Prince Edward Island Youth Engagement Project (YEP)

Prince Edward Island Youth Engagement Project (YEP)

Prince Edward Island Youth Engagement Project (YEP)

Description:

A major initiative of the PEI Partners for Community Safety, the YEP involved eight short term community projects intended to strengthen the work of community groups and to increase their capacity to engage at-risk youth ages of 12-24. All projects were activity-based and directly involved youth. Seed money was provided to eight different projects working with youth who were actively using, or at risk of using drugs/alcohol. The project ran from August 2012 to March 2013. Funding was from Health Canada’s Drug Treatment Funding Program and the work built on the knowledge and expertise of the PEI Partners for Community Safety.

Status:Completed – 2013

Jurisdiction:Provincial – Prince Edward Island

Body Responsible for Reform:PEI Partners for Community Safety

Government of PEI (Health PEI)

Timeline:Prince Edward Island Youth Engagement Project established – 2012

Publications:PEI Partners for Community Safety Newsletter (December 2012)

PEI Partners for Community Safety Newsletter (April 2013)

Purpose:

The purpose of the YEP was to strengthen the work of community groups and increase their capacity to engage at-risk youth. All projects were activity-based and directly involved youth. The eight short-term projects were as follows:

  • NCPEI Youth EngagementWeekend - Native Council of PEI
  • The Long and Winding Road – Boys & Girls Club of Charlottetown
  • Youth Outreach – Montague Home and School
  • Camps du Village des Sources – l’EtoileFilante
  • Connections: Youth Drumming – Abegweit First Nation, Mi’Kmaq Wellness Centre
  • Horses Helping Youth – The Hughes-Jones Centre for People and Animals
  • The Council and Girls Circle – Women’s Network of PEI
  • Youth Unlimited – Women’s Network of PEI

Results:

At the Project Wrap-up Workshop, March 14, 2013, project representatives reflected on and told their project stories, collectively analysed what they did and why, and synthesized key learnings. All agreed that there were common threads among the projects. Engaging youth involved the following components in all the projects:

  • Communication
  • Belonging
  • Trust
  • Providing Safe Environment
  • Voice
  • Validation

It was further concluded through the YEP that it is necessary to engage youth because it:

  • Alleviates barriers
  • All youth are at risk
  • Poverty, parental substance use, peer pressure, media exposure, mental health
  • Provide safe supportive environments
  • Validate their voices
  • Educate
  • Build ability to think critically
  • Give each youth opportunities to succeed
  • Increase communication (real and open)
  • Help them make healthy lifestyle choices
  • Build resilience

The YEP also recommended through its completion that moving forward there were certain key lessons learned that included:

  • Investing more in PEI’s youth
  • Programs need to be adaptable
  • Build on common interests
  • Encourage peer mentoring and role modelling
  • Spread the word (partnerships and volunteers)
  • Provide opportunities for future partnerships
  • Networking
  • Community
  • Building awareness
  • Keep dialogue going and keep people engaged

Revision History:

This summary was created on 2015-09-25. Initials: KG

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