Latest news with #JohnHowardSociety
CBC
13 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
New project to provide employment opportunities to people with criminal records
A new pilot project is starting in London to help break down barriers to finding employment for people with criminal records. The Fair Chances Employment Pipeline Project was started by the London-area branch of the John Howard Society (JHS) in partnership with Goodwill Industries, which will be employing the project's participants. "We found that so many people with criminal records are really struggling," Taghrid Hussain, the Executive Director of JHS London, said. "They really have difficulty finding employment, and keeping meaningful employment, as well." The pilot project is funded though a Community Vitality Grant from the London Community Foundation (LCF). With donations from families, individuals and businesses, the LCF disperses yearly grants to fund initiatives that meet community needs. LCF often funds pilot projects like this when there's a potential to make a difference, Lori Runciman, the Grants Director at London Community Foundation, said. This year the foundation is providing a record breaking $1.5 million in grants to nine different projects, including this one. A 2024 report from JHS found that Canadian employers have, by and large, excluded qualified applicants with criminal records, regardless of the severity of the offence. This is harmful, according to Hussain, as meaningful employment offers a sense of agency and belonging, as well as an effective barrier against homelessness, addiction and getting stuck in the "revolving door of crime." Through the Fair Chances Project, JHS will refer 30 people with criminal records to Goodwill for job training and onboarding. Then, upon successful completion of training, Goodwill will offer them a job in one of their stores, cafes or warehouses. JHS will be providing individualized support to the participants throughout the process and, after 18 months, they plan to interview all participants and put together a final report on the results. "The idea is to encourage other employers to do the same thing, to start thinking about giving an opportunity to individuals who are justice-involved," Hussain said. Goodwill has the capacity to help in that goal with its 26 retail stores, 44 donation centres as well as career centres, cafes and warehouses across the province, Jessica Justrabo, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Impact at Goodwill Industries said. "We're really excited to continue our support for this model because it's what we do best and we came together to really make sure that we are improving outcomes and improving lives in our communities." Goodwill has already worked with JHS over the years and employed people with criminal records, according to Justrabo, but this project was an opportunity to formalize their partnership, she said. Beyond just employment, further support will be also available to participants such as employment counselling and skills development to help them either move up within Goodwill or move on to other careers. The project will hopefully be transformative for many, Justrabo said, but she recognizes that it may not work out for every participant. This is something they are prepared to handle on a case-by-case basis and it would not mean the end of their support. "Everyone's journey is different," she said. "So if they would like to return to the program, if they need a little extra stabilization, if they need a referral to another organization, we're happy to follow and support individuals as their journey unfolds."
CBC
21-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Fredericton mobile outreach van to run 24/7 thanks to federal funding
An outreach team run out of a Sprinter van is now working around the clock thanks to funding through a federal overdose prevention fund. "With the teamwork and the smarts that we have here in Fredericton, along with the support that we've received from the federal government, I am confident that this project is going to have a meaningful life changing impact," said Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers. The funding will expand the hours of the mobile outreach team, which helps to connect those living rough to services, administers and distributes naloxone kits, and provides addictions support. The van was purchased by the City of Fredericton and is run by the John Howard Society of Fredericton. Six new staff members will be hired and trained in mental-health first aid, trauma informed care, overdose prevention and suicide intervention. John Barrow, executive director of the John Howard Society, said the team now works with about 200 people a day and 30 people a night. The daytime service has been in place for nearly a decade. "I think the biggest thing is to meet people where they're at," Barrow said. "A lot of times when they're requesting intervention or support services, the time to do it is in the moment." "We've got a team now that can respond to folks who are directly on the streets at the point when they want the intervention. That's the time to strike." The funding comes from the Emergency Treatment Fund and is one of four programs in Atlantic Canada receiving a total of $2.8 million. Miramichi, Amherst, Nova Scotia, and St. John's are the other three communities receiving funding for community programs, but neither the Fredericton event nor the news release included any details about what those programs are. The Fredericton portion of the funding is $578,100. Fredericton addictions outreach van to go 24/7 21 minutes ago Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michelle was in Fredericton for the announcement and confirmed the funding is only for one year, after which the program will be "reassessed." "We don't know, you know, in a year where we will be with this crisis, is it going to improve? Is it going to be a big one? So we will adapt," she said. "We need to understand talking about mental health challenges, those crises, it cannot be solved in one day. We collectively have to improve access for people to get not only emergency [services], but also treatment and what works for them." Rogers was quick to say the City of Fredericton will enure the program receives the funding it needs. "I'm certain it will demonstrate that it has had an impact," she said. "When you work with a trusted organization like John Howard, I think we all work together to see how we can continue to support that project. We have been supporting them, locally, provincially and I know the federal government will now see proof of concept in this work." Roger said she is "confident that we will see ongoing support for this project."
