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(Photos by Stuart‘s Studio) Visitors to Richmond Hill Youth Aid Centre often seek help in determining their vocational and educational goals as well as counselling regarding personal and They also help discussing their hopes open 24 hours a day. hoping that money wi family problems. one another thr and hangups among one another. seven days a Week. and its staff and directors are 11 soon be found so that it can continue to serve troubled youth in the community. Pictured above, raps over coffee with a young vi Markham Road. By MARGARET LADE The little old house by the‘ railroad track is not much to look at. The verandah sags and the paint is pealing, and the crudely lettered sign. "Youth Aid Centre" doesn’t1 look too terribly professional. But to hundreds of young people this summer. that sign has been a beacon of how‘ and the run down old ho" haven of friendship. they were housed and fed they could find a job and make‘ it on their own. Here they found counsellors to talk to and professional people to tend to their physical needs. Here they sweated out the| withdrawal from drugs with the aid of psychiatrists, psycholâ€" Co-executive Dir in fresh bright colors. and from the sagging \‘erandah you walk into a large. bright orange living room with well worn floors and comfortable furnish- ings. but it would never win a prize for decor. NEED BALANCED DIET In late afternoon there are a few young people in jeans and hirts. some with long hair and "tl‘dS. some with short hair. .ting quietly alone, or talking in mall groups. or wandering rest essly about. - In the bright green kitchen a meal and in a small .pale blue bedroom a young man is sleep- ing. Barbara explains that he has started’to work and is on a late shift. Another. larger bedroom “den- mntnl 'wnrkers and on the main floor will sleep l few are starting to prepare al ough the group dynamics proces. The centre is I _ector John Raynor. facing camera. Sitor 1n the kitchen‘ of the centre at 190 Yusers. If the kids won‘t .with us we can't do anythi “The young people know me are doing. but the pa don‘t. she continued. “Be some workers have long parents associate them witl lpies and drugs. None 01 staff is involved with dru any way." .The workers would lil reach into the community the family. and get 1: groups going. but with a staff and a small house *cannot be done. Two adolescent psychi: from the mental health u York Central Hospital visit regularly. consulting with and counselling clients. : medical team of seven doctors whose roles vary ._L-__.-..LJ-‘~ ‘vv 10 THE LIBERAL, filcnmona r1111. Local Youth Aid lCe‘ntrael‘SCLHeEUes Directors’ Home After Being Forced To Move nu \.\AIU- Here they sweated out the: Barbara explains thz withdrawal from drugs with started’to work and is the aid of psychiatrists, psycholâ€" shift. Another‘ larger ogists. social 'workers and on the main floor \. young people who understood four. them. They had not inten Here they could crash for, a night or a week or two, they can rap with others who. like themselves have no home. or are afraid to go home. They can drop in for a few hours if they wish to unload their fears and get help in learning to cone with their problems. The people that run YAC have enough money to keep it going to the end of October. but after that what will happen to their project and to the young people it serves? They had to move last week because the old house is to be torn down. \It all started about a year ago when two Seneca College social service students. Barb- ara Fawns and John Raynor, opened their home at 168 Mark- ham Road to 'the troubled youth of Richmond Hill. Now it is once again the YAC head- quarters. They were overwhelmed last' spring by the physical and em- tional demands of the service they were providing and called a meeting of various members of the community to ask for support. ' A board of directors was set up. including representa- tives of the social planning council. public health service. Addiction Research Foundation. YWCA and two local clergy-‘ men. Barbara and John. who grad- uated from Seneca last spring. were appointed co-executive directors and wer rWade full members of the board. Barbara reports that once their plan became known In the community. the response was "fantastic". TOWN GIVES AID The Town of Richmond Hill agreed to pay the salaries of the co-directol‘s for the months of June. July and August. The provincial Addiction Research Foundation agreed to pay sal- aries of two coungellors and a telephone counsellor for the same three months. The little house at 190 Mark- ham Road. close to where Bar- bara and John livedt is slated for demolition to make way for anartments. but the owner gave YAC the use of it rent-free from June 1 to the end of September. It was in grim shape. but the' community rallied to the cause.