The Government of Yukon strongly believes in working with communities and community groups to find ways to prevent crime and support victims of crime. Through the spring 2023 intake of the Crime Prevention and Victims Services Trust (CPVST), the Government of Yukon is providing over $343,000 in funding to eight community projects intended to reduce crime, prevent gender-based violence and violence against women and children, provide services and information for victims of crime, or provide information about crime prevention and victimization.
The spring 2023 funding intake received diverse applications from a broad range of organizations. Funded projects will be delivered in Whitehorse and several Yukon communities.
Projects funded through the spring 2023 intake include:
- The City of Whitehorse’s creation of a youth-hired task force to remove graffiti around Whitehorse;
- A series of bi-monthly sober social events in Dawson hosted by Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation;
- Teegatha’Oh Zheh’s touring art installation that tells the stories of the lives of Yukoners with intellectual disabilities;
- Two land-based gatherings hosted across the Yukon by the Nelson Project, focusing on men’s mental health and wellness in a supportive environment;
- A youth drop-in summer recreation and leadership program run by the Boys and Girls Club (BGC Yukon);
- Northern Cultural Expressions Society’s second part of a summer dugout canoe carving project for at-risk youth;
- Summer programming by the Yukon Theatre for Young People Society aimed at diverting youth from drug and alcohol consumption by participating in artist-led activities; and
- Holy Family Elementary School Council’s offering of safety courses for grades four to seven aimed at increasing home alone safety, providing care for others and emergency response as well as First Aid training.
Municipalities, non-profit organizations, First Nation governents, and school councils or boards are encouraged to apply for funding for eligible projects through the CPVST’s fall 2023 intake. The deadline is 11:59 pm on August 15, 2023. Guidance on applying for funding is available here.
Eight unique initiatives are receiving a total of more than $343,000 in funding to help foster hope, healing and support for Yukoners. Community-led solutions are key to driving positive change for the communities they serve. Driving progress and creating positive outcomes for all Yukoners is the focus of the current intake of applications, open now.
The Board of Trustees would like to thank all the applicants for their commitment to developing high quality, innovative projects across the Yukon that take action on issues of victimization and crime. We are proud to continue supporting local solutions and are inspired by these initiatives in our communities. We encourage all communities to consider local solutions for emerging issues and to apply for new projects this fall.
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The recipients of the spring 2023 funding are BGC Yukon, the City of Whitehorse, Holy Family Elementary School Council, The Nelson Project, Northern Cultural Expressions Society, Teegatha’Oh Zheh, Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation, and Yukon Theatre for Young People Society.
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Funding applications are accepted from First Nation and municipal governments, non-profit organizations and school councils or boards. Eligible costs may include wages or honoraria, materials, rental costs, promotional materials and printing.
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The Trust has supported Yukon community groups since 1998. Proposals are reviewed by the Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust Board of Trustees, which includes community members and representatives from the Government of Yukon, First Nations governments, equality seeking organizations and the RCMP.
- BGC Yukon was awarded $19,601 for Youth Drop-in Summer Recreation & Leadership Programs, youth summer programming that aims to develop leadership and resiliency skills through recreation, outdoor education and cultural connections. They want to address juvenile crime and delinquency risk factors by engaging youth with land-based, skill-building experiences – focusing on employment/education, mental health and substance use. Many of the evening sessions will be held in Whitehorse and BGC Yukon plans to visit Carcross, Haines Junction and Burwash/Destruction Bay to bring youth programming to Yukon communities.
- The City of Whitehorse was awarded $37,940 for their project called Graffiti Task Force - Removal and Public Outreach, where they will hire two youth for summer 2023 – the focus of their work and this project will be community outreach and education centering on the removal of graffiti in our community, bringing citywide awareness to the graffiti problem.
- Holy Family Elementary School Council was awarded $5,670 for their project Fostering Safety & Responsibility for Self & Others. They plan to offer two Canadian Red Cross courses to students. The Stay Safe! course will prepare students in grades 4/5 to successfully stay safe at home alone and in the community, while learning respect for self and others, importance of setting and following rules, how to recognize and respond to unexpected situations such as strangers, unanticipated visits, emergencies, as well as basic First Aid. The Babysitting course will prepare students in grades 6/7 to develop the leadership skills, conduct and confidence needed to care for younger children in their community, as well as how to manage challenging behaviors, and what to do in an emergency, with emphasis on First Aid.
- The Nelson Project was awarded $101,500 for their project called On the Land - Building Men's Emotional Resilience. They plan to host 2 land-based gatherings for men across the Yukon – to meet in a de-stigmatized and supportive learning environment, where the main focus is the participants’ mental health, and TNP will continue to gather information about how to best serve at-risk men, given the varying and unique challenges they and their families face.
- Northern Cultural Expressions Society was awarded $79,455 for their project Bringing Back the Light; Healing Dugout Canoe Project (Part 2). This will be the second summer of the dugout canoe carving project. For 20 weeks, at risk youth who were recruited in Part 1 last summer, will complete this large-scale cultural art piece, connecting them with their culture, providing them with access to wellness supports plus opportunities to earn wages by being employed on the project, and being a member of a productive team for the second summer in a row, keeping them distanced from high-risk situations.
- Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation was awarded $43,555 for their project Sober Socials - Looking for Connection. THFN will host bi-monthly sober social events for Dawson community members who are currently in the recovery process to support their sobriety and develop healthy coping skills. Dawson lacks social supports for locals returning from treatment facilities, and THFN would encourage folks coming home from recovery programs to join in as part of their aftercare plan.
- Teegatha’Oh Zheh was awarded $28,520 for their project Our Suitcases, Our Stories. They will take their art installation, What’s in your suitcase?, which was created and presented by Yukoners with intellectual disabilities with CPVST funding last year, to local schools. This tour will serve to tell the stories of these individuals and their lives – increasing understanding, empathy and familiarity with the artists. There will be 2 exhibitions in Whitehorse, and one each in Haines Junction and Teslin.
- Yukon Theatre for Young People Society was awarded $27,000 for the 2023 Summer Youth Arts Incubator, a project designed in response to hearing from young people that one of the biggest challenges they face in making healthy and productive choices is in finding “things to do.” YTYP is hoping to provide artist-facilitated activities for youth ages 15-19 from 8:00-10:30PM Wednesday through Saturday for the summer months to divert behavior from drug and alcohol consumption.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Jasmine Doll
Communications, Justice
867-667-8114
jus.comms@yukon.ca