Cision Canada
21-07-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Supporting community-led responses to the illegal toxic drug and overdose crisis in Atlantic Canada Français
Funding will prioritize urgent needs at community level FREDERICTON, NB, July 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, announced $2.8 million in funding from the Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) to support four projects in Atlantic. These investments will directly support communities in Fredericton and Miramichi, New Brunswick, in Amherst, Nova Scotia, and in St. John's, Newfoundland. The ETF is part of the Government of Canada's efforts to help communities rapidly respond to emerging, critical needs related to the overdose crisis faced by municipalities and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. It provides support for a wide range of urgent interventions to bolster local capacity to help the most affected populations. Minister Michel highlighted a mobile outreach project led by the City of Fredericton and the John Howard Society. This project will expand outreach efforts in Fredericton, New Brunswick, by adding overnight services to support vulnerable populations by delivering supplies, providing transport to critical services, distributing naloxone, and offering overdose support and weather warnings year-round. Quotes "Communities across the country have called for help - and through the Emergency Treatment Fund, we are responding. This funding will deliver immediate support where it is needed most. We are using every tool available to connect people to care, address urgent local challenges, and keep our communities safe." The Honourable Marjorie Michel Minister of Health "Families and communities continue to feel the devastating impact of the fentanyl crisis. This funding will improve access to life-saving harm reduction services, health supports, and community-based programs for those who need it the most. Through ongoing collaboration, we can continue building a compassionate, evidence-informed approach that protects lives and supports recovery." David Myles Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages and Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State (Nature) "This project, led by the John Howard Society and supported by the City of Fredericton, is a vital step in addressing a key need identified in our Community Safety Task Force Report. By adding a mobile overnight outreach unit, we're ensuring vulnerable residents get the support they need when they need it most. This partnership reflects our commitment to a safer, more supportive Fredericton for everyone." Her Worship Kate Rogers Mayor of Fredericton "This initiative marks an important step forward in our commitment to providing comprehensive, around-the-clock support to individuals in need. By extending outreach efforts into the overnight hours, we aim to ensure that no one is left without access to essential services—regardless of the time of day. These new overnight outreach services will work in close coordination with existing daytime programs, creating a continuous and responsive support system that prioritizes safety, connection to services, and community care. We are proud to work in partnership with Fredericton Police and Fire on this initiative, and we thank all of the frontline workers and community partners who make this vital work possible." John Barrow Executive Director, John Howard Society of Fredericton Quick Facts Budget 2024 provided $150 million over three years for an ETF for municipalities and Indigenous communities to help provide rapid responses to the overdose crisis. Further to the 2024 ETF Call for Proposals, more than $100.5 million in funding is being provided for 102 projects. Projects will be made public when the agreements are in place. Associated Links Government of Canada supporting solutions and rapid responses to the substance use and overdose crisis Emergency Treatment Fund 2024 The Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy Get help with substance use Hope for Wellness SOURCE Health Canada (HC)
CTV News
21-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Ottawa spending $2.8M to fight overdose crisis in Atlantic Canada
Minister of Health Marjorie Michel rises during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Monday, June 2, 2025. The federal government is spending $2.8 million to combat the overdose crisis across Atlantic Canada. Marjorie Michel, minister of health, announced the money will support projects in Fredericton and Miramichi in New Brunswick, Amherst in Nova Scotia and St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador. The money will come from the Emergency Treatment Fund. 'This funding will deliver immediate support where it is needed most,' said Michel. 'We are using every tool available to connect people to care, address urgent local challenges, and keep our communities safe.' The John Howard Society and the City of Fredericton will use the money to expand outreach efforts, adding overnight services for vulnerable populations. The program will deliver supplies, distribute naloxone and offer overdose support. 'By extending outreach efforts into the overnight hours, we aim to ensure that no one is left without access to essential services—regardless of the time of day,' said John Barrow, executive director of the Society. 'These new overnight outreach services will work in close coordination with existing daytime programs, creating a continuous and responsive support system that prioritizes safety, connection to services, and community care.' More to come…
CBC
17-07-2025
- CBC
Thousands go from jail to being homeless in Ontario every year, report finds
