WEAREYOU - Services For At-Risk Individuals With A disability

Shortcuts

• Address
• Telephone
• Opening Hours
• Alerts
• Contact The Organization
• Claim ownership or report listing

• 

  Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Winnipeg?

WEAREYOU STORY 2015

Our goal is to advocate for people with special needs who are aging out of the CFS foster care system. Many of these individuals do not have any place to go when they leave the system, and as a result are at increased risk of becoming negatively involved with law enforcement. We want to help these at-risk individuals, connecting them with the proper resources and programs, so that they can hopefully be kept from going down that path. We also see ourselves working on behalf of those who do become involved with the legal system, advocating for alternative justice or diversion for those cases where neither the individual nor the public good would be served by incarceration. Many individuals with special needs who become involved with the justice system do not fully understand the ramifications of what they have done. In these cases, we believe incarceration is less about justice and rehabilitation than about revenge, as the individuals do not learn anything from their time behind bars. Our goal for these individuals is to see them placed in a comprehensively supervised living arrangement rather than spending time in jail. We believe that this will save time, energy, and money for everyone involved. WEAREYOU was started by Chris Fillion, a young man with FASD who has experience with both the foster care and justice systems. He has experienced first-hand what can happen when an individual slips through the cracks, and wants to help others like him escape the same situation. Joining him on the project are Russ Waywood, a support worker with New Directions, and Murray Soko, the New Directions care provided with whom Chris has lived since being released from prison. Our board of directors also includes Nedu Ejeckam and Lauren Brand from New Directions, former foster parent Donna Jaques, and close friend Graham Wilton. WEAREYOU is currently a satellite program of New Directions’ EPC Program, sharing resources with them and receiving logistical support from some of their employees. Leanne Kennedy, program manager for EPC, has provided key insights and support in this endeavour. Our program is still very much in its infancy. We are working on developing contacts within the community, and the social service and justice systems. WEAREYOU | provide a service for individuals with special needs at-risk or becoming negatively involved with law enforcement and advocate FASD in community MISSION:

Our mission is to help and advocate for Youth, Teens and Adults with special needs who have, or are at risk of, becoming negatively involved with law enforcement. We also want to help build a bridge of understanding between clients with FASD and other special needs, and the staff and families that support and care for them.

VISION:

We believe that many of the problems faced by clients with FASD and other special needs, both personally and interpersonally, are caused by a lack of understanding. Our vision is to help Youth, Teen and Adult with Special Need unofficial diagnosis) stay out of the justice system, find them the right program within the community. Help the community to understand, avenge is not the answer. help provide the tools for support staff and families to understand the differences in the way these individuals may perceive, and react to, varying situations, thereby helping to solve problems before they get out of control.

 ...