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In the fall of 1998 an interdisciplinary group of  faculty at St. Thomas University gathered to discuss how their common interests in research on youth-at-risk might be brought together to create a Centre for Research. As a small and exclusively undergraduate institution, St. Thomas makes undergraduate teaching its highest priority. However, the Mission Statement of St. Thomas commits the institution to the performance of scholarly research. St. Thomas University recognized that its role as a research institution would depend on its capacity to develop multidisciplinary research centres which would bring together scholars from different disciplines to focus on a particular theme or problem. The issues connected with youth are high on the national agenda: youth crime, drop out rates, safe school environments, literacy, and homelessness to name only a few. Despite the interest in social policy for youth at risk, there is currently no recognized research centre for youth-at-risk. Scholars from the departments of psychology, education, social work and criminology have joined forces with some experts from neighboring universities to create a scholarly synergy focusing on the risks and needs of youth as they move from adolescence to young adulthood. The research associates were recently awarded an SSHRC grant in support of 11 projects being conducted through the Centre for Research on Youth at Risk. These projects span a variety of areas and topics with the titles of the projects listed below: Breaking Down Barriers Between Youth and Older Adults: Intergenerational Programming Access to Services for Youth on the Streets of Fredericton The Learning and Sociodemographic Profile of Drop-Out and Absentee Aboriginal Students: An Exploratory Study Student Retention Factors through Middle Adolescence and Early Adulthood In Their Own Words: Development of Anorexic and Bulimic Teenage Girls' Identities AIDS Knowledge and Related Attitudes and Behaviors Among Youth in New Brunswick: Ten Years after the Canada Youth and AIDS Study Listening for a Change Staying Involved: What Sustains Volunteer Teacher Leaders Impact of a Therapeutic Community on Substance Abusing Adolescents Literacy and Youth at Risk Comparing Treatment Modalities for the Secure Treatment of Young Offenders. 

MANDATE & ACTIVITIES OF THE CENTRE:

The primary mandate of the Centre is to engage in applied research on youth-at-risk. Research projects carried out at the Centre will either advance basic knowledge about youth-at-risk or disseminate knowledge both across Canada and from the research community to the broader public. The Centre is overseen by a Board of Directors accountable to the President of St. Thomas and administered by a Director. Further, the centre has established some links with external partners including community organizations and other scholars at neighboring universities to extend the scope of its activities and to improve the quality of its work. In addition to the development and implementation of applied research, the Centre for Research on Youth at Risk will develop research workshops and training sessions for community partners, host national and international conferences or summer institutes on subjects related to youth-at-risk and prepare and disseminate fact sheets and research reports to community partners and to the broader public on key issues related to youth-at-risk. 

PREVIOUS EVENTS:

In the summer's of 1998 and 1999, St. Thomas University in partnership with the John Howard Society of New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Crime Prevention Association hosted summer institutes and international conferences on Crime Prevention and Restorative Justice. These institutes brought international scholars and participants to the Fredericton campus to explore issues related to criminal justice vision for the future. As an international conference, scholars from the fields of criminology, criminal justice, psychology, social work, anthropology, law, and education will be brought together with the delegates to explore issues related to youth-at-risk. As part of the summer institute, delegates engage in small group discussion and dialogue with a research associate facilitator from the Centre for Research on Youth at Risk to work out ways in which new solutions to break boundaries for youth in their communities might be realized. 

Topics covered in the summer institutes include: Youth Crime and the new Youth Criminal Justice Act: Experts on youth justice issues and treatment modalities which have shown promise for the prevention and treatment of youth crime will be on hand to share their research. Further, testimonials from individuals who have been through the youth justice system will provide an overview of the
implementation of the law in practice. Discussion of the issues related to the proposed new youth justice legislation will focus on an analysis of the intended and unintended consequences of this law for Canadian youth. Youth with Behavioral Disorders will be discussed by leading experts in the area of treatment and identification. Youth care workers and others involved in the delivery of programs for young people experiencing a multitude of problems will be on hand to share their knowledge and expertise Safe School Environments which Promote Student Retention will provide delegates an opportunity to hear about research in progress on efforts across Canada to create safe and respectful learning environments that encourage youth to engage in the learning experience and stay in school Literacy and Youth in the wider community will be discussed in the context of the international market for literacy training materials and the needs expressed by youth on the street. Issues facing Street Youth and those young people who are Missing and Exploited throughout Canada will be brought to the fore and discussed in the context of international trends. Rights of Children and Youth will be discussed by provincial child advocates and experts on issues related to the United Nations declaration on the Rights of the Child. In bringing these scholars and community members together, it is hoped that there will be a beginning dialogue of information sharing between the various sectors involved in the delivery of services to youth. The cross disciplinary lines which provide for teachers, psychologists, police officers, social workers, youth care workers and health professionals to share their knowledge and experience will provide a rich training opportunity for those who work directly with youth-at-risk.