FallWinter
20152016
and notes from The John Howard Society of North Island
NewsNews
and notes
from The John Howard Society of North Island
Comox Valley BROS Group: Learning through Adventure
Thanks to a $500 grant from ParticipACTION, a group of nine boys ages 14-18 came
together weekly for outdoor adventure and life skills learning in the Comox Valley in
summer 2015. John Howard offered the BROS (Boys Rockin’ Outdoor Summer)
group to teen boys who were looking for alternatives to using substances. The
youth participated in recreational activities and learned skills and strategies with the
goal of relapse prevention.
Gary Fort, youth and family alcohol and drug counsellor, and Laura McLaren, alcohol
and drug prevention and early intervention coordinator, co-facilitated the group.
The boys’ expectations for the BROS group were to stay connected during the
summer and to work on anger and anxiety. The group also learned about untwisting
thinking errors, conflict resolution, Drugs 101, harm reduction, and respect.
Learning topics were interwoven with recreational activities.
Participants enjoyed a hike and picnic at Comox Lake, beach volleyball and swimming in the outdoor pool,
visiting Elk Falls Suspension Bridge in Campbell River, bowling, basketball, ping pong, go-cart racing at
Saratoga Speedway, and rock climbing at an indoor wall. They made new friendships and discoveries.
On the last day in particular they had a major breakthrough. “Three of the boys in the group were long-time
adversaries, to the extent that one of them had only attended one other session. However, after a talk with
the three of them and climbing as a team, they were hanging out like old friends. In our final feedback, all
three said they had matured and learned conflict resolution,” said Gary.
Other feedback included: “The group gave me something to do. It was fun.” Words the boys used to describe
BROS were “Swaggy”, “Cool”, “Spook”, and “Destiny!” John Howard would like to thank Codes Country Lanes
in Courtenay and On the Rocks Climbing Wall in Campbell River for discounts on admissions.
www.jhsni.bc.ca
@jhsni
The John Howard Society of North Island’s programs are situated in the territories of the
Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples.
Yes! I Want to Help Children & Youth in KidStart
I am enclosing a KidStart donation for $
payable to The John Howard Society of North Island.
I would like to support a child or youth in KidStart by becoming a KidStart Champion monthly donor. I would like to give:
$100/mo. (Gold)
$50/mo. (Silver) or
$25/mo. (Bronze)
I’ve enclosed post dated cheques made payable to:
The John Howard Society of North Island, #201-140A 10th Ave., Campbell River, BC, V9W 4E3
I would like to donate using my credit card:
Visit www.jhsni.bc.ca to make a secure online donation. Click on the
button. Charitable Registration #107542524RR0001.
Partnership with Art Gallery Showcases Young Artists
A partnership between John Howard and the Campbell River Art Gallery enabled
youth to make original art and showcase it in the gallery. Eight youth attended a
three-day workshop with artist Terra Poirier where they learned how to take printed
photos and text and transfer them to wood. Through this process the youth were
able to transform their images into works of art. Three of the youth attending the
workshop were members of the Expressive Arts Group for girls held in the Comox
Valley in the summer. Laura McLaren and Petra Stewart, John Howard youth
counsellors, participated and supported the youth. A gallery showing was held to
recognize the young artists and display their work for family and friends.
Artist Terra Poirier works with a youth to transfer photos and text to wood.
Thanks from KidStart
Carehomes Needed
Thanks to all who attended our Burger
and Beverage Fundraiser at Campbell
River White Spot on March 7.
The sold-out event raised
$1,480 for John Howard KidStart.
John Howard is seeking skilled individuals and/or couples who will
welcome youth into their home by becoming contracted caregivers.
Ideal candidates will provide structure and supervision with an
emphasis on offering a supportive, nurturing family environment.
For more information contact Sadie Ostler: (250) 286-0222 ext. 224.
Girls Speak Out Summer Group
In summer 2015, a partnership project between John Howard and Comox Valley Transition
Society provided a variety of nature-based and expressive arts activities as alternative coping
strategies to substance misuse and other harms. The Girls Speak Out (GSO) summer group was
for young women ages 16 to 21 with experiences of substance use, mental health challenges,
and trauma. One of the goals of the GSO summer group was to help foster resilience in the
participants to buffer them against increased risk during the summer. This low barrier support
and psycho-educational group was co-facilitated by Wendy Morin, John Howard youth and
family alcohol and drug counsellor, and Amy Crook from Comox Valley Transition Society.
