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House Hansard - 339

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 19, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 339 - Sep/19/24
Ms. Laurel Collins (Victoria, NDP)
  • Sep/19/24 2:14:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight the amazing work of the Mobile Youth Services Team, or MYST, and in particular its crime reduction and exploitation diversion program. It has been serving at-risk youth in our region for over 20 years. It is tackling online sexual and gang exploitation, and the intersecting crises of the toxic drug supply, mental health issues, poverty and homelessness. It has an extremely effective program with an incredible success rate, where it proactively engages with youth and their families to provide support and key referrals. Currently, there is one MYST team that is handling over 250 active cases of youth in crisis. We know the frequency of youth being targeted by sexual predators and for gang recruitment has been increasing, and calls to the team have ballooned. It has applied to the Department of Justice, because despite the high demand it recently had to reduce the hours of its program to only two days a week. Without new funding, it faces the prospect of closing as early as March 2025. MYST teams have an incredible impact, and this model could be replicated across the country. The loss of this program would be devastating, given the need in our community—
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