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Youth Justice in need of volunteers
Angela Anderson
Wednesday June 07, 2006 Cochrane Times — Many youth who are caught committing minor crimes deserve another chance.
At least, that’s the creed of the Cochrane Youth Justice Committee, and organizations like it all across Canada.
The Youth Justice Committee is referred youth involved in shoplifting, minor assault or other first-time offenses, and they help them understand what they’ve done in exchange for a clean record.
But the committee can’t do their job without volunteers, and right now, it’s in desperate need of people from the community.
“Our volunteers come from all backgrounds,” said founder of the committee Grant Johnston. “They are really important to us and the process.”
Volunteers are needed to sit on a team, assess the seriousness of individual cases, and decide on a solution.
Many of the solutions involve community service, a letter of apology, or individual service, but all of them result in the offending youth learning the gravity of their actions.
The first step is for the youth to take ownership, which Johnston says is extremely important.
“A lot of the youth don’t think about the victim at the time,” he said.
As well, Johnston explained the truth is important.
“When they come in, we will not listen unless it’s the truth. We will listen to their side of the case, and we want them to say that they did it, if they did.”
After the case is assessed, the team of volunteers sits down and figures out what should happen next.
That involves community service, personal service, and a letter of apology to be delivered to the victim is always required, Johnston said.
And Johnston said the rewards of volunteering for Youth Justice are great.
“Just to see how they are when they are finished, they aren’t scared anymore, they know where they are going,” he said.
He also noted that about 90 per cent of youth that enter the program don’t re-offend.
A volunteer would provide a few hours a week, including general meetings.
On average, the Youth Justice Committee has seen about two dozen youth per year since it began in 2003.
To be a volunteer, call Johnston at 932-7698.
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