Pilot Project in Jane and Finch
Jamie Sutherland visits Jane and Finch several times a week. Jamie grew up in this neighbourhood, so he knows it well. Although he sees a lot of changes in its make-up and he notices more gang activity, he can still identify with the community youth and families.
Jamie goes to Jane and Finch not as a former resident, but as a Community Child and Youth Outreach Worker for Child Development Institute. He travels across the city to meet with staff from partner agencies and to discuss the best ways to deliver our proven SNAP program - a problem-solving and self-control strategy that builds social skills and self-esteem in youth.
Our pilot project in Jane and Finch makes SNAP available to local centres and programs who work with high-risk youth. The project takes a proven and effective strategy like SNAP and, in collaboration with local staff, adapts it to the unique conditions of each community centre.
And Jane and Finch - one of Toronto’s identified ‘priority areas’ by the United Way - can really benefit from a program like SNAP. This neighbourhood has many challenges: it is a densely populated, diverse community with higher than average rates of youth and children, low-income families, single parents, and unemployment.
Jamie facilitates groups at two centres, where he teaches SNAP to children and youth in the programs. Activities are modified to ensure they are appropriate for the youth in each centre. Youth learn that negative behaviour is not the only option. They learn and practice how to deal with anger, peer pressure and how to stay out of trouble.
A critical piece of the project is that Jamie also trains the staff of these partner agencies so that they can continue to adapt and deliver SNAP approaches independently in their own programs. Training is coupled with a SNAP working group, where Jamie and partner staff meet once every three weeks to discuss what’s working and what needs to be modified to better suit participants.
“We’re building a strong network of service providers who can learn for one another, who are committed to meeting the needs of children and families and who care deeply about this community,” says Jamie, when asked why collaborating with local agencies is so important. “Working together multiplies the impact of our efforts so more children are reached. It also means we’re able to access a variety of knowledge, including local expertise to ensure change is happening on the ground.”
Jane and Finch is a neighbourhood with challenges, but Jamie is optimistic about its future. “This area has a strong history of locally-driven change. The potential of youth and families in this diverse community is enormous. SNAP is one tool that can help them reach their potential.”