Pursuant to the Youth Criminal Justice Act (Y.C.J.A.), the Non-Residential Attendance Centre Program (NRAC) is a stand-alone sentencing option for youth. This sentencing option is intended as an alternative to a custody order and for youth who will benefit from a period of intensive, highly structured and closely supervised programming to address their individual needs such as anger management, life skills or employment/job search skills. 

Programs are scheduled Monday through Friday from 9 am to 8 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. 

The program will provide more constructive, long-term and sustainable solutions to youth crime that reinforce important societal values such as, respect, responsibility and accountability. This will be achieved by providing intensive programming that promotes family involvement, community support, positive attitudes and behaviour, and the development of appropriate social skills involving key members of the case management team and community resources as required.

A Probation Officer (Case Manager) must refer the youth to the program. The probation order may require attendance with a specific condition on the order naming the Attendance Centre, or, as a general condition of probation as it relates to counselling or any other program deemed suitable by the Probation Officer. 

The basis of the NRAC is the Moral Reconation Therapy program (MRT). All youth are encouraged to participate in the MRT Program. Then, in collaboration with the Case Managers (Probation Officers), each youth will have an assessment completed and an individualized plan will be developed with a focus on the areas that present the greatest risk and require the greatest need for intervention. The proposed schedule, hours of attendance and the nature of the programs for the youth will be determined in conjunction with the youth, his/her family or guardian and the Case Manager. A Primary Worker from the Attendance Centre will be assigned to facilitate the case management.

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT)
The MRT program is a systematic, step-by step, cognitive-behavioural program designed at elevating the offender’s level of thinking and reasoning. MRT consists of a 16 step process which revolves around the achievement of seven goals: confrontation of beliefs, attitudes and behaviour, assessment of current relationships, reinforcement of current positive relationships and habits, positive identity formation, enhancing self concept, decrease hedonism (pleasure) and development of frustration and intolerance, as well as the development of elevated stages of moral reasoning. Each of the 16 steps are related to “Personality Stages” which include: Disloyalty, Opposition, Uncertainty, Injury, Non-Existence, Danger, Emergency, Normal, and Grace. Participants complete the steps by both written exercises and through mandatory group sessions where testimonies are completed and presented to their peers. The goal of the program is to re-educate offenders, so they are able to display positive habits and value-oriented behaviour, based upon higher levels of moral judgment.

Coping with Anger, is a cognitive-behaviour anger management program that is closely linked to the MRT program. Participants learn to manage feelings and behaviours accompanying anger. There are 8 Modules in the program and participants must read each module and complete the exercises for the module before attending the weekly group session. The Modules include: Anger, A Great Destroyer; How Anger Occurs; Choosing New Behaviours; Choosing New Behaviours II; Choosing New Behaviours III; Anger, Violence and Abuse; Frustrations and Goals; and Commitment to Change.

This program covers 6 skills groups and will be used also as a post anger management program. The skill groups operate as an open ended program, covering 8 weeks and include: Beginning Social Skills, Advanced Social Skills, Dealing with Feelings, Alternatives to Aggression, Dealing with Stress, and Planning Skills. This program will provide participants an opportunity to apply and learn valuable skills through a series of role-plays, made to be as close to real life situations as possible.

Life management Skills is a program consisting of a set of eight volumes, containing 50 activity-based handouts. The topic areas include activities of daily living, communication, coping and recovery skills, discharge planning, emotions, grief & loss, leisure, living with mental illness, physical health, positive thinking, relationships, self-esteem, spiritual support, and stress management. Each participant is involved in selecting areas relative to their own needs and identified goals. Participants will be required to participate in playing the Life Skills Circle Game, where they integrate and practice the skills learned by the activities completed.

Tutoring and educational support is available for youth who are attending a community school and require assistance with homework or other school related issues. For those not currently enrolled in a school program, we will provide access to Independent Learning Courses (ILC) through one of our current Section 20 community school programs, in partnership with the Greater Essex County District School Board of Education.

Participation in this program will develop basic and advanced employment skills. All youth will benefit from a coordinated approach, providing long-term support and services that will make finding and keeping a job easier. Youth Workers will provide assistance by assessing needs and developing an employment action plan with the youth. This plan will meet their individual employment needs and career goals, while providing support for the youth to follow through with their plan.

This program is administered by a certified Chemical Dependency Counsellor with emphasis on providing services in a holistic and client centered manner. Comprehensive assessments are completed during initial appointments. Treatment planning and goal setting are also completed to assist clients with identifying what they are working towards. 

This service will be administered through group and/or one-on-one sessions for youth experiencing problems and/or negative consequences related to their addiction (alcohol and drug use). Services are offered throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate clients changing needs. 

The Counsellor’s goal is to assist clients with making positive changes with regards to their substance use. 

The program will address the following major areas of concern in addiction to others:

• The beginning of addiction
• Signs & symptoms, withdrawals, and side effects of substance use
• Causes & effects
• Harm reduction & abstinence
• The cycle of addiction & the stages of change
• Anger & substance abuse
• How to deal with stress
• How to maintain healthy relationships
• Peer pressure
• Resolving conflict
• S.M.A.R.T. goals
• Trigger identification
• Identifying your high risk factors
• Relapse prevention

The Counsellor will always attempt to develop a program around each individual clients needs so that the focus can be spent on active issues the client is experiencing. Follow-up/aftercare support is available to clients who have completed the program.

Healthy Relationships is a violence-prevention curriculum that is designed to help teen-age youth understand the dynamics of both unhealthy and healthy relationships. Participants learn to address the underlying issues that contribute to violent behaviour. Once participants begin to explore these issues, they will be better equipped to free themselves from the deeply ingrained attitudes and beliefs that foster and justify anti-social actions.
It is a Three Part Volume program:

• Dealing with Aggression
• Gender Equality and Media Awareness
• Forming Healthy Relationships

That allows facilitators to adapt curriculum to participant’s individual needs in a one-on-one or small group settings.

A 26-session group-based program Teenage parents learn infant and child massage, developmental milestones of growth, how to have fun with their children, nurturing parenting routines, and ways to help children build their self-esteem and self-concept. 

Teens also learn ways to delay pregnancy, handle peer pressure, sex, sexuality, and date rape, increase personal power, and build their own positive feelings of self. This program was validated by 12 agencies throughout the country providing services to teen parents.

Melissa Lauzon - Program Manager
mlauzon@newbe.ca  - 519 971 0973 ext. 122

Jennifer Forfitt, B.A., I.C.A.D.C. - Substance Abuse Counsellor
jforfitt@newbe.ca - 519 971 0973 ext. 108 

Kim Bose - Employment and Lifeskills Worker
kbose@newbe.ca - 519-254-2363 ext. 14