"The Outsiders" Youth Crime Prevention

‘The Outsiders’ initiative is a partnership between a number of dedicated youth-focused groups in the Penticton area, including Youth Forensic Psychiatric Services, Child and Youth Mental Health, the RCMP, School District 67, and the City of Penticton. The partnership aims to connect at-risk adolescents with mentors to build resiliency, improve mental health and well-being, and reduce the potential for criminality. Using a therapeutic program model, the youth in the group have remained engaged in school, have increased their attendance and performance, and have had zero further RCMP or Youth Criminal Justice System involvement. Most importantly, the youth have shown dramatic improvement in personal well-being.