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Youth Resource Centre / Shelter
Youth Resource Centre / Shelter
161 Mayfair Avenue
ph: (204) 477-1804 :: tf: 1 (888) 477-1804
The YRC offers short-term emergency shelter and basic needs walk-in resource services to youth. It is located at 161 Mayfair Ave in Winnipeg and has been operating since 1992. The Youth Resource Centre / Shelter offers short-term, overnight, emergency shelter to 8 youth ages 12 to 17 years of age per night. Beds are assigned on a first come first serve basis every night. Crisis intervention counselling, food, hygiene needs, shower, clothes and case management are all services offered to youth accessing a shelter bed. The Youth Resource Centre / Shelter also offers referral, advocacy, resources, information and short term basic needs services to youth ages 12 to 20 years of age on a walk-in basis.
Positive Alternatives for Youth (PAY)
161 Mayfair Avenue (Second floor)
ph: (204) 949-4834
PAY Youth Projects:
Youth participating in the program will work within a team along side volunteer Mentors and staff on community service/volunteer projects. Positive Alternatives for Youth (PAY) assists youth in successfully completing community service, assessing and developing their life, education, and/or employment skills, or being positively involved in the community through individualized case planning/management. Youth will gain confidence and independence as they participate in community service, education/employment preparation and/or life-skill development and recreation events.
- Community Service Support Program (CSSP)
The CSSP operates out of 2nd floor - 161 Mayfair Ave in Winnipeg and began in 1994. Youth who have court-ordered community service work and are identified at high-risk of not completing their hours, or have previously been unsuccessful at completing their hours, are referred to the program for extra support and supervision. Youth work in a supported team (mentors and staff) at various locations in the city such as Winnipeg Harvest, The Winnipeg Humane Society and Fred Douglas Lodge.
- Support Towards Education/Employment Participation (STEP)
The STEP Project operates out of the 2nd floor – 161 Mayfair Ave. in Winnipeg and began in 2000. Youth between the ages of 15-20 who are not attending school and are unemployed can apply to participate in the program and receive a stipend, which is the equivalent of minimum wage. Youth develop skills and experience through volunteering in a supported team, participating in life skills clinics, employment clinics, recreation and cooking. The goal of the program is for youth to build their skills in order to transition to involvement in school, a training program or employment.
- Youth Positively Involved in the Community (YPIC)
YPIC operates out of the 2nd floor – 161 Mayfair Ave in Winnipeg and began in 2005. This program provides an opportunity for youth between the ages of 12-20 to be involved in positive programming. This project came about as a result of youth interest. The evening programming is provided in hopes of preventing involvement or re-involvement in the criminal justice system. This is made possible due to a partnership with Riverview Health Centre and Fort Rouge School.
- Vehicle for Change (VFC)
VFC operates out of the 2nd floor – 161 Mayfair Ave in Winnipeg and began in March 2008. Vehicle for Change (VFC) is a project geared towards youth ages 12-18 who are on the cusp of involvement in auto theft. VFC seeks to engage and connect with youth through the provision of interactive, fun and educational workshops which will provide youth with information and tools to assist them in making healthy decisions. These workshops will provide a forum for youth to explore and examine the consequences of auto theft as well as assist them in identifying and connecting to positive resources within themselves and their communities.
Other PAY Projects:
Other services in the Positive Alternatives for Youth (PAY) include:
- Mentor Training and Support (MTS) Project
Volunteer Mentors play an integral role in the quality and delivery of services to youth in all areas of the PAY program. The MTS Project is dedicated to the development of Adult Mentors (volunteers 18 and older) to adequately and effectively provide service to youth at- risk who come to PAY for a variety of reasons. The MTS Project focuses on preparing Mentors to build healthy, trusting and safe relationships with youth and to adequately prepare them for handling issues and supporting youth as they develop their skills and work towards their goals. Mentors will receive 14 hours of formal workshop training as well as ongoing support and training from the staff team. Applications for volunteer Mentor positions are accepted on a continual and ongoing basis. We ask our volunteers to commit for a minimum period of 1-year.
Please visit our
Materials section for our project brochure.
- Fine Option / Community Service Orders
The Department of Justice contracts with Macdonald Youth Services via PAY, to provide a Community Resource Centre in the Fort Rouge, Crescentwood, and Riverview area of Winnipeg for youth and adults with fines and/or court ordered community service. PAY staff register, monitor and provide placement and resources to these clients as they work to complete their community service. In most instances, clients with Fine Option/Community Service Orders are placed external to PAY (in other community organizations).
Life Train Program
175 Mayfair Avenue
ph: (204) 949-6500 :: tf: 1 (866) 949-6501
The Life Train Program provides an individualized approach that supports adult participants (18-29 years of age) to develop their “skills for life”, pre-employment, job search, and self advocacy skills. We also assist with career planning.
Participants receive help with basic needs and also become familiar with computers and other resources in the community as a result of their participation in our program. We help participants find work and support them while they are on-the-job. We are also linked to Community Connections and can provide a message service at no cost to participants so that when they are looking for work employers have some way to contact them. There is also a follow-up component participants can access if they need support after they have exited the program.
Other Life Train Projects:
- Asset Building Program
The Life Train Program joined in partnership with SEED Winnipeg in 2008 to provide the Saving Circle component of the Asset Building Program which runs out of 159 Mayfair Ave. The “Saving Circle” Program provides 15 participants with an opportunity to learn about money management and to save money. For every dollar the participant saves it is matched with three dollars. At the end of the program participants have the potential of saving up to $250.00 dollars with matched funds of $750 dollars, for a total of $1,000 dollars. The participants then get to use the money saved and matched funds to purchase an item that would help improve their quality of life. In order for the participants to earn the matched dollars, they need to attend a 10 week money management training program.
