At-risk youth graduate from P.I.T.
Valedictorian George Lawrence speaks at the graduation ceremony for the Prevention Intervention Toronto program at the North York Civic Centre Thursday evening. The program supports youth to make the right decisions in their lives and provides them with opportunities for new experiences and community engagement. (August 26, 2010)
Staff photo/NICK PERRY
Young people involved or at risk of joining gangs in North York, York and Etobicoke neighbourhoods recently graduated from a program aiming to steer them away from a life of violence. Seventy-eight Jane and Finch, Weston-Mount Dennis and Rexdale residents aged 13 to 24 graduated Aug. 26 from the 36-week Prevention Intervention Toronto (P.I.T.) program. The program, funded by the National Crime Prevention Centre through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund, is administered by the City of Toronto with service delivery provided by JVS Toronto.Two case workers per neighbourhood helped screen potential program candidates, said Orville Wallace, P.I.T. program manager. Youths who scored high-risk during the screening process were then placed in the group training phase, which touched on topics including leadership and anger management.Once that was complete, the program moved into the final phase and dealt with education guidance, legal and social service systems and employment needs, Wallace said. "We accepted referrals from community-based agencies, such as schools and police," Wallace said, adding 116 youths initially enrolled in the P.I.T. program. "We are trying to recruit the next group right now."The goal of the program is to reduce gang involvement with young people in three priority areas of the city, he said. "For the most part, all of the graduates have met their case management goals," Wallace said. "Most have gotten into the trades or into training programs. This is a program that deals with gang-involved youth. They may not be where they want to be but they aren't making bad decisions."JVS Toronto is a non-profit organization founded more than 60 years ago to assist Jewish immigrants in finding employment after the Second World War. Today, the organization assists individuals from diverse backgrounds.