, and financial literacy) and support them in implementing a local youth violence prevention project that addresses local community challenges. MVP youth who complete the program receive a post-secondary credit or pass for reinstatement academic requirements. YouthReach also leads the Central Intake Process for the City of Toronto's Employment Connections initiative in partnership with multiple Employment Ontario (EO) agencies and the MCSCS, serving youth (15-30) on probation. This initiative through JVS, supports vulnerable youth and youth who have experienced conflict with the law providing one-on-one employment counselling or referrals to appropriate community resources. The objectives of YouthReach include: 1) Ensure youth have access to experiences that build real work soft skills, 2) Increase access to meaningful career opportunities, even for those youth who are not pursuing post-secondary education, and 3) Enhance the employability and life-long earning potential of youth facing multiple barriers, 4) Through Employment Connections, connect youth directly from probation offices to employment supports across the City 3 Initiative Type Description The expansion of this successful program will address the needs of unemployed low and moderate income youth, aged 15-30 that are in conflict or at risk of conflict with the law. The program would be provided in: • Jane Finch • Blackcreek • Rexdale • Kingsview Village • Weston Mt Denis • Rivertowne • Kingston Galloway • Malvern Expand the number of enhanced youth spaces to provide daily opportunities for supervised youth recreation programming and life skill programming/services particularly in areas of the City which have higher proportion of youth and where there greater incidents of marginalization Expand the number of drop-in youth program hours in community centres throughout the year #13. EXPANSION: Youth Recreation Spaces Prevention #14. EXPANSION: Youth Recreation Drop-In Programs #15. EXPANSION: Toronto Sport Leadership Program Prevention Prevention Expand the Toronto Sport Leadership Program which currently certifies approximately 600 youth in recreational instructional certifications-required for employment with city recreation and many other recreation agencies. Included in this program are: NLS/Aquatic instructors certificate, NCCP coaching for sport, Principles of Healthy Child Development, First-Aid CPR. These certifications have costs associated with them and these costs can be a barrier to employment. #16. EXPANSION: YouthWorx Preparation / Intervention YouthWorx is a comprehensive employment program designed to reduce barriers to employment for youth 14-29, many of whom are affected by multiple barriers to employment. Youth are employed in the months of July and August in various small scale labour jobs, including community clean ups, light repair jobs, community gardening and beautification Youth have identified that employment is a major deterrent to anti-social behaviour, and expansion of the staffing complement would have a huge impact on curbing incidents among the participants this summer. YouthWorx was also a program flagged by the Mayor’s Task Force as a best practice and one to consider for expansion. The Mayor announced on July 12th that the expansion of YouthWorx is a priority for his summer safety strategy. TCHC could expand the number of youth with jobs through YouthWorx from 105 to 155. 4