Children & Youth

Enhanced Game Changers

Calling the game

When a spray of gunshots injured his sister, Francisco knew he had to stop the violence pervading his life. A quick call to our Enhanced Game Changers team was the start.

The Enhanced Game Changers program helps racialized youth who live with the constant threat of violence: street, family, sexual or cyber. Peer youth workers on the team work beyond 9:00 to 5:00, responding to immediate outbreaks of violence with conflict coaching, de-escalation, emergency planning, trauma counselling and referrals to legal support when necessary. And the work doesn’t stop there: the team provides workshops, referrals for mental and physical health issues, and employment assistance. The support goes beyond any single incident and focuses on addressing the root causes of the cycle of violence.

In 2020, the Enhanced Game Changers program expanded services in Oakwood Village by establishing a working relationship with the Oakwood Collegiate high school. The private, youth-friendly space is managed by Enhanced Game Changers staff with lived experience of the systemic violence in the area, and the location improves response time and access for youth in the school, and in the community.

That access saved Francisco. His late night call brought the Enhanced Game Changers team to his side. They spoke throughout the night, providing immediate support for his family, and for himself the next day when police arrested him for his part in the violence. The team supported him through the legal process, offered referrals for trauma counselling, and today, provides ongoing support to help him navigate his way out of a life of violence.

Youth Outreach Workers

Unlocking potential

Linda was at her wits’ end. A young mother with a one-year old daughter, Linda was struggling with motherhood, the pandemic, and the loss of her father. She reached out to The Neighbourhood Group for support, and found the help she needed.

Provincial Youth Outreach Workers (YOWs) help young people like Linda. By working with schools, community housing, hospitals, primary and mental health care facilities and settlement services, YOWs help youth and their families access critical community supports, and engage young people in meaningful opportunities for change.

One of our newest YOWs, Stacy, knows very well what growing up without support can be like. “I was raised in the Taylor-Massey community. It has always been pretty rough there and I saw the heartbreaking effect that life without resources and experiences had on some of my childhood friends. My mom worked hard to put me in after-school programs and summer camp. When I saw the work she did at Neighbourhood Link, I knew I wanted to help people like she did.

“As a YOW, I can help young people access the resources and experiences that many of my peers couldn’t. What guides me is the belief that young people are full of potential. I look at how far Linda has come, the sense of purpose she now has despite her challenges, and I know that with the right supports, opportunities and guidance, young people are capable of anything.”