Nineteen projects receive Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust funds

Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust 2018–19 Recipients

Last fall, Boys and Girls Club of Yukon was awarded $30,000 for the After-School program Needs assessment and sustainable implementation strategy. This project includes the creation and implementation of a long-term plan for after-school programming for children ages 6 to 11 years. This project will undertake a market study and community stakeholder impacts study for middle year after-school programming in Whitehorse. This spring, Boys and Girls Club of Yukon was also awarded $5,700 for a pilot project provisionally called Get Ed! This project will provide education, mentorship and opportunity to youth ages 19 to 25. A 12-week project, the youth will work on developing a healthy self, strengthen their job readiness skills, and then be supported in a job placement.

Gwaandak Theatre Society was awarded $15,500 for the Bystander Play Production project. This project is a theatre story telling-production “Bystander” which explores issues related to justice and the human capacity for compassion, brutality, and intolerance. The production included audience “talkbacks” and a study guide that explores issues related to crime and crime prevention, particularly around hate crime. The theatre production was shown, and then a skilled community worker led audience talkbacks around issues raised from the production related to ethics, justice, peace and human rights.

Inclusion Yukon was awarded $23,309 for their My Body, My Life – Phase 3 project. This is a multi-faceted project addressing sexuality and disability. Inclusion Yukon (the former Yukon Association for Community Living) will deliver monthly sexuality education webinars and hold training for professionals. During a month-long public education campaign, Inclusion Yukon will aim to bust myths around sexuality and disability. The sexual health facilitator will provide resources and deliver presentations at local schools for students with intellectual disabilities. Inclusion Yukon will also hold friendship circles to train participants in the 10 skills of likeability and friendship.

Lorne Mountain Community Association was awarded $5,966 for A Sense of Place and Community: Kids and Youth Summer Activity Program. Over the summer holidays, kids and youth of Mount Lorne will be invited to participate in art instruction, free play and collaborative games. Activities will be held in each of the different areas of the community centre, including the skateboard park, gazebo, basketball field, trails, disc golf course, gathering area and the golf course. The project is intended to foster creativity, connection and a sense of ownership over the community centre.

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Yukon Division was awarded $25,380 for the HEADSTRONG: After the Summit project. HEADSTRONG is a youth-centric anti-stigma program to increase awareness and change behaviour and attitudes to mental health problems and illnesses.  HEADSTRONG: After the Summit is the second phase of the program where youth return to their schools post-summit and deliver events and activities to create culture change to reduce stigma and promote mental health. They are also planning HEADSTRONG summits in Watson Lake and Dawson City in the fall of 2019.  

Mothers Against Drunk Driving – Yukon Chapter was awarded $5,289 for the MADD Canada 2018–2019 School Assembly Program – No Tomorrow. This project includes presentations to students in Teslin, Faro and Whitehorse. Presentations featured a film and testimonials, and were delivered by a specially trained MADD Canada facilitator. The facilitator provides information about tools and strategies that students can use if faced with impaired driving situations. Schools are provided with a leave-behind kit that contains resources for further classroom discussion about alcohol, drugs, and impaired driving.

Queer Yukon Society was awarded $23,000 in support of Yukon Pride Week 2019. Held June 3 to 9, 2019, Yukon Pride Week features a number of events for the 2SLGBTQ+ community in recognition of the 50-year anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada. Events include a Pride Parade and Picnic, Butch and Bear Bake Off, Pride Dance, Pride Paddle, family softball game, movie screening and youth-specific programming.

Selkirk Elementary School Council was awarded $11,800 for the Selkirk Reach out and Play In project. This project is a music education project designed to provide Yukon students with the opportunity to learn classical violin and traditional fiddling. This project has provided one-on-one violin lessons to Selkirk Elementary school students for 22 weeks. The project also offered one-on-one violin lessons to rural students in Pelly Crossing for one week in the fall and one week in the spring. Rural and urban play in partners were invited to perform together at the 2nd Annual String Extravaganza at the Yukon Arts Centre on Sunday, March 3, 2019. 

