Attendance Centre

This program is an alternative to custody program under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). It allows a young person to remain in the community, to participate in an in-person, structured and supervised program. The program encompasses a wide variety of opportunities for youth to learn and develop new skills, while maintaining a closely supervised setting to ensure the safety of the youth and the community.

Education Forward (offered to youth participating in the Attendance Centre Program) is an opportunity for those not enrolled in a traditional school program to participate in an alternative learning environment, while receiving intensive one-to-one support.

Goals of the Program:

  • To provide services to male youth in accordance with the YCJA
  • To comply with court orders
  • To provide programs and support to youth based on an individual needs assessment
  • To provide community-based services and supports for youth at risk
  • To link young people to services they need

Inclusionary Criteria:

  • Male youth ages 12-17 yrs, at the time of the offence, who reside in Peel
  • Male youth who may have been considered by the courts for a short-term custody sentence
  • Male youth who do not pose a risk to the community
  • Male youth who do not require intensive supervision, but do require additional assistance with particular aspects of living and can be held accountable and benefit from participation in a community-based program

Exclusionary Criteria:

  • Female youth (female youth are to be referred to attend the Elizabeth Fry Society Attendance Centre, located in Brampton)
  • Where the safety of the worker cannot be ensured

Referral Sources:

  • Probation Services
  • Youth Court Justices (coupled with a Probation Order as the Probation Officer is the Case Manager)

Referral Process:

Referrals are received directly from Youth Justice Probation Officers or Youth Court Justices (coupled with a Probation Order as the Probation Officer is the Case Manager).

The Attendance Centre Program Supervisor is available to answer any questions you may have regarding the referral process or program criteria.