View From the Legislature

On Monday I was joined in Steinbach by Minister of Justice Heather Stefanson and RCMP Assistant Commissioner Scott Kolody as it was announced that $50,000 was being provided to the Steinbach Headway program.

Headway is a comprehensive program to support at-risk youth ages 12 to 19 in Steinbach and the surrounding region. It works by bringing together social service agencies, police and community organizations to provide support to the youth in the program. It focuses on youth who have complex challenges and who are involved with a number of social service agencies.

Headway was established in 2016 and has received funding and in-kind support from a number of local entities that have seen the need and the importance of the program. This includes the Hanover School Division, Manitoba Child and Family Services, the RM of Hanover, Rotary, the RCMP and local businesses and individual donors.

The success of the program is the reason it has received provincial funding. It is a results based program that is getting results boasting an 85%-95% success rate. It is the type of preventative program that will not only better lives but better utilize resources in the future. Ultimately, it may be a program that can be emulated in other areas of the province as well.

Special recognition should be given to Headway’s program coordinator Brenda Brown who has helped to lead this community initiative for the past two years. The widespread support that it has across a number of organizations shows the impact it has had in a relatively short period of time.

Ultimately, local residents should feel proud about the program. Every community has people within it who are struggling. The measure of a community is the response it provides to help those who are struggling and Headway is an example of a response that is compassionate and effective.