The goal of this article is three-fold: to reflect on my non-profit work experience working with children and youth, share limited relevant information about the self-contained bail regime of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, S.C. 2002, c. 1 (YCJA), and briefly discuss how the proposed bail reform may affect youth bail hearings. As this goal is rather ambitious, I would only be able to scratch the surface of the last item. I leave the invitation to other counsel to contribute to this important discussion.
Working with children and youth in the community
Before applying to law school, I managed an after-school program for high school youth in several neighbourhoods in Toronto, which are designated by the city as Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. In addition to my “office” days doing desk work, I had multiple opportunities throughout the academic year to fill in for my team, consisting of youth facilitators, if they called in sick or got delayed on transit getting into work for their evening shift.
If you are a parent of a teenager, you should also know what this job might entail. Undoubtedly, it is not always easy to relate to teenagers and their issues and to find the right approach to them to get your message across. Now, factor in some additional challenges, whether it be economic barriers, personal circumstances, homelessness, disability or health-related issues. What I gleaned from this experience is the importance of having role models for youth and empowering them to co-design their program to meet their interests and needs. And key to success is creating opportunities for youth and helping them to stay out of the criminal justice system.