John Howard Society of York Region

Published purpose

Through this 42-month project, John Howard Society of York Region will develop and put in place the Ending the Cycle program to strengthen the GBV sector. It will address the needs of female-identifying and non-binary youth who are at-risk or victims of familial violence. To do so, the project will support participants to change behavior, identify barriers, create and/or learn about boundaries, and examine belief systems about domestic violence. It will also, educate male-identifying individuals on how to prevent GBV and advocate for gender equality. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the promising practice. John Howard Society of York Region will circulate final evaluation results through presentations at community agency tables within the York Region so that they may replicate it or expand upon it. With the Supplemental funds and extension provided in early 2026, John Howard Society of York Region will strengthen supports for youth who have witnessed family violence and develop youth-friendly materials. The work will: develop youth-friendly knowledge products; focus on knowledge sharing with local organizations, piloting enhanced 1:1 counselling and documenting the model to support ongoing program improvement. Through this they will further advance Gender Equality.