Youth

Since Crime Prevention Ottawa’s inception, Ottawa youth have been a primary focus. Whether we’re exploring what drives youth gang members, delivering information sessions, tackling graffiti or helping youth develop healthy relationships, our efforts are driven by research and designed to achieve results.

Youth gangs

An initiative of Crime Prevention Ottawa, the Ottawa Youth Gang Prevention Initiative (OYGPI) draws on the expertise of more than 30 agencies and institutions city-wide to address the issue of youth gangs. The group conducts research, develops training and organizes educational sessions on youth gang prevention and intervention strategies.

Safe Youth, Safe Communities: This workshop is designed to help parents find ways to raise healthy, happy and hopeful children. Participants learn how to help children avoid getting involved in gang-related activities and how to access community resources to support them. The workshop can be downloaded and delivered in English,French, Somali, Arabic, Spanish or Farsi. Please contact us at cpo@ottawa.ca if you plan to offer a workshop in your community.

Paint it Up!

Crime Prevention Ottawa, in partnership with the City of Ottawa, offers funding for outdoor mural projects that support graffiti prevention, community safety and the beautification of Ottawa neighbourhoods. The Paint it Up! Program empowers youth through community arts.

How it works:Funded projects must contribute to a clean, safe and beautiful city by engaging neighbourhoods and youth in a constructive learning process to create murals to prevent or deter graffiti.

For information about Paint it Up!, you may also want to consult the2012 report on the successful projects. Get inspired and take a look at the murals created across the city in 2012 in this photo report.

Call for 2013 applications: We are now accepting applications for 2013 mural projects. Visit our Paint it Up! page for the application form and guidelines.

Visit the murals: Get out your bike or walking shoes and check out the 2010, 2011 and 2012 murals. Our interactive map below shows you the locations, photos and descriptions of the 25 murals created so far. View Paint it up!/ À vos Pinceaux! in a larger map.

The Fourth R

We continue to support the use of the innovative evidence-based dating violence prevention program, The Fourth R, in Ottawa schools. More than 130 teachers have been trained to deliver the program, with all 50 English language high schools participating. We are piloting the program in elementary schools and working with both French school boards to implement it as well.

For youth-related research and publications, visit our Youth Publications