‘ A local lumber dealer donatedl lumber. A plumbing, heating and electrical contractor did the work needed in these areas without c h a r g e. Plumbing supplies were donated. and a hardware store gave a 50 per- cent discount on window panes. Students of Don Head Secon- dary School installed the winâ€" dows and a local student did the carpentry work in the house. A radio station made a public appeal for furniture and the response was more than enough. One man donated a refrigerator and stove and an- other a television set. In the service area'. a dry cleaner agreed to provide free cleaning service to clients. a law firm offered free legal aid. a dentist agreed to do free dental work and a pharmacist firovides prescriptiofidrugs and medication without charge. The walls inside were painted THE LIBERAL, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Thursday, Oct. 8, 1970 tew are Starting lU plcyalc meal and in a small .pale blue bedroom a young man is sleep- ing. Barbara explains that he has started’to work and is on a late shift. Another. larger bedroom on the main floor will sleep four. They had not intended orig- inally to serve meals. but young people who are job hunting or starting to work must eat well. and those who are drying out from drugs need a balanced diet. The food bill comes to about $30 a week and one lo- cal businessman donated $300 for this purpose. When the centre opened in June, Barbara and John were joined by another Seneca social service graduate, Jim Deadman. Two students from the addiction counselling course at George Brown Community College were hired for the summer â€" Ruth Chancey and Ron Fuch. Two adolescent psychiatrists1 from the mental health unit at York Central Hospital visit. YAC regularly. consulting with staff and counselling clients. and a medical team of seven local doctors whose roles vary from drug-crisis intervention work to general medical assistance hold clinic days and are on call in cases of emergency. A public health nurse is also available five days a week. \ Many of the young people they serve do not hare medical or hospital insurance. They have no money. AMAZED AT RESPONSE I “I am amazed at the response of the community." Barbara ex- claimed, “It is really great." And by no means lowest on the list of "great" people are the local police. The police had misgivings about YAC at first. Barbara ad- mits. They were afraid it might La_a._i, - ...L:..\_ can ‘wnrt:nlr;nff Cumlacnuus _ Brown Community College were hired for the summer â€" Ruth Chancey and Ron Fuch. They succeeded in enlisting only one volunteer worker â€" Richmond Hill Student Rob Sim, who served as liason man between YAC and the Richmond, Hill Drop-in Centre. Volunteers have to be as com- petent and responsible as the, paid staff. Barbara explained. Drug work has been minimal. In the cubbyhole office. fur- nished with a desk. two chairs. and a daybed Barbara explained that drug addiction is an under- lying problem, “And we have been fortunate in getting to the nitty-gritty in most cases before they got on drugs." FEW DRUG USERS Drug users were slow in comâ€" ing to YAC. until they found the workers could be trusted. There were only 13 in June and July. 21 in August. “Those who ask for help mean pit." says Barbara. “We keep sun...“ The police had misgivings about YAC at first. Barbara ad- mits. They were afraid it might become a vehicle for trafficking, “But we keep tight control. If kids want to use drugs and bring them in, they soon find they have to go somewhere else.