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DEYAS Youth Project
Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society
The DEYAS Youth Project has operated for 15 years in the
downtown east side. The project operates with six Youth Street
Workers, who are available six days a week from 9 am to 12
midnight (2 am in the summer). The project's priority is youth,
but it also serves adults.
Services are provided to the most marginalized youth and
adults in the downtown east side. DEYAS Youth Workers provide
clients the opportunity to be heard, respected, and to have
their needs met and put forward to the most appropriate services.
DEYAS works cooperatively with all levels of government and
community service agencies and resources.
The Youth Project has two programs:
The Outreach Program provides services for street involved
youth who live or come to the downtown east side to meet their
basic needs (emotional, social, economic etc.).
The Reconnect Program provides services for youth under
19 who have run away from home and derive their basic needs
from the streets.
Reconnect/Youth Workers provide the following services:
- Information and referral to community services and programs.
- Locate, identify, contact and establish relationships
with "at-risk" and "high-risk" street-involved youth, through
street outreach.
- Educate youth on healthier lifestyle alternatives (e.g.
facilitate use of community resources).
- Advocate to assist youth to obtain referral and/or access
to various services.
- Liaise with and support effective working relationships
with other community agencies and resources.
- Liaise street-involved children and youth with prevention
and rehabilitation services.
- Educate the community about the role of Reconnect/Youth
Workers.
- Assist with repatriation/reintegration to home and community
whenever appropriate.
- Crisis intervention and counselling.
- Empower youth to manage self-advocacy/self-referral.
- Connect with parents, friends, relatives, social workers
and counsellors.
- Assist adults with information and referrals.
Antonio Guzman, Reconnect/Youth Worker Supervisor
Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society
223 Main Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6A 2S7
Phone: 685-4488 Fax: 685-7117
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