Programs that offer a variety of activities for youth who are at risk for behaviour which is likely to involve them in the juvenile justice system with the objective of assisting them to improve self-esteem, to become aware of alternative ways of dealing with feelings and leisure time, and to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Included may be counselling, rap and discussion groups, tutoring, companionship programs, alternative peer group experiences and supervised recreational activities.

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Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of violent acts committed by youth on the streets, in the schools or in other settings through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on children of various ages, parents, people who work with families, the schools, health care providers, law enforcement officials and/or the community at large. The program may provide information about model/promising prevention and intervention programs and crisis response strategies; descriptions of the risk factors associated with youth violence; research including statistics on violence committed by and against children and teens; outreach; and/or presentations that may be tailored for a variety of audiences.

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Programs that develop educational strategies and practices, including special instructional methods and materials, learning activities and diagnostic and assessment procedures which encourage children and adolescents to maintain an acceptable grade point average, avoid excessive absenteeism or disruptive behaviours which put them at risk for suspension or expulsion and remain in school through completion their elementary and secondary education. Included are school-based dropout prevention and academic intervention programs which lead to improved performance in the areas of academic achievement, attendance, and discipline; and community based programs, often staffed by representatives from a variety of organizations including the school, the police, the probation department, family counselling agencies and delinquency diversion agencies, which monitor and/or investigate a young person's school attendance and jointly develop and implement interventions which encourage the young person to remain in school or to return to school if already a dropout.

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Programs that offer the services of volunteers who have admirable qualities of character and are willing to serve as role models for youth who are troubled and at risk for delinquency, adults who are disadvantaged by poverty, health conditions or other problems or other special populations who need the friendship and support of a peer to improve their personal and social functioning. The volunteers are usually of a particular age, gender, cultural background or other status that clients can identify with.

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Programs that are staffed by outreach workers who spend time with people who live on the street, build relationships with them, identify and address their immediate needs (e.g., crisis intervention, food, clean clothing, hygiene kits, blankets, someone to listen) and provide information about and linkage to longer-term forms of support such as shelter, counselling, drug and alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation, care/case management and, where applicable, family reunification services. Street outreach programs may be staffed by volunteers or peers who were formerly homeless; and may target special populations such as homeless youth at risk for sexual abuse or exploitation, veterans, or people with specific medical or mental health conditions, or be available to the larger homeless population.

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Programs that offer a wide variety of activities including arts and crafts, academic programs, sports, reading clubs, workshops and other recreational, leisure, cultural, social and civic activities for school-age children and youth in out-of-school hours. The objective of youth enrichment programs is to promote healthy social interaction and help participants maximize their social, emotional, physical and academic potential.

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Programs that attempt to reduce the number of children who run away from home each year through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on troubled children and youth, parents, professionals who work with children and families, law enforcement personnel and/or the community at large. The programs may provide information that will help people understand the difference between a runaway child and a missing child, the motivations of a runaway, the types of problems that increase the risk of a runaway (e.g., child abuse, divorce, alcohol or drug use, oppositional or defiant behaviour, antisocial peer groups), warning signs of a potential runaway, communication tips and other steps a parent can take to prevent a child from running away, and community resource options for troubled children and youth and their families.

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Organizations that make an effort to increase the availability and utilization of community services by specific target populations by providing direct services for targeted individuals in their homes or other convenient locations or by making special efforts to ensure that a particular group is aware of available services and encouraged to participate. Included are programs that do outreach regarding their own services as well as those which encourage a target population to use a wide variety of services.

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