“ Staff consulted the police about their responsibility regar- ding juveniles. but so far. for- tunately have not had any juve- nile drug users. They did, however. provide room and board for a 14-year- old at the request of the Chil- dren‘s Aid Society, when no other accomodation could be found. . When the walls were painted there was a rule â€" “No writing on the walls” but this rule was withdrawn when it was found that writing on walls could have therapeutic value. Their CAS visitor was very :withdrawn. but wrote a very in- teresting and revealing poem \close tabs on them so that they ‘will not be contaminated by on the kitchen wall beside the trefrigerator. Most of the graf- *Hill Youth Aid Centre Gets Help: To Continue Until End Of Yeari Richmond Hill‘s Youth Aid Centre. which has been in operation for the months and has proved success- ful in coping with problems of more than 1.000 young people. will continue to operate at least until the end of the year. The centre was set up as a pilot pro- ject by the Addiction Research Foundation, with Richmond Hill Town C o u n c i1 contributing $3,000 towards its expenses. The problem of these young ‘people covered many areas. ‘ Monday September 14. the 1 group of interested citizens {involved in its operation ap- summer. At the September 28 meetipg' of counciluReeve Donald Flax-'1 ton reported that he had reg 'ceived a phone call from New-1' market. asking his approval of‘ the transfer of $5,000 from the ;contingency fund of the York [County Health Unit to the New- market Crisis Centre. a similar lloperation. "I told them there was no way I would give my ap- proval unless our youth aid cen- tre was treated on the same basis. Within five minutes I was called again to be told that Richmond Hill would share the Egrant with Newmarket and that 'it would be apportioned on an .equal basis.“ Monday September 14. that group of interested citizens involved in its operation ap- proached council for an addi-I; tional $5,000 to enable the cen- tre to continue operations until the end of October, when it was believed that money would be fonhcoming from the provincial government for the last two months of the year. At a meet- ing of councils finance com- mittee. (Chairman Deputy-reeve Ivan Mansbridgel September 18. ;it was agreed that an additional l$2.500 would be made available ito the centre. This was con- ifirmed by council in a brief lmeeting following the commit- 1tee meeting. The rest of the :money needed to keep the cen- ‘tre functioning has been provi- dede by gifts from individuals and groups in the town. L jeans and 1g hair and short hair. , or talking wandering :iaL 11c uaa. â€" _ . S on a late and counselling €1.19an. and a rbedroom medical team of seven local will sleep doctors whose roles vary from drug-crisis intervention work to nded orig- general medical assistance hold but young clinic days and are on call in hunting or cases of emergency. A public -,t eat wen, health nurse is also available drying out five days a week. balanced« Many of the young people When the walls were painted JSERS there was a rule â€" “No writing 10w in com- on the walls” but this rule was they found withdrawn when it was found be trusted. that writing on walls could have in June and therapeutic value. Their CAS visitor was very >r help mean withdrawn, but wrote a very in- “We keep teresting and revealing poem "The ya we are 11‘ don't. she some “'01‘ parents as pies and staff is it any way.“ The workers woult reach into the commL the family. and ge groups going. but wit staff and a small h cannot be done. Two adolescent ps from the mental heal York Central Hospital lregularly. consulting They did, however. provide room and board for a 14-year- old at the request of the Chil- dren‘s Aid Society, when no other accomodation could be found. The young people who used the youth aid centre on Mark-i ham Road had many problems. council was told September 14. mostly regarding family affairs; a need for shelter and for food and an understanding listener. It has been only recently that the victims of drug use have learned to trust the young peo- ple in charge and are finding their way to the counselling and help available for them. This imakes continuance of the pro- lject essential. council was told. ‘Because the house used during ‘the summer is slated for de- molition to make way for a ‘building project. other quarters will have to be found, it was also reported. we can't do young people doing. but 1 he continued '5 would like I community. 1' and get pa! but with a sr small house have 10 e them 5. None d with t psychiatrists health unit at won't level anything. a know What the parents know what 19 parents “Because long hair, 1 with hip- ne of our 1 drugs in of l drugs ike to y. into parent small e this tYAC 1 staff and a local ' from 1are L e .- - and that Servnce help; u . .-â€" r j on an your tires 4-gf., 8-qf., M-qt. ho med IO“ longer! TorSion bar 2?gll;||:l:sfrash n Mal_k_ od|ustmem extra (on with “d. roblems. nber 14. ' affairs. ' for food Sc: . hstener. 