AYS Live-In Support Program

AYS is a home-like environment where staff collaborates with professionals in the community to create a strength based plan that will meet the individual needs of the youth. These plans will enable the youth to develop the skills needed to be successful in the community. These include creating opportunities for positive social interactions and improving relationships with natural support systems, encouraging educational and/or vocational training, teaching life skills, increasing coping strategies needed for emotional/behavioural regulation, address any health related needs, and foster identity, cultural, and religious exploration.

The residence is a 24 hour/ 7 day a week staffed resource where two youth reside with one residential support worker. The Resource Coordinator provides youth with one on one individualized support and case manages the youth’s individualized service plan (ISP). Youth will also have access to a youth worker which will provide support in life skills and vocational training. In case of a crisis situation or when extra support is needed, youth and staff will have access to a crisis worker 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Stage Two Semi-Independent

& Prep Program

These two programs are designed to help youth with complex needs develop life skills and prepare them for adulthood. This program focuses on core life skills such as cooking, cleaning, basic budgeting, and self care. The youth in this program have their own independent space in the residence to provide a sense of autonomy and to help them learn to manage their time independently, while still having staff be present in the resource. The youth in the program work one on one with the Transition Worker to build and strengthen their life skills through workshops. The residential support worker in the resource is available to assist the youth with furthering their development of life skills on a day to day basis. The youth also have the opportunity to attend other workshops in a group setting with their peers to enhance their life skills in a variety of areas. The Prep program provides more direct staff support where as the stage 2 programs promotes more independence on a day to day basis

Harm Reduction Program

The Harm Reduction Program is a low barrier residential program, which services youth who are street entrenched due to substance misuse, exploitation or significant mental health struggles and provides a safe place for food, shelter, harm reduction supplies and connection to supports. The program goals are to meet the needs of the youth by providing an increased level of outreach and engagement with the youth in community, increasing the amount of time youth spend at the residence and reducing the health and social harms associated with substance misuse through access to harm reduction supplies and non-judgemental strategies to enhance skills and knowledge to live safer and healthier lives.

Youth Engagement and Transition Program (YET)

The Youth Engagement and Transition Program (YET) is geared towards supporting clients pre and post the AYS Residential Program. The goal is to support clients pre-placement that are not resource ready and to begin to engage them in services. The post service goal is to provide an easier transition to the client’s next placement (i.e home or independent living). The program is run by an Outreach and Engagement Coordinator. The Coordinator is responsible for the case management of the youth and ensuring they are supported in meeting their goals. All referrals are submitted through the Ministry of Child and Family Development and there are no fee’s for service.

Achieving Your Potential

(AYP)

The AYP program is aimed towards decreasing barriers to employment that at-risk youth face. The program will teach and support youth in preparing to be employment ready and will focus on self-development, vocational exploration, readiness skills, and practicum placements. With a youth worker and a youth development facilitator attached to the program it allows for more attention to be placed on the complex needs of each student and a higher success rate for their employment goals to be met. At this time, the AYP program is open to current AYS clients in their over age year of school. The goal moving forward will be to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and open it to other youth in their over age year of school through a referral process. The AYP program works in collaboration with the Surrey School Board. Each participant will have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to address any needs, strengths and goals in efforts for the participant to get the most out of the program.

ANIKA YOUTH SERVICES