Our Roots
On April 01, 2020, St. Leonard’s Community Support, Prevention, and Residential Services (SLCSPRS) was created through the amalgamation of two long-standing organizations.
The first, St. Leonard’s Home Trenton (SLHT) was established in 1976 and originally was operated as a parent model home until the early 1980s, serving as a halfway home for federal offenders. In 1986 they established a Board of Directors and switched to become a Young Offender Facility for 16 to18-year-old male offenders. To date, SLHT provides service to the Province by housing up to eight male young persons between the ages of 12 to17 years who are in custody or detention under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Each youth is supported to create a case management plan, to reach personal and reintegrative goals during their stay. SLHT staff create an environment for the residents to continue with their education, build healthy recreational outlets, develop life skills, and complete programming which addresses their identified risk and needs factors. In addition to their CTCC school, SLHT advocated for and since 2016 has offered the St. Leonard’s Alternative Education (SLAE) program, which includes four seats in their classroom to community youth who are in need of more intensely focussed educational support. Through their Reintegration Program, residents are mentored and supported to smoothly transition from open custody/detention back into the community. Staff work to ensure youth have access to education, housing, recreation, counseling, employment services, or any other need of the client.
Meanwhile, Community Oriented Sentencing Program (COSP) was established in 1977 following the visionary pursuits of a local judge who had begun using community-based sentencing three years prior as a meaningful alternative to fines, which were becoming an ineffective deterrent. COSP later adopted the name Community Organized Support and Prevention as it better suited the agency’s main principals and programming. COSP offered educational support in their classrooms for suspended students and those needing a break from the school setting, preventative programming for youth at risk of becoming justice-involved, diversion programming including restorative justice for those who had had their first contact with the justice system or those with minor offenses, long-term programming, and support to youth on probation, and supervise court-ordered community service hours for adult offenders. COSP programming reached throughout Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, with two sites, one in Belleville and one in Trenton, and two satellite offices in Bancroft and Picton.
By combining these two like-minded organizations, SLCSPRS is able to service youth from preventative programs through to the reintegration of custody youth, in a seamless environment allowing all youth the opportunity to accomplish their goals.
Already sharing common values and guiding principles for working with at-risk populations, the combined Mission Statement, Vision Statement, and Values blended seamlessly:
Mission Statement
St. Leonard’s Community Support, Prevention, and Residential Services promotes accountability for youth and adults within the community and criminal justice system from prevention to intervention, by endorsing restorative justice principles, providing structured and supportive atmosphere, and assisting in the reintegration of persons into the community as law-abiding citizens; ultimately reducing recidivism and enhancing public safety.
Vision
We aspire to assist and enable youth and adults who are, or at risk of being, in conflict with the law, to restore their self-confidence and self-worth by building a foundation of dynamic partnerships that result in effective, responsive, and accessible programs for at-risk populations.
Values
Staff
St. Leonard’s Community Support, Prevention and, Residential Services is headed by Kelly Nolan, Executive Director, and supported by Stephanie Smith, Residential Manager, and Kerry Cole, Community Manager. Both Residential and Community programs have well-established teams, working together towards common goals.
Both Residential and Community staff use a strength-based approach to provide a multi-service model. Utilizing evidence-based, information-based, and cognitive-behavioral programming staff teaches and guides youth to develop healthy social, cognitive, problem-solving, and decision-making skills that encourage positive growth. Restorative justice principles, establishing community connections, and continuing education are key factors of our programming.
All staff are required to have a diploma or degree in a relevant field of study, experience working with, or facilitating programming for, at-risk populations, and shared a passion for working with youth.
Staff are encouraged and provided the opportunity to continuously develop their skills. To date, staff have been trained or certified in Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behaviour, Standard First Aid/CPR/AED, Motivational Interviewing, Relationship Based Strengths Approach, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, Hub Training, Trauma-Informed Practices, Working Effectively with Youth Who Sexually Offend, FASD, and Human Trafficking Awareness.
Board of Directors
St. Leonard’s Community Support, Prevention, and Residential Services is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Uniquely, the two former boards from COSP and SLHT agreed to join together to govern the newly formed organization. SLCSPRS is exceptionally blessed to have well established and strong Board Members with many years of experience to take us forward on our new journey.
As of the AGM on October 25, 2022, the Board of Directors include
We would like to recognize that St. Leonard’s Community Support, Prevention and Residential Services occupies the traditional territory of the Anishnabeg, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee Peoples. We also acknowledge that this territory is covered by the Williams and Upper Canada Treaties.