1y h . Tie fiaf; Open Thurs. and HI. mg 1090- . , . .fmdms: Evenings TII 9 PM. hug and ‘m. This the pro- ,\'as told. d during for de- Their relations with the police have been so good that it has given many a young visi- tor quite a different picture of what a policeman is. fitn is confined to the kitchen. and deals with peace and love and humor. YAC has appealEd f0 lheistory of a young man who was town. to ARF. to the pl‘ovince‘g ward of the Children's Aid So- and to the federal authorities‘ciety and lived in the Richmond for financial assistance so thatlHill area. When he. became the project can continue and legally independent he dropped expand. iout of school and drifted. but Meanwhile it was kept open‘could not hold a job. Meanwhile it was kept open with the aid of private dona- tions and proceeds from a don- key ball game held in Richmond Hill's 'Town Park late in August. In any case they would have had to move before winter comes. far the old house was not equipped to meet cold wea- ther. It needed a new furnace, and there was no hot water â€" with the aid of private don?!“ He was not eligible for Manâ€" tions and proceeds from a don- power Retraining assistance be: key ball game held in Richmond|cause he had not been out of} Hill‘s'Town Park late in Augustflschool long enough. but he had1 In any case they “'Ollld havelno trade or experience and‘ had to move before wintergcould not find work. comes, for the old house wasl He was given accommodation not equipped to meet cold Wea-‘by YAC and took a heavy equip. ther. It needed a new furnace. ment course at Sheridan College. and there was no hot water -fHe graduated at the end of clients from'YCA went to the‘August and found a job and is counsellors' house for baths and‘now independent; to wash their hair. l Local industries have been And the upstairs was not in-ivery helpful in offering good sulated. for it was not intendedijobs to those who need them. as living quarters. The youngllBarbara reports. although a few people converted the largelpeople have called who were ob- ‘bright attic into sleeping qllar- ViOUSlY just looking for cheap l' UUIJIIIU "HUME"! ’oea/im wwmssrf’wsl RICHMOND HEIGHTS CENTRE Na outside Mane/try VWA/VT IT WW? MAME/771 ters for girls. The boys sleep downstairs. since the ratio of visitors comes to two boys for every girl. GET JOB OFFERS The staff are proud of some of their “success stories". The most outstanding is the story of a young man who was labor “We like them to find their Own jobs it they can." she ex- plained. but some do not know how to go about. it." When guests find work they are expected to also find a room elsewhere as soon as they get their first pay. YAC was set up to give aid in a crisis and does not‘ readily tolerate fl'eeloaders. [0 give aid in a crisis and does: NEEDS NEW HOME not_readi1y tolerate fl‘eeloaders.; When moving day_ arrived Through the three summer‘oaober 1. YAC was still with- months there were 131 counsel-tout a home' although the town ling interviews coveringv DI‘O-‘andthe York County Health Unit blems having to do with family. had agreed to provide further drugs. relocation of residence,lfinancia1 assistance. education. welfare assistance. Fortunately the. landlord of finanCial aid, employment and‘Ule counsellors‘ house agreed personal affairs. Many of the young people who have gone for help have been ordered from their homes by their parents. and without YAC would have nowhere to go but the streets. There were 32 referrals to medical help and 9 referrals to psychiatric help. Drug crisis in- terventions totalled only 34. Records show that 300 per- sons were given overnight acco- modation. but Barbara warns that. statistics can be misleading. In many instances the figures deal with the same people who remain at the centre for several days and receive counselling. medical help and accommoda- tion. Just 11 were given financial assistance by the centre. and the average age of those seeking help was 17. ‘ to let them move the project in. It is not an ideal situation. Bar- bara admits. but at least it will keep the program going. They have learned a lot in the past four months. and are now looking for a place which will brovide a little more space. They have also decided to clamp down a bit on house rules â€" no more .writing on walls, for ex- ample. And they are not despairing- they still have faith in the peo- ple of Richmond Hill. RICHMOND HILL LIBERAL CLASSIFIEDS-Get Results-8844105 0 RIM PLENE 301 Markham Rd.. Richmond Hill NEW SHIPMENT OF 18 Shades & Colors SALE PHONE 884-6428 12 oz 60)! VALIANTS 884-4401 .99 Yd- Reg. to $10.95 Value