Community Support Team (CST)
The Community Support Team (CST) offers moderate to long-term, mobile, and multi-systemic therapeutic counseling support to youth ages 12-20 who are in conflict with the law, as well as their families. Our primary aim is to help youth build coping strategies, life skills, and self-confidence to encourage positive behavioral change. By fostering trusting relationships with our clients, we support their personal growth and transformation for better life outcomes.
CST also provides outreach counseling and reintegration support for youth serving a sentence order. This service involves meeting youth in their community or other accessible locations to provide resources, navigate the system, and build the skills necessary for reintegration. The program is designed for youth referred by Probation within Durham Region, and it offers individual, group, and family therapy, as well as specialized services such as a Support Group for Parents and Caregivers of Adolescents Who Sexually Offend and therapeutic overnight camp programs. Our intensive and flexible approach ensures increased accessibility, particularly for youth who have struggled with engaging in traditional services.
Impact
The CST program plays a crucial role in the community by offering accessible and consistent support to individuals who need it. By providing regular counseling and intervention plans, we help clients navigate their challenges and improve their overall well-being. The program’s impact is seen in the improved mental health and stability of our clients, many of whom experience significant positive changes in their lives. Our collaboration with community partners ensures that clients receive comprehensive support, enhancing the program’s effectiveness and reach.
The CST program has had a measurable positive impact on the youth and families we serve. Successes include improved coping skills, better communication within families, and positive behavioral changes, resulting in a reduction in recidivism. Our outreach approach has proven to be particularly effective in engaging youth who have previously faced barriers to accessing traditional services, leading to stronger connections and successful community reintegration.
However, working with at-risk youth and families remains a challenge, especially when dealing with trauma or entrenched negative behaviours. While we have seen significant success, there are ongoing efforts to refine our methods to better meet the needs of each individual. A primary challenge we continue to face is ensuring consistent family engagement, particularly with those who are resistant to outside support.
Expectations
When engaging with the CST program, participants can expect a collaborative, holistic approach. The process begins with an assessment of needs, followed by a tailored support plan. Youth and families will participate in regular therapeutic sessions, including individual and/or family therapy, as well as specialized programs like overnight camps. These meetings may occur in the community, the client’s home or at the Northstar office.
The outreach approach provides increased flexibility, allowing youth and families to engage in support services that they may have struggled to access in the past. We use a variety of therapeutic methods, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Eclectic evidence-based approaches, and trauma-informed, attachment-based practices. This ensures that services are tailored to the needs of each participant, with consideration given to the broader impact of systemic factors like racism, socio-economic disparities, and individual trauma.
Meet the team
The team currently includes three counselors: Chris, who has been with us for about 11 years, Carissa, who has been with us for approximately 2.5 years, and Iram, who joined almost a year ago.
Get Involved
Invitation to work with us or donate
We are grateful for the generous support of our funders and partners. Their commitment empowers us to create meaningful change in the lives of youth and families across Durham Region
