Youth Orientation Handbook

Membership to the CBYC is free to all youth.

If it is your first visit, staff can provide you with a tour of the site and introduce you to staff and other youth.

Your guardian will need to provide consent for you to attend the Centre. The membership form gets contact information and asks your guardian to sign liability waivers.

Good news: once this is done, CBYC staff won’t need to call home the next time you come. Bad news: if we don’t get a signed membership back you won’t be able to access our programs until we have signed consent.

Memberships can be submitted online, or a hard copy can be brought back, once signed.

You’ll have an introduction to any staff or volunteers on shift. There is normally 2-3 CBYC staff working at a time.

You’ll learn about:

• available supports at the CBYC such as:
  • food,
  • clothing,
  • counselling referrals,
  • condoms,
  • personal hygiene items and
  • general supports CBYC staff can offer.
• what to do with your personal belongings and how to keep them safe while you are at the CBYC.

• Front desk: this is where you’ll self-register using the iPad to sign into the program. This will be done each time you come to the CBYC. Youth are not permitted behind the staff desks unless invited by program staff.
• Bathroom: there are two bathrooms. One is for staff and one is a gender-neutral bathroom for all youth. Remember to use the occupied sign when using. There is to be one youth in the bathroom at a time.
• Kitchen: The kitchen area is always locked. Generally, youth are not permitted in this area unless they are helping a CBYC staff member. Please do not enter the kitchen without permission.
• Concession: There is a concession on site where there are various snacks for purchase. If you don’t have any money, the CBYC also has snacks that are for free. Please ask a CBYC staff member.
• Snacks/Meals: Small snacks are provided from the time we open until an hour prior to closing. Meals are also provided between 5 and 6 pm during drop-in programming and some registered programming. Youth present for supper will not be permitted snacks afterward.
• Equipment: The equipment for pool, air hockey, foosball are kept in the kitchen. This is so CBYC staff can monitor activities and know equipment is being used with care. Please be respectful of CBYC equipment and bring it back when you are finished with it. If you notice something missing or damaged, please let us know so it can be replaced or repaired.
• Cozy Corner: This space is used to relax, study and/or just hang out. Check out the photo albums of past staff/youth having fun in the community or at the Centre!
• Computer area: There are computers on site for youth access. Please share these with other youth that would also like to use them. If required, staff will place time limits on the computers. It is also important that youth do not access inappropriate sites or use CBYC computers to break any of the “Youth Rights” noted below.
• Youth lounge: This is a quiet space where you can read, do homework or meet with staff. The door in this room needs to remain open unless CBYC staff give permission to have it closed. The lights are also to stay on.
• Programs board: Check out what is happening this month at the CBYC and note some of the resources available to you. If you have questions about a program, what to register in or have suggestions for things we can offer at the CBYC, please let a worker know. There is also a Jobs Board if you are looking for employment!
• Muster point: A muster point is the location that CBYC staff and youth meet if the building must be evacuated. The CBYC muster point is located across the street (south) near the outdoor picnic area. A large yellow sign reading “Muster Point” marks the spot. A CBYC staff member will take the lead on evacuating staff and youth. You are not to re-enter the building until the CBYC staff member says its safe to come back in.

The CBYC is meant to be a safe place for all youth regardless of ethnicity, sexual orientation, race or religion. To achieve this goal, there are some rules that all youth accessing programs must follow.

• The following behaviors are not tolerated:
  • bullying and harassment,
  • fighting,
  • theft and property damage,
  • sexual activity,
  • intoxication/possession of substances,
  • foul language and disrespectful actions/comments and
  • disobeying direction of CBYC staff.
• Vaping, smoking, alcohol or drug use in or on CBYC property is not permitted.

CBYC staff will use a variety of behavior management strategies to encourage appropriate behavior.

This includes:

• verbal cues,
• removal of privileges,
• restitution,
• contacting your guardian,
• direction to leave for short periods, or the night/specified period, and/or
• the involvement of police/emergency services.

Staff do not use physical interventions or restraints at the CBYC.

Accessing the CBYC is voluntary. This means that you must want to be here and CBYC staff confirm your behavior warrants accessing the services we provide.

Your guardian can revoke their consent at any time. The CBYC supervisor can also end membership if this is warranted. This would be in consultation with CBYC staff and the CBYC Manager.

All youth have the right to:

• be safe,
• be respected,
• feel heard and
• confidentiality.*

*There are rare circumstances when confidentiality must be breached (contacting police, children’s services, medical services, etc.)

Youth have the right to file a grievance should they feel that any of their rights are being infringed upon. This will be addressed by the CBYC supervisor. Please speak to a staff member if you feel any of your rights at the CBYC are not being maintained and how to initiate the grievance process.

Photos are used in a variety of ways at the CBYC. They are used:

• to fill our memory books,
• for our registration/sign-in system,
• for youth of the month/year and
• for special projects.

Your guardian will have the option to complete a photo consent as part of your membership. If you don’t want your photo used (even if your guardian has given consent), please let a CBYC staff member know.

Your photo will be taken and uploaded to our database once your orientation is done. Your photo will appear each time that you self-register unless you do not want your photo to be displayed.

In some rare cases, staff at the CBYC will complete an Incident Report (IR) if there is a “critical” event that has happened. This includes, but is not limited to:

• involvement of police or emergency services,
• property damage,
• injury to self or others and/or
• suicidal ideation or attempts.

An IR is a way for staff to document the event, and keep youth safe and supported. It is a document that helps us to review the jobs we are doing as staff, in order to improve.

An IR may result in your guardian being contacted so they are aware of the incident. This is not meant to get you into trouble but rather to put more supports in place for you and your safety, when you are away from the CBYC. The CBYC supervisor is consulted on all IRs that occur at the CBYC.

IRs stay on our secure database to maintain your confidentiality and privacy.

Most areas at the CBYC are accessible to the youth.

Exceptions are the:

• staff washroom,
• mechanical room,
• kitchen (unless staff are present),
• staff office (unless staff are present).

In the event of an emergency, staff may “lock down” the CBYC. This could be done for a variety of reasons such as:

• fire,
• flood,
• tornado or
• individuals that aren’t welcome in the Centre.

Please follow all staff directions at these times.

Evacuation: If the CBYC needs to be evacuated, follow all staff directions and meet at the muster point. Do not leave the program until dismissed by staff.

Fire or fire drill: please exit through the closest exit to you. Meet at the muster point and wait for a CBYC staff member.

It is important you do not leave until the CBYC staff complete a head count and check everyone is safe and accounted for.

• Any youth in Beaumont can be nominated for Youth of the Month/Year.
• This is a memorial initiative done in memory of our namesake, Chantal Bérubé.
• There is a $100 award for being selected as the Youth of the Month and generally, the award is given by Chantal’s parents. Youth of the Year comes with a $1000 award.
• If you think you know a youth that would be deserving of the YOTM/YOTY, please speak to a CBYC staff member so a nomination form can be completed.

From time to time, CBYC programming will take us off-site and into the community (recreation centre, skating, community events, etc.).

All off-site registered programming has the following requirements:

1. pre-registration form
2. consent form.

Both are required, no exceptions. Please let staff know if you want to attend as soon as possible as space can be limited.

While in the community, you are expected to be good representatives of the CBYC and the City of Beaumont (which funds the CBYC). CBYC staff will expect you to be following the same rules as you would at the CBYC.

Demonstrating your best behaviour, when on an outing, shows the community how awesome the CBYC youth are.

If you do not follow the rules then you may be asked to leave the activity and your guardian contacted.