Eight-bed residence for youths who have been through trauma to open soon in North Bay
It’s been a long time coming, but officials with Children’s Aid Society North Bay and Parry Sound say it’s almost time for Arbour House to begin operating.
The former Near North Youth Centre will see eight youths between the ages of 12 and 18 who have experienced trauma move in this fall.
The individuals will stay for 60 to 90 days and will receive services to help work through the trauma they’ve experienced.
"The youth that we work with have experienced some really traumatic experiences throughout their lives," said Gisele Hebert, executive director of Children’s Aid Society North Bay and Parry Sound.
"We really do want to serve them differently. Our motto is all roads lead home, and I think the focus is returning youth to their home community."
The Arbour House is a pilot project and Hebert told CTV News it’s the only one of its kind in northern Ontario.
"On average over the last five years, we have been uprooting 85 children and youth and placing them out of community," said Hebert.
"Some youth require some residential care and we really want to keep them close to home. They shouldn’t have to leave their families and connections in order to be served."
The provincial government is providing $1.5 million to help get the Arbour House through its first year of operations.
"It’s to really help with a local approach,” said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli. "The whole idea is to give our local youth this continuity of being able to remain in their home community, close to families."
The young people will have access to a full classroom, a music room and an exercise facility.
"They will be pursuing their education. We have Indigenous cultural activities, we have physical activities, art, we have horseback riding therapy,” said Hebert.
"We want to provide them with as much of a productive environment (as we can) while they’re here."
Sixteen people will be hired to staff The Arbour House, including a clinical supervisor, coordinators and child and youth workers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.