Community Service Order Program

Program Description

(Giving youth the opportunity to contribute positively to their community)

Coordinator Marisa Ponte
mponte@youthdiversion.org

The Community Service Order Program was officially established in 1984 under the Young Offenders Act. The Youth Court may order young people to complete a set number of hours in response to offences they have committed. Most young people are also placed on probation at this time, making Community Service a term of their probation. The young person is placed at a non-profit community based organization to complete their hours. The young person's age, abilities, skills, interests and special needs are all taken into account when placements are considered. The CSO coordinator places the young person at a placement and then monitors their progress and provides any assistance the young person may need until the completion of the order. The program not only focuses on the completion of the order, but on building the young person's self confidence, and providing them with encouragement to use their energy and skills in a positive way to benefit themselves and others. Young people interested in finding employment (part- time/after-school) after the completion of their order are also assisted in preparing resumes and initiating job searches.

If the Community Service Order is not completed by the court set deadline or the young person refuses to carryout his/her CSO commitments he/she will be referred back to the court with a breach of probation charge. The young person would then be required to return back to court on the new charge and could face several consequences including custody. Some examples of placement opportunities are:

Goodwill
Little Cataraqui Conservation Area
Easter Seals
Epilepsy Kingston
Food Bank
Diabetes Clothes Line
Knights of Columbus Basketball
Kingston Humane Society

We also assist organizations with annual events such as: Epilepsy Kingston Glad Days; "Partners in Mission Food Bank May Food Blitz"; Little Cataraqui Conservation Area's Haunted Hike.

This program has been very successful and beneficial for both young people and their communities. On average 95% of the young people ordered to complete community service do so successfully. As well, young people are requested to complete an anonymous questionnaire about the Youth Diversion Program and their community service experience. Most young people send back the questionnaire and state that being involved in the program was beneficial for them.

In the past when the economy was better, several of our young people received paid employment opportunities once their order was completed. In particular placements such as: Bon Echo Park and The Adolphustown Park have hired young people who had worked hard while completing their hours. The Community Service Order Program is always interested in volunteers to help supervise at the work sites, if you are interested in working with youth in this program, please do not hesitate to contact Marisa Ponte, CSO Coordinator mponte@youthdiversion.org or Daren Dougall ddougall@youthdiversion.org, Executive Director.