Seven young women came together on Wednesday afternoons for five weeks to enjoy outings
Collage made by to the Puntledge River, Elk Falls Suspension Bridge, local beaches, and the Walking with Our
GSO participant. Sisters commemorative exhibit. The group’s last outing was an overnight retreat to the
Vancouver Island Mountain Centre on Mount Washington. The girls walked through Paradise Meadows and
cooked dinner and breakfast together on the mountain.
The participants were actively involved in planning GSO activities. One young woman led a poetry workshop.
Other expressive arts activities included painting mandalas on stones collected at the river, painting, colouring,
and making collages and coping boxes.
Group members explored a number of topics such as self-care/mental health, boundaries, trauma, creating
support plans, and transition to adulthood (post-secondary, jobs, moving
out, and more). Feedback was very positive. “I like being outside and doing
art, as well as listening and sharing stories,” said one group member. Other
comments included “I feel better connected” and “the group was swell.” One
young woman said, “I am more aware of the importance of self-care.” John
Howard appreciates Comox Valley Transition Society for the partnership,
Prontissima Pasta for delicious food at wholesale prices, and Mount
Washington for two-for-one summer chairlift passes.
On a hike at Mount Washington.
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Youth Poetry
On Survival
You can write philosophies,
Your skin every parchment;
Blood, ink,
and Hope the bindings.
But
please know,
You don't have to bleed to let them see what you have to
show.
You don't need to carve scars to build maps for others to
follow.
You mean more than the blades that have struck you in
desperation to pour out your melancholy fairy tales.
More than the torrential storms of sorrow that have
diluted and refilled every pail of hope you're preserved to
quench your simple thirst for survival.
You deserve not to strain and fight for every breath you've
received,
dream you've conjured,
or
the mere existence you've had to desperately maintain.
So, use this breath you've been blessed with,
Shine light and let your tongue slice silence
Let your call summon cavalries
And let the stardust swim from your composition and
create new galaxies
You are an ark built strong holding every hope for
salvation
and even though you might be sailing upon tumbling
turmoil and reckless seas
You have been nominated
Noah
so Triumph over catastrophe
You were not chosen because you would
sink
Remember
Even at the edge and top and brink of disaster
In the darkest day And when 'ever after' seems to promise
only to sing the same tragedy
Even off beat stumbling you can still speak
so Refuse to let the wilderness bewilder you
Demand that you need not move
Tornadoes only take breaths because they need to
And even shadows are afraid of the dark.
Even locked barred doors can't hold back any essence of
the spark that you are
So
let it shine.
Let out the soul you've been forced to resign from,
take charge of this life you are leading and breathe deeply.
Let every second sink through your skin with gratitude,
Let every grain of reality dissolve beneath your tongue and
taste every last drop of it.
The way that even being frightened makes your heart beat
to remind you you're still breathing
The way the wind can blow entire symphonies through
your thoughts that you can still recall hearing
On repeat
it’s in the swell of your lungs,
the rhythm of your feet.
and
You deserve to be here In every moment
So
be selfish
Absorb every minute
This life is for the living
And you, my friend
have got more than the necessary qualifications
by Ashianna Ralynn, age 18
This poem is featured in an anthology of creative fiction
and poetry by Vancouver Island young writers: In Our
Own Voice 2015. www.inourownvoice.com
Reprinted here with permission of the poet.
Local Action Teams
John Howard is participating in the Comox Valley and
Campbell River Local Action Teams (LATs) of the Child
and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use
Collaborative. The goal of the LATs is to improve access
to mental health and substance use services and the
quality of those services. A key component is input
from youth and families with lived experience. John
Howard has committed manager and staff time to
support this collaborative. This has included facilitating
two youth focus groups that helped develop training
curriculum and the program outline for a Comox Valley
peer support program. John Howard staff organized an
overnight training retreat at Mount Washington
Outdoor Centre which focused on preparing the youth
for their role as peer support workers. Fifteen youth
participated in the retreat. When giving feedback, one
participant said, “I found the pieces on self care for
support workers valuable. In order to help others you
have to be able to help yourself.” Another said, “It was
valuable to talk and learn about suicide prevention.”
