Youth Futures is a Therapeutic Community

Youth Futures is a therapeutic day program available for males and females between the ages of 14 and 18 described as having issues or problems that are chronic and complex. Many are struggling to make progress despite multiple interventions or programs in their past. Most have a number of different problems including:

• Mental health issues
• Backgrounds of abuse or trauma
  
• Fetal Alcohol Disorder
  
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Learning disabilities
  
• Additions to drugs or alcohol
  
• Criminal records
• Significant family issues.

The program is accredited by the Ministry of Children and Families and by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, a national and international certification organization. Our goal is to build successful, interdependent adults.

Youth Futures Program
Youth Futures is delivered from two locations: Langley and Burnaby, with youths accommodated in either location based on geography and “fit” with existing groups. There are 4-5 days of programming per week. Late afternoon, evening and weekend programming is offered once or twice per month. Typically, the program lasts 9-12 months for each youth, depending on need.

We promote growth through participation as a member of a therapeutic community. In this environment participants learn the skills necessary to grow out of their problems and issues. We also blend on-site and community-based activities, family strengthening and supporting activities, and individual development activities.
Each young person is part of a team made up of eight youths, a half-time Team Leader, one Youth Worker and one Family Worker. Staff on the program work with individuals in groups and one-to-one.

Objectives of the team are to improve:

• Socio-emotional development
• Peer relationships
• Family relationships
• Educational and vocational preparedness

Family Workers also provide intensive support to families, as appropriate, to help bridge the gap between what participants experience in the program and what they experience at home.

All youth in the program also receive accredited educational programming with the same low youth to staff ratio.

A 24/7 on-call system is provided by family workers to deal with emergency and crisis situations.

Referral Process
Referrals are accepted from within a Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) office within the Fraser Region. All referrals go through a joint screening committee made up of MCFD officials and Focus staff.

Regrettably, the program cannot accept youths who have active or untreated psychosis; are in need of crisis stabilization because they are an imminent threat to themselves or others; demonstrate fire setting behaviour; are autistic or otherwise significantly intellectually disabled; or exhibit predatory sexualized behaviour.