The Headway Program has been active in Steinbach since February and is seeing positive results in its youth clients. 

Coordinator Brenda Brown says they currently have 20 clients and the similar issues among the group include unaddressed mental health issues, a history of getting into trouble with the law, struggling in school, and experimenting with drugs.

"For example, if there was a young boy who was having a really hard time in school, and he's known to the RCMP because he likes to steal a lot. What we would do is establish a team around that student, being made up of, perhaps, their school principal, school guidance counselor, RCMP officer, and his probations officer. We would meet once a month, along with their parents to hear what their goals are, and help them achieve their goals."

Brown notes it's at this time they may find the youth has unaddressed mental health issues or addiction issues, and they can refer the youth to find the right programs. She says the team continues to meet with the youth on a monthly basis until they have shown stability for six months at which time they graduate the Headway program.

"With most of my clients there has been a decrease in drug use," says Brown adding the program runs in five other Manitoba communities and, collectively, they have shown a 90% success rate for stabilizing youth. "Some of them have actually given up drug use. This isn't from us telling them what to do because we don't tell our clients what to do. We want to help them accomplish their goals, so, a lot of this is driven by what they want to do and who they want to be."

Brown adds she can see the positive progress from her clients in not only in decreased drug use but also in improved relationships with parents and siblings, youth returning to their family after being apprehended by Child and Family Services, improvement in school, and improved mental health.

She says she recently received an email from a parent who was looking for help for their child but was becoming frustrated with other agencies and the seeming inability to have them work together for her child.

"As soon as I read that email I was like, this is exactly what Headway is for, for parents that feel like there's all these agencies that are doing a great job, but, if we all work together we can accomplish so much more and make a master plan instead of each agency having their own plan and parents feeling frustrated with that."

Brown adds her hope is that through the Headway program they can help create generational change.

"If we get these students stabilized, then as they stabilize themselves and start making good choices, their children will be coming from a stable home and their [children's children] will be coming from stable homes. I just see it being a community-wide impact." 

Read More:
First Troubled Teens Accepted By Headway Program
Steinbach Headway Program Starting To See Results