Last fall, the Village of Carmacks was awarded $1,320 for their Cannabis Legislation Information Session. The Village of Carmacks hosted a community dinner and invited officials from the Government of Yukon and local RCMP to speak to the community about new cannabis legislation that came into effect October 17, 2018. Ninety-six people attended the presentation which included information about cannabis licensing, landlord and tenant responsibilities, and information for youth and parents. This spring the Village of Carmacks was also awarded $9,620 for the Building a Better Today project. This project will offer three different programs to get children, youth and adults more active on the weekends and evenings and provides an opportunity for creative expression. For women, a weekly Ladies Night Out will feature snacks, support, resources, activities and company. The Village of Carmacks plans to hold two paint parties – one for women as part of Ladies Night Out, and one for kids and youth. Finally, they will offer judo instruction for women, children and youth. These programs are intended to build self-confidence, foster creative expression and provide space for positive social interaction.

Last fall, the Village of Teslin was awarded $6,200.00 for the Family Togetherness and New Youth Programming project. This project has two distinct parts. The Village of Teslin is hosting one special family event per month, including things like family dances, skating, skiing, and games. The second part of this project supports Teslin youth who are living in Whitehorse and attending high school. The program coordinator travels to Whitehorse to connect with youth and organize programming for them.  This project will help Teslin youth to feel connection and continuity while they are living away from their community and family. This spring, the Village of Teslin was also awarded $46,944 for the Community Wellness project. The Village of Teslin will bring a counsellor to the community for the youth, maintain youth centre activities, and offer after school programming four nights per week. Planned monthly activities for families include trivia, a family escape room, glow in the dark dodge ball, a family hike, board game night, jam making, a family dance, a family cooking night, hay rides and a ski day. They will also run summer camps for kids, including gymnastics, a circus camp and a breakdance camp.

Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle was awarded $50,000 for the Strengthening Our Spirits project. This project is offering low-barrier cultural knowledge workshops for Aboriginal women. Childcare and food will be provided to participants during the workshops. An Elder will attend each workshop; community service providers will be invited to share information about their services in a non-judgmental, accessible way. Workshops will incorporate cultural learning including, for example, beadwork, weaving, medicine harvest and preservation, women’s storytelling, and hide preparation. 

Youth of Today Society was awarded $35,210 for their Sublime – A Crime Awareness Journey project.  They will create three filmed mural projects in each of Carmacks, Haines Junction and Whitehorse, involving Elders, professional young artists and at least five youth in each community. Mural projects will be designed in consultation with community health officials, youth and Elders. Elders and youth will discuss crime prevention, violence, and victim needs and a film production will be produced. The film will air on social media, channel 9 and with Shakat Journal.

Yukon Circle of Change was awarded $9,150 for the Restorative Practices Community Education and Facilitation Support: Phase II project. This project follows the Restorative Community Conferencing Project which took place in 2015–2017. Phase II is to provide training and workshops on restorative practices so that individuals and organizations are able to use the skills in their own organizations. Yukon Circle of Change will also provide restorative circles and conferences on request, using a trained Circle of Change facilitator.  

Yukon Community Crime Stoppers Association was awarded $2,000 for their Tipster Rewards. This is a reward program for people who provide tips that lead to arrest, apprehension, the recovery of stolen property or the seizure of illegal drugs. Crime Stoppers involves the public in the fight against crime.  Through anonymous reporting, people can safely provide information to police. If the tip leads to an arrest, recovery or seizure, the tipster may be eligible to collect a reward.

Yukon Status of Women Council was awarded $172,971 for the Moving Forward: Action on the Sex Trade & Trafficking of Women and Girls project. The previous phase documented a significant population of women and girls involved in the sex trade or who had been trafficked. Yukon women are unaware of existing services and feel unsafe reporting violence. This next phase will provide training to service providers, policy makers and stakeholders. Moving Forward aims to develop realistic, safe options for people wishing to transition out of the sex trade, and programming to prevent trafficking. The project will also maintain peer led support circles for women in the sex trade.

Yukon Tourism Education Council was awarded $34,800 for their Youth Program Summer Camp project. This is a free summer youth camp for immigrant and refugee youth. Through the Multicultural Centre of the Yukon, youth ages 6 to 12 will connect with other youth and address the summer learning gap. The camp will run daily for nine weeks and will offer a math club, crafts, recreational sports, themed events, tours, games, guest speakers and field trips.