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Mission • CNYC is committed to developing life and employment skills with Saskatoon youth. We create educational and sustainable economic opportunities through hands-on programming and community outreach. We promote the values of cooperation, sustainability, leadership skills, environmental principles, and youth initiative in a safe and respectful environment.
Vision • We envision youth developing and implementing their own initiatives, which directly benefits themselves and their communities. By supporting sustainable youth enterprise, CNYC will be where people representing a diversity of backgrounds and life experiences are able to come together, mentor and learn from each other and build stronger communities. CNYC will also play an integral role in the development of Saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods by engaging youth to be leaders in their communities.
CNYC in a Nutshell The Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op is an alternative high school program for at risk youth. Youth are able to access high school credits and learn life and employment skills in a compassionate environment.
Who do we serve? • 90% of CNYC youth are First Nations. • 80% of our youth are involved in the criminal justice system. • 100% of our youth struggle with gang issues. • 100% of our youth have not been successful in a regular school program • We work with ages 15-25 with the majority ages 15-19. CNYC Youth
Challenges in Capacity Building • History of violence , gang involvement, criminal behavior. • Drug and alcohol addictions. • Unstable home environment. • Inconsistent school attendance in junior high and high school. • Poverty and homelessness. CNYC Youth
Built by the power of youth is CNYC’s woodworking program. This program uses the approved Practical Arts curriculum so the youth can receive high school credits for the hours they work. The youth are taught how to build a variety of things including Cleopatra chairs, compost bins and rain barrels. The youth also learn general employment skills such as punctuality, respecting their supervisor and the importance of attendance. BUILT BY THE POWER OF YOUTH
This is a program which brings together the resources and expertise of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division and the hands-on work of community agencies such as CNYC, Egadz, PAVED Arts and SCYAP. The community credit program brings school into the community for youth who are not succeeding in the regular school system. At CNYC youth currently work towards credits in English, Math, Native Studies and Computers. Our youth 18 and older have the option to work on Adult 12 . COMMUNITY CREDIT PROGRAM
This is one of CNYC’s new programs. The focus is on teaching youth skills through studying horticulture and their environment. The youth will work in an aquaponics greenhouse, learn raised bed gardening, composting techniques, greenhouse gardening, bee keeping, canning, preserving, healthy eating and cooking. URBAN AGRICULTURE
Word on the Street is an urban newsletter distributed by CNYC every month. The articles in WOTS are written and edited by youth. The newsletter gives inner city youth a creative voice. The newsletter also promotes literacy, creativity and computer skills. WORD ON THE STREET
BIKE CO-OP During the summer months CNYC offers a bike repair co-op where youth of all ages can come and learn how to fix their bicycles or build a bicycle using donated frames and parts. We receive used bikes from individuals and the community in order to keep the costs of this program relatively low.
Intake Procedures • CNYC has continuous intake throughout the year. • Youth can begin academic classes any time during the school year. • We can handle 18 youth in our program at one time. • With the new horticulture program, we hope to increase that number to 30. • Youth are often referred by their probation officers to attend CNYC. • Many of the youth at CNYC are self-referred.
Beyond the Programs Working To Meet Youth Needs
Relationship Building • Building trust between staff and youth is a key element to helping our youth move forward. • We have monthly events for staff and youth to have fun together and build relationship.
Counselling CNYC has an addictions counsellor on staff who has a key role in helping youth address their addictions as well as communicating with probation officers, social workers, youth outreach workers and other counsellors. This leads to a strong, integrated approach to meeting the often complex needs of our youth.
Youth Advisory Meetings • Youth advisory meetings are one hour every Thursday. • They provide a forum for the youth participants at CNYC to have a say in what happens at CNYC. • The CNYC staff can respond to questions and concerns. • They provide an opportunity for youth to build communication and leadership skills within a group. • The meetings also provide a venue for special speakers to address all of our youth at one time.
Aboriginal Culture CNYC recognizes the importance of Aboriginal culture and spirituality in helping CNYC youth develop a stronger identity and build healthier lives. We are working to integrate this aspect more fully into CNYC’s programs.
Life Skills We are currently working on a life skills curriculum to integrate into CNYC’s programming to go along with our academic classes and our other carpentry and horticulture programs. We hope that this curriculum will help to better address the needs of the youth we serve.
Youth Advisory • Relationships • Cultural Activities • Counselling • Life skills • Community Credits • Carpentry Program • Horticulture Program • Bike Co-op • Newsletter
Contact Information Anita Verlangen Executive Director 905 20th Street West Saskatoon, SK S7M 0Y5 306-665-3889 anita@cnyc.ca www.cnyc.ca
