Choices for Youth

We had a blast at our annual Family Fun Day and our latest blog post has all the details ✨ Despite a brief rain shower, the sun came out just in time for families and community members to enjoy an afternoon filled with food, fun, and friendship at our Outreach and Youth Engagement Centre. With activities like ring toss, face painting, a bouncy castle, and delicious BBQ, there was something for everyone 💖 Check out our blog for highlights and photos from this fantastic event 👉 https://heyor.ca/ww7UHs

Dining Club NL is LIVE and this year's prizes are tastier than ever 😀 Tickets are just $25! By purchasing a ticket, you are supporting Choices for Youth's programs and services. It's a win/win! 🎉 Don't forget to check out the Early Bird Bundle for the best bang for your buck - available for a limited time ⏰ Treat your taste buds today and help us celebrate our 10th anniversary of Dining Club NL! Get your tickets today 👉 www.diningclubnl.com

Mari-Lynn Taylor, our Manager of Education, Employment, and Social Enterprise and Dave Banfield, Senior Director of Programs and Human Resources were recently featured on the Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle Show with Dr. Mike Wahl, where they discussed the vital role Choices for Youth (CFY) plays in our community ✨ Mari-Lynn spoke about the innovative and transformative work that CFY does to empower youth and emphasized the importance of centering youth voices 🗣️ “We really hit everything from safe and affordable housing to primary care services…Everything that we do is by and for the young people that we serve.” Dave shared how CFY’s programs and services are addressing the social determinants of health for young people to ultimate produce better outcomes for them. A lot of that work comes down to housing 🗣️ “Youth that have unstable housing or who are experiencing homelessness have higher rates of mental health concerns. We have seen a huge increase in youth accessing our mental health supports in the last year because of the housing crisis. The work we do is driven by data and research and the connection between health and housing instability is quite clear.” Thank you to VOCM and Dr. Mike Wahl for providing us with an opportunity to continue sharing details about CFY's work and our valuable impact on young people 💖 Listen to this episode by visiting CFY's News and Media page 👉 https://heyor.ca/dvjmNx

Choices for Youth is committed to making a meaningful impact in our community by providing critical resources and wrap-around supports to vulnerable young people. Our dedicated teams work tirelessly to empower youth, foster resilience, and create positive change through our programs, including housing, supportive employment, job training, education, prevention and early intervention, outreach, and advocacy, all while collaborating with other community organizations ✨ Together, we are building a brighter future for our youth! Check out our 2022-2023 Annual Report to learn more about the transformative work we've done and the lives we've touched 👉 https://lnkd.in/exra_6-c #TogetherWeCan

Over the last few days, we have received a large response from many of you providing kind words and support for the valuable services and programs we offer to young people in our community. We appreciate every comment, share, and message. Thank you 💖 We would like to take this time to provide further details related to our Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) funding history and the timeline of our ongoing efforts to date regarding this funding. For the full details, please read our latest release 👉 https://heyor.ca/Jz7sVu We would like to express sincere gratitude to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, our community, and the media for extensive ongoing support and coverage of this issue.

Choices for Youth is saddened to share that we are forced to significantly reduce our services for vulnerable youth after months of delays in finalizing a vital funding agreement. Following seven years of federal investment, on June 20, 2024, we were informed we would receive only $4 million in federal funding over four years – just 20% of the $20 million requested from the Government of Canada. We requested access to the total $4 million in the current fiscal year to continue services at existing levels while working to secure alternate long-term support, however, we have still been unable to secure a final funding agreement. These ongoing delays have left us no choice but to make heartbreaking cuts to our programs and services. This includes reducing housing and wrap-around supports for over 350 young people annually. As of Tuesday, August 20, we have implemented layoffs for 16 full-time employees and 15 youth trainees employed through our social enterprises. We are also unable to fill vacancies for 10 full-time staff and 16 youth employees. Furthermore, we have been forced to significantly reduce housing supports for 70 youth, evict eight young people from supportive housing, cut supportive services for 25 vulnerable young moms and 40 children, and eliminate training and educational supports for 35 youth by terminating the delivery of nationally recognized pre-employment training. These changes have directly impacted 45 youth with disabilities, 45 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, and over 30 young families. CFY Executive Director Jen Crowe is disheartened by this development and the impact it will have on youth and young families in our province. “Our funding allows youth to engage in social enterprise employment, providing a training ground for vulnerable youth to prepare for the future. It gives young people the tools they need today to provide for themselves and their families in the future. It provides necessary services and supports that cost less, produce better outcomes, and are less harmful than the alternatives.” Despite this unfortunate development, CFY maintains its commitment to providing housing, health, education, employment, and family and natural support services to the most vulnerable youth in our province and will continue to seek opportunities to invest in programming and services that end youth homelessness and help youth achieve their goals. You can read the full Media Release for more details: https://heyor.ca/O5L2e7

📣We are #hiring at Choices for Youth! We are hiring Two (2) Outreach Youth Engagement Workers to join our Outreach Program! Click the link below for more details! https://lnkd.in/e7gkP7VJ

LAST CHANCE! 😱 Churchill Park Music Festival and the Shania Twain Foundation are teaming up to raise money for Choices for Youth! ✨ Giddy Up!’ to meetshania.com and get your tickets to win a chance to meet Shania! 😮 Ticket sales end tonight! Prize package includes: - Two premium tickets to a Shania show at CPMF - Meet and Greet with Shania before the show - Limited edition Soundwaves Art created from the audio recording “You’re Still the One” - Autographed 8x10 photo - Original autographed copy of handwritten lyrics to “You’re Still The One” - Copy of signed sheet music for “You’re Still The One” - T-shirt Last chance to enter is August 10, 2024 Draw takes place August 12, 2024 Proceeds from this raffle draw will support Choices for Youth’s programs and services 👏 For more information, visit -> meetshania.com

Following the recent announcement of Jen Crowe as our new Executive Director, we take a closer look at her impressive journey and vision for the organization in our newest blog post 📰 With a wealth of experience in strategy, government relations, and program development paired with a strong commitment to uplifting vulnerable youth, Jen is ready to lead our team to new heights ✨ Dive into the blog to learn more about her background, accomplishments, and the exciting future ahead for CFY 👉 https://heyor.ca/ALesJr #TogetherWeCan

Last Summer some youth trainees from our Impact Construction social enterprise planted a memory tree in CFY’s Memory Garden at our Outreach and Youth Engagement (OYE) Centre 🌳 This year, the OYE team and a dedicated young person have created a special sign for the CFY Memory Garden to further acknowledge the significance and meaning of this space. The memory tree and our new sign honour the lives of staff and youth connected to the CFY community who we have lost ✨ The Memory Garden is a beautiful reflective space that continuously reminds us of the importance of community while honouring the legacy of the people who pass through our doors 💖 #TogetherWeCan