The Campbell River LAT formed in August 2015 and is
identifying projects that will improve collaboration.
3
Three-Year Accreditation Awarded
Following a site visit by CARF in late October, The John Howard Society of North Island was awarded a three-year
accreditation for the following programs: Behavioural Consultants, Youth/Parent Mediation, Independent Living,
Barnett House, Youth & Family Alcohol & Drug Counselling, 180 Degrees, Collaborative Planning, Alcohol & Drug
Prevention & Early Intervention, Youth Outreach, Child and Youth Mental Health Outreach, KidStart, Intensive
Support and Supervision, Headstart, Oasis, Youth Justice Homes, Community Living Outreach, and Adult Forensic
Outreach, as well as Governance Standards. Congratulations and thanks to our staff, contractors, and volunteers!
AGM 2015: A Look at Youth Justice in BC
John Howard was honoured to host Alan Markwart, former assistant deputy minister
with the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, as the keynote speaker at
our AGM on June 22, 2015. The title of Alan's talk was "A Look at How Well We Have
All Done with Youth Justice".
Alan has more than 40 years of experience in youth justice as a youth probation
officer, youth custody centre director, policy director, national project leader, and
executive manager. He is recognized as a national expert in the field. Since retiring in
2013, Alan has continued to work part-time as a consultant, adjunct professor with
the School of Criminology at SFU, and BC Review Board member.
"There have been enormous changes in youth justice in BC over the last 30 years that
can only be described as transformative," Alan said. When he first began working as a
probation officer in 1972, children as young as seven years old could be charged,
Alan Markwart,
prosecuted, and incarcerated.
keynote speaker.
"In practice, that was very uncommon but nonetheless we did prosecute some kids
under the age of 12, mostly 10 and 11 year olds, sometimes for pretty minor crimes.
Today, the lower age limit is 12 years old. I certainly don't miss seeing 10 and 11 year olds in court."
During that time there were more than 300 boys and 120 girls in custody in BC. Today, there are around 50 boys
and 15 girls in custody in the entire province. In those days, children and youth had very little in the way of true
legal rights. “Thankfully, the informal approach of the past is behind us.” The Charter of Rights and Freedoms in
1982, the Young Offenders Act (YOA) in 1984, Charter Equality Rights in 1985, the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child in 1991, the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) in 2003, and several superior court decisions
through the years led to huge changes in the way children and youth are treated by the legal system.
There has been “a huge and steady drop” in youth crime rates since 1991. BC used to have a youth crime rate that
was higher than the national average. “It is now well below the national average and third lowest in the country.
BC has the lowest violent youth crime and serious violent youth crime rates in the country.”
Alan attributes these changes to the rights-based framework that we now use in youth justice, and the knowledge
we have acquired through research evidence and data. “The two prongs of a
rights-based framework and of an evidence-based approach that emphasizes
rehabilitation, reintegration, and community measures, are precisely the kinds
of approaches that have been promoted by John Howard Societies across the
country for decades now.”
Although the system has transformed, Alan pointed out that the needs of
children and youth remain the same: stable housing, caring adults, positive
role models, individualized education and employment prospects, and,
sometimes, skilled helping professionals.
Another AGM highlight was retired staff member Gérard Choquette’s
presentation of his beautifully crafted “Barnett House birdhouse” to Wendy
Wendy Richardson and Gérard
Richardson, executive director. The birdhouse will be installed at Barnett
Choquette with birdhouse.
House, John Howard’s transitional youth housing facility in Campbell River.
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Thank You, Deb!
All the Best, Judith!
After 23 years of working for The
John Howard Society of North
Island, Deb Grant retired at the
end of December. John
Howard’s independent living
worker for close to 20 years, Deb
helped young people learn the
skills they need to live on their
own. “It takes a lot of hard work
and support for a youth to learn
to live independently,” she said.
