Community Resourcing

These are resources provided by large organizations that are reasonably well-funded, and operate with a service-sector system. You may face barriers having your needs met if you are racialized or disabled, but they can be a reasonable place to start.

Some organizations have strong ties to the criminal legal system itself. We have them flagged here for you - but we encourage you to ask any organization about the ways in which they work directly or indirectly with police or courts!

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For Young Adults

• ​Justice for Children and Youth: For youth in need of legal advice. JFCY provides referrals, legal education, case service, and test case litigation for children and young people under 18 years old in Ontario. If you are homeless and under the age of 25, you are also eligible for their services. 1-866-999-5329.​

• The Hub - Youth Program: The Hub’s Youth Program provides supports and services to those 17-25 including justice services support, justice circles/alternative justice practises, accompaniment, crisis intervention, mediation and drop-in programming.​

• Youth Wellness Centre: At the Youth Wellness Centre, those between the ages of 17-25 will be connected with a mental health professional who will work with you to help you understand the mental health challenges you are facing. Together, you will create a plan that might include services at the Youth Wellness Centre (like participating in a group to learn coping skills or meeting with one of our Youth Mentors), or help to access programs and services in the community. Access to substance use counselling is also available through a partnership with Alternatives for Youth, who are located in the same space as the Youth Wellness Centre. 38 James St. South, Second Floor, 905-522-1155 ext. 31725, YWCIntake@stjoes.ca

• Alternatives for Youth: AYP offers programming and education for youth aged 12-25 who use substances or have mental health concerns. They also offer treatment for youth who have been impacted by others’ in their lives using substances, such as friends, partners or family.

• Speqtrum: Speqtrum is a program of YWCA Hamilton that is youth-founded and youth-focused. speqtrum focuses on skill-sharing and community building for 2S-LGBTQIA+ people aged 17-29 in Hamilton, ON. They aim to build community among 2S-LGBTQIA+ youth by offering a variety of programs and supports. They provide online one-on-one support through weekly Check-Ins and Peer Support, where speqtrum team members support youth through different challenges in life. info@speqtrum.ca

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For Adults

• John Howard Society/Elizabeth Fry Society: JHS and EFS are non-profit organizations that work with people who have been criminalized. Elizabeth Fry specifically serves women, trans, and non-binary people, however EFS’s Hamilton area office was recently closed. John Howard now takes on clients of all genders and ages. JHS offers help with bail planning, including providing supervised bail programs when you don’t have a surety. They also offer a significant amount of programming and information for adults and youth who have been criminalized, as well as support programming for their families. Programming includes things like anger management to complete diversion or probation processes, special programming for youth with Fetal Alcohol Effects, and transportation programs to help family visit prisons in the Warkworth and Kingston areas.

• The Bridge: The Bridge provides reintegration services to men exiting incarceration and their families. They have housing programs, intensive case management, support groups, and more.​

• Canadian Mental Health Association: The Canadian Mental Health Association provides recovery-focused programs and services for people of all ages and their families, including support around court, housing, street team outreach, social programs, peer support and more. 905-521-0090 ​

• Kids With Incarcerated Parents: KIP Canada is dedicated to providing programming and supportive services that foster self-esteem, security, and the development of resilience for children and youth affected by parental involvement in the justice system. It includes afterschool programs, text support lines, back-to-school and holidary drives and more. 416-505-5333​

• Hamilton Brain Injury Association: HBIA runs a peer mentor program that will match people with lived experience of living with a brain injury for peer and social support. Contact them at peersupport@hbia.ca or 289-442-4023 for more information.​

• Hamilton Urban Core: The Core provides primary healthcare, community health & harm reduction services as well as mental health and addictions counselling, meal programs and more. 905-522-3233​

• Compass Community Health Centre: Compass Community Health offers primary care, as well as mental health support groups. 905-523-6611 ext 2000​

• Queer Justice Project: The Two Spirit and Queer community faces disproportionate legal burdens and challenges. The Queer Justice Project works to address this issues. These can include identity document changes (including modifying Indian status cards), intimate partner violence, human rights abuses and discrimination, issues relating to housing, employment, family, immigration and refugee claims, criminal charges and end of life planning. 905-527-4572​

• Together We Rise: Together We Rise is a program offering a range of clinic law services, by and for Black people. Those working in the service recognizing the explicit and implicit racism that is present in our society and contributes to the legal complications for those who are Black/ African-Canadian individuals. 905-527-4572

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For Indigenous Peoples

• ​Indigenous folks may be able to access court worker programs, systems navigation help, counselling, ceremony, peer and other support groups through their local friendship centre and, when available, through Indigenous health centres and service hubs.​

• De Dwa Da Dehs Nye S Aboriginal Health Centre: De Dwa Da Dehs Nye S Aboriginal Health Centre offers a variety of Mental Health and Addictions Services. | 905-544-4320 (Hamilton) | 519-752-4340 (Brantford) | 289-438-1540 (Niagara)​

• Native Women's Centre: The Native Women’s Centre (NWC) provides services for Indigenous women in Hamilton, including conflict resolution, peer support, systems navigation, support for those being criminalized, and much more. NWC also has a crisis line for Indigenous women that’s available 24/7. Call them at 1-888-308-6559.

• Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC): HRIC offers many different programs and services. If you are looking for an Indigenous court worker, support groups, and other culturally-specific resources in Hamilton, this is the place to go. 905-548-9593. If you’re outside of Hamilton, visit the Ontario Federation Of Indigenous Friendship Centres to find your local friendship centre.

• Yén:Tene: YÉN:TENE (you and I will go there together) is meant to improve access to justice and provide culturally respectful and appropriate legal services for Indigenous people in Hamilton and surrounding communities. Call 905-527-4572 or 289-680-4544.​