The Greater Moncton YMCA is getting approximately $1.25 million over five years to support the Plusone Mentoring Program.
The money is part of $5 million of federal funding from the National Crime Prevention Strategy for the program which matches mentors with youth at risk of committing crimes.
YMCA CEO Zane Korytko says mentors offer guidance, and advice, but that’s not all.
“Fun things too, absolutely, to get them out, to get them going, to get them active,” says Korytko. “You know, we have a state of the art facility right here, so every single mentor and participant gets a YMCA membership, so that way they can use the activities either during their time, or outside of their time.”
Korytko says they already have 60 mentors and mentees here in Moncton, but they are still looking for more volunteers who can spend a few hours a week with a vulnerable young person.
That’s out of 120 mentors and participants across Canada so far, which Korytko attributes to a determined community willing to help those who need it as opposed to youth in Moncton being at a higher risk of committing crimes.
Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas-Taylor made the annoucnement Friday on behalf of Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
The $5 million over five years is going to four cities across the country, in Moncton, Montreal, QC, Regina, SK, and Surrey, BC, with the aim of helping 720 participants between the ages of 10 and 17 years old with one volunteerr mentor for each young person.
The program is shown to deter at risk youth from coming into contact with the justice system, and a review found after six months, 86% of young people in the program had significantly improved their behaviour and changed their attitude.