Deb most enjoyed the ongoing
involvement with youth. “With
longer-term clients there was the opportunity to develop
more of a relationship and to support them to develop
their life skills and grow towards young adulthood. Some
of the youth have accessed the program on and off as
their needs changed, and then kept in touch after they
left the service.” As well as being independent living
worker, Deb was also the Campbell River Administration
Office’s indoor and patio gardener, interior decorator
(thanks for all the great painting, Deb!), and dedicated
Tim Horton’s courier. Deb said she “couldn’t have worked
with a better group of people.” Deb completed her
Master Gardener training in September 2015. In her
retirement she plans to continue cultivating her interests
in gardening, travelling, kayaking, photography, and
yoga. Thanks for everything, Deb!
Judith Hayes joined John Howard in
the fall of 2012 as the agency’s clinical
consultant. She retired in late October
2015 to enjoy life on Quadra Island.
Judith was available to consult with
staff from all programs as needed. The
Full Time Attendance Programs (FTAP)
was one area where she had a big impact. She
brought with her immense expertise and experience
working with youth involved in the justice system
who present with complex mental health and trauma
backgrounds. Judith was pivotal in supporting FTAP’s
transition from a trauma-informed program to a
trauma-specific program. “Her mentorship in both
clinical practice and program development helped
guide FTAP to become a place of thoughtful,
responsive practice,” said Angie Prescott, FTAP
manager. Judith approached her work with FTAP from
a place of quiet, supportive confidence in the staff
and their ability to work collaboratively to meet the
needs of every youth. She struck a balance between
encouraging staff to be creative and reminding them
to stay grounded, ensuring they felt empowered to
grow as practitioners while staying true to their core
values and beliefs. Her influence remains alive and
well in the mindful, person- centered practice that
John Howard staff strive to provide to our clients.
Thank you, Judith!
Giving Tuesday
Christmas Giving
Giving Tuesday on December 1 brought in $1,100 for
John Howard KidStart through in-person and online
donations. Healthyway Natural Foods in Campbell River
held a matching donations day on Giving Tuesday for the
third year in a row.
The store contributed
$475 to match
customer donations.
KidStart received a
number of other
donations during the
Christmas season
totaling $11,282.
Our heartfelt thanks
Campbell River KidStart manager
to all who gave so
Steve Ayers on Giving Tuesday.
generously.
Thanks to individual and business donors, the
Christmas season was made much brighter for John
Howard clients. The Angel Tree project provided gifts
for 58 children and youth in Campbell River programs,
including six bikes from Swicked Cycles. In the Comox
Valley, 16 children and youth received gifts through
the Sears Tree of Wishes. Several businesses and
individuals donated to the Christmas party at
Delaware Youth Drop In: The Home Depot Campbell
River, Play N Trade, Starbucks Mariner Square, Calvin
Rufus, Church of the Way, and Quadra and Campbell
River knitters. Margaret Spencer and friends gave
youth in the Nanaimo Intensive Support and
Supervision program thoughtful gifts, including movie
and skate/swim/gym passes, bus tickets, baking,
calendars, and warm jackets and clothes.
5
Welcome New Staff
John Howard would like to extend a warm welcome to our new staff. Here’s an introduction
to the staff who have come on board since Spring 2015:
Charlotte Begg, KidStart/accreditation support worker, Campbell River
Laura McLaren, alcohol and drug prevention and early intervention coordinator, Comox Valley
Bryanne Johnson, KidStart/accreditation support worker, Campbell River
Jeremy Hook, community support worker, Comox Valley
Kelsey Creviston, FTAP youth counsellor, Campbell River
Laura Swinton, Delaware support worker, Campbell River
Rebecca LaFleur, youth and family alcohol and drug counsellor, Campbell River
Jayne Sylvester, youth and family counsellor, Gold River & Tahsis
Kevin Broughton, adult forensic outreach worker, Campbell River & Comox Valley
Kate Cairnie, community support worker, Campbell River
Wes Piasecki, intensive support and supervision worker, Duncan
Lauma Avens, community support worker, Comox Valley
Amanda Ridgway, youth and family alcohol and drug counsellor, Campbell River
Jordan Campbell, adult and youth homeless prevention worker, Campbell River
Elaine Bakstad, housing community support worker, Campbell River
Dawn Marie Nicholls, youth outreach worker, Campbell River
Way to Go: Ta Da!
Congratulations, John Howard staff, for achieving a 99.7% completion rate for
online training quizzes! These annual quizzes cover a number of topics including
health and safety, rights of children and youth, ethics, and more.