When Dan was released from the Toronto South Detention Centre last December after serving about 60 days, he was given a TTC token and sent on his way. He walked to a bus stop, but he had nowhere to go. "There's no plan," Dan said. "I'm a criminal, right? Nobody wants me." Dan, who was convicted of theft and failure to comply, wandered all night before going to an encampment. CBC Toronto isn't disclosing Dan's last name because he fears it could affect his chances of getting employment. Since then, Dan has alternated between staying with friends and living outside. That means it is difficult to get his life organized, attend appointments and have a cell phone without it being stolen, he says. If he falls asleep while it is charging in a public place, it's gone when he wakes up. "As soon as I caught a charge and was guilty, every sort of good thing going for me dried up," he said. Dan, who was homeless before he went into jail, said supports such as provincial transitional housing similar to federal halfway houses, might have helped. He would have liked "just the stability of having somewhere to go" — a safe place to leave his belongings. Not having a plan means "you are right back in the hole you started in," he said. Our provincial criminal legal system is really contributing to the crisis. Dan is not alone. A new report released Thursday by the John Howard Society of Ontario says, in one year, thousands of people became homeless immediately upon release from Ontario jails. The society is a charity that works to build a safer Ontario. The report, entitled From Incarceration to Encampment, found that provincial jails had 7,455 releases in 2023-2024 of people with no fixed address, meaning they had no housing. The number doesn't necessarily represent individual people because some people are admitted and released several times in one year, the report says. The report calls on the Ontario government to set up a provincial transitional housing system for people released from its correctional facilities. 'Housing is crucial to reintegration,' policy director says Safiyah Husein, the society's director of policy, said the report reveals a "deep link" between incarceration and homelessness in Ontario. She said it shows that people who spend time in jail need a "pathway" to help them reintegrate into society. And it puts a number on an urgent issue that requires a systemic government response, she said. "A lot of people are flagged as having no fixed address or lacking stable housing upon admissions to correctional institutions. And then most of these people will be released straight onto the streets the day that they get out of jail. And with no supports, they might end up in shelters or encampments, but that's no place to rebuild a life," she said. The report says people may be homeless upon release if they didn't have housing when they were admitted to jails, if they lost their housing while incarcerated, or if they were unable to return to their previous housing, sometimes due to release conditions. "Housing is crucial to reintegration. And so with the lack of supports, a lack of housing, that increases the risk of reoffending and winding up right back in jail." Husein said some people in jail might lose their employment, while others might have their income assistance cut off. She added that it is important to remember that a large percentage of people in Ontario jails are awaiting trial and have not been convicted of a crime. "There are long-term impacts to losing housing when an individual is jailed, even for a short period of time," she said. According to the report, the lack of housing for those released from jail has an impact on the larger society too. "Thousands of people are discharged into homelessness from provincial correctional institutions every year, returning to communities across Ontario. Without housing, individuals end up in shelters, encampments or sleeping rough," the report says. "Individuals released into homelessness are more likely to reoffend, compromising public safety and entrenching individuals in a revolving door of jail and the streets." Husein said the report urges the province to take action. "This report really highlights a pretty troubling but hidden fact about our homelessness and housing crisis in that our provincial criminal legal system is really contributing to the crisis," she said. Ontario government pledges to review report The report recommends that the province: Create transitional housing for people released from Ontario jails, similar to federal community-based residential facilities known as halfway houses. Update its policy directives for Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program so that recipients in jail would not be cut off but instead receive benefits for up to three months. Launch a campaign to encourage landlords to stop discriminating against those who have been involved in the criminal justice system. Ontario's Ministry of the Solicitor General said in a statement Wednesday that it will review the report. It says the province is investing $75.5 million to provide access to safe, secure accommodations for people experiencing homeless, along with "wrap-around supports." That's on top of creating 1,239 more housing units, 815 supportive housing units and 971 additional shelter spaces, it said. "This is in addition to the $1.7 billion we are investing to improve access to supportive housing, including through the Homelessness Prevention Program, which helps municipalities deliver programs tailored to local needs," the ministry said in the statement. "Our government's bold action to create 28 new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hubs is also adding 560 highly supportive housing units, in addition to addiction recovery and treatment beds, helping thousands of people each year transition to more stable long-term housing." Keith Hambly, CEO of Fred Victor, a multi-service agency in Toronto, said he is not surprised by the lack of housing for formerly incarcerated people. "What is truly needed in this case, and in many cases of homelessness, is a level of housing and supportive housing that works with people where they're at, that works with their mental health issues that may be presenting, or substance use issues, or even issues of long term trauma. Or else the story repeats itself," Hambly said. Elizabeth McIsaac, president of Maytree, a foundation committed to finding solutions to poverty, said the number of people in a given year being released from jail into homelessness is "terrible." Maytree sponsored the report.