 Kudos to Sarah and Colby Day on the birth of Natalie Joanna on March 30/15.
 Hooray Nicole McKeown and Craig Ryan on the birth of Lily Mae on June 6/15.
 Big thanks to our summer students, Charlotte Begg and Bryanne Johnson, for
all of their help with KidStart and accreditation.

Natalie
Lily & Mom
Thank You to Departing Staff
John Howard would like to thank the following staff for their service. Best of luck in the future!
Deb Grant
Joanne Petersen
Judith Hayes
Breanne Gornall
Rebecca Lafleur
Carolyn Larson
Jen Furst
Sheryl Miller
Mylah Beckton
Bryanne Johnson
Sarah Badgero
Jeremy Hook
Amanda Adams
6
Client Feedback Draws
Feedback from our clients is very important to us. We are
now holding monthly feedback draws for $10 Tim Horton’s
cards. Everyone who submits feedback has a chance to win!
Youth for Seniors
Youth for Seniors provides assistance with yard
work or other household tasks. In 2015, one
senior said: “This service lifts me up. Thank you!”
Kindness and Compassion Awards
The John Howard Awards for Kindness and Compassion are one of our agency’s
newest initiatives. These awards are open to students in School Districts #71, #72,
and #84, and are given out twice a year to projects or activities that promote
kindness and/or compassion. Projects or activities can be done by individuals, small
groups, classes, or entire schools. Nominations for the first round of awards were
due in November. We gave out eight awards of $100 each. Congratulations to the
following recipients:
 An 8-year-old student who sees when someone is struggling and acts very
compassionately towards them. For example, she helped a student who was
afraid to use playground equipment by walking her through it step by step.
 A 10-year-old student who is a leader with Scouts Canada and volunteers as a
Members of Courtenay
mentor with Beavers in his community. He supports Beavers with activities and
Elementary’s Kindness Club
campouts, and is a familiar and friendly ‘big buddy’ at events and at school.
 Courtenay Elementary’s Kindness Club made up of students ages 9-11. Students volunteering with the
Kindness Club brainstorm ideas that would demonstrate inclusion and helping others, including going out at
lunch to give high fives and compliments, and making videos that show kindness.
 Ms. Sirrs’ Grade 2/3 Class at Royston Elementary encourages students to act with kindness and compassion.
Recent examples are writing thank you notes for things they appreciate, and making a poster to encourage
others to “be kind to people who are different from you.”
 Quadra Elementary’s Kindergarten Class does a number of things to encourage kindness in the students. For
example, at the end of every day, the class takes a few minutes for Thankful Circle when students have an
opportunity to say what they are grateful for that day.
 A 13-year old student who discovered a number of safety risks to children at Sunset Rotary Park. She created
a report, contacted the City, and was involved in all of the repairs conducted.
 A 14-year-old student who volunteered at the Food Bank.
 The Ripple Group of students ages 15-17 at Timberline Secondary. The group took GRASP training (Growth,
Resilience, Acknowledgement, Suicide Awareness, Prevention, and Personal Planning) with the Vancouver
Island Crisis Society so they would be better able to volunteer as peer mentors. They wanted especially to fill
the need for mental health awareness and support, as well as suicide prevention.
Details about the next round of nominations for the Kindness and Compassion Awards will be released in April
with a deadline at the end of May.
Staff Milestones
As of February 2016, the following staff have reached these
milestones working for The John Howard Society of North
Island:
5 Years: Leigh Simms, Chris Bennett
10 Years: Tara Jordan, Ryan Derry
15 Years: Godfrey Wearne
25 Years: Kerry Hammell, Wendy Richardson
‘John Howard’ Branding
‘The John Howard Society of North Island’ is a bit
of a mouthful and so is the acronym JHSNI.
Where possible, we are substituting “John
Howard” instead. As part of our rebranding
efforts, we have renamed our newsletter John
Howard Voices. We also have a new logo and will
soon launch our new website. Stay tuned!
7
Message from the President
Message from the E.D.
Since our society was selected ‘Not for
Profit of the Year’ by the Campbell
River Chamber of Commerce just over
a year ago, I have been reflecting on
this honour and what it means for
John Howard and the community. For
us, it means a good deal of
recognition for all the hard work and
success all our staff has in working
Terry Moist
with some of the most disadvantaged
members of our society. In terms of the community, I think
our selection from a long list of deserving nominees
suggests the strength of social services in Campbell River. I
am confident that we can continue to build a community
that cares about and provides for all of its citizens. Keep
doing what you are doing – we are on the right track. - Terry
Our CARF site visit at the end of
October and resulting
accreditation report were our best
yet—thanks, everyone! We have
two new programs, Homeless
Outreach and Homeless
Prevention. Huge thanks to Deb
Grant for her 23 years of
dedicated service and to Judith
Wendy Richardson Hayes for contributing so much as
our clinical consultant. In 2015, we
purchased 140 10th Avenue, Campbell River, where we
have provided services from the second floor for 21+
years. Architectural plans for the ground floor include
counselling offices, triage rooms, a youth activity area
with a learning kitchen, and a resource centre. - Wendy
Hooray for Our Donors!
We are very grateful for these grants for John Howard KidStart: BC Gaming ($45,000),
Campbell River Community Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island ($25,000), RBC Foundation ($15,000),
Allen and Loreen Vandekerkhove Family Foundation ($5,000), and United Way Central &
Services/Administration
Northern Vancouver Island ($5,000). Welcome to our new KidStart Champions. Gold:
#201-140A 10th Ave.
Southgate School, Moeller & Company, Young Professionals of Campbell River, Brian Balfe/
Campbell River, BC
RBC Wealth Management. Silver: Kathi Camilleri, David Frisch, Cory Evans. Bronze: Colin
V9W 4E3
Brownlee. Heartfelt appreciation to B. MacLeod for donating $10,000 to KidStart. Three
Tel. 250-286-0611
cheers to The Home Depot Campbell River for raising $6,852 through the Orange Door
Fax 250-286-3650
Project campaign. These funds will support our programs for homeless youth. Thanks to the
E-mail: [email protected]
Cagna family for giving $500 to the Kevin Cagna Memorial Fund. Kudos also to these donors:
Courtenay Community
 Discovery College LPN students
 Campbell River Kinsmen
Services
 Save On Foods
 Boston Pizza
1455 Cliffe Ave.
 Thrifty Foods
 Warehouse One - The Jean Store
 Summer camp sponsors
 Grace Collins
Courtenay, BC

George
Nyman
 William Marks
V9N 2K6
 Symantec
 Simon Philp
Tel. 250-338-7341
 New-2-U Consignment
 Karmas Collectables
Fax 250-338-6568
 Joan Ferris
 City of Campbell River
 All In One Party Shop
 Laurie Tinkler School of Dance
E-mail: [email protected]
 Quality Foods
 Mudsharks Coffee Bar
Full Time Attendance
 Superstore
 Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Showcase
5
Landmark
Cinemas
 General Paint
Programs

Flow
Yoga
 Kuddles Kids Consignment
c/o Administration
Campbell River, BC
KidStart Champions
 Curtis Wright
 David Frisch
Tel. 250-286-0222

Southgate
School
 Cory Evans
Gold ($100/month)
Fax 250-286-6080
 Brian Balfe/RBC Wealth
 Fraternal Order of Eagles
 Anonymous Group
Management
#3097 Ladies Auxiliary
E-mail: [email protected]
Bronze ($25/month)
 Moeller & Company
 CEP Chinook Local #630
 RBC/Peter Phillips
Youth Forensic
 Young Professionals of
 Wendy Richardson
 Dr. Kerry Baerg
Campbell River
Psychiatric Services
 Colleen Ross
 Mary Catherine Williams
 Anonymous Group
c/o Administration
 Judith Hayes
 Busy B’s Glass
Silver ($50/month)
Campbell River, BC
 Altrusa International of
 Leigh Simms
Campbell River
 Lori McKeown
Tel. 250-286-0222
 Tara Jordan
 Jay Havelaar & Leanne
 Alan Storr
Fax 250-286-0239
Wood
 Kira Neumann

Terry
Moist
&
Patricia
E-mail: [email protected]
 Campbell River City Hall
Trasolini
 Colin Brownlee
Employees
Printed on recycled paper
 Kathi Camilleri
 Tanya Storr
 Judy Storr
www.jhsni.bc.ca
 Florence Robertson
8