HISTORY
1972-78
Key individuals such as Lou Drouillard, Neil Libby, Joan Legue, Al Gatti and Al Meloche contribute to establishing New Beginnings by property and funding acquisition. New Beginnings moves to Church Street, George Ave, and Crawford Ave. Funding received from Community and Social Services of Ontario, Canada Works Grant, and United Way.
1984
The Young Offender Act replaces Juvenile Delinquent Act.
1985
New Beginnings as a group home closed down. It re-opened as a designated "Open Custody - Phase II" facility, fully funded by the Ministry of Correctional Services. It was located at 866 Rossini Blvd and was named the Neil Libby Residence.
1986
A Secondary School Program opened on location in partnership with the Public School Board.
1987
A new residence was opened - The Butch Collins Residence, at 1049 Janette Avenue. It was not only an Open Custody, but also had Open Detention designation.
1990
Affiliation with the St. Leonard’s Society of Canada ceased.
1995
New Beginnings adopted the program: Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) from Dr. Gregory Little and Dr. Kenneth Robinson of Tennessee, USA.
2000
Provincial alignment of Open Custody Service by restructuring local operations of New Beginnings. Neil Libby Closes.
2001
Neil Libby (866 Rossini Blvd.) re-opens as a Children’s Aid Foster Group Home for males ages 13-18 years.
2002
The Rossini Girl’s Home, a Children’s Aid Foster Group Home for females is opened at 867 Rossini Blvd.
2003
The Youth Criminal Justice Act replaces the Young Offenders Act.
2003/04
Butch Collins Residence begins "Open Detention" pilot project and commences the program under the YCJA.
2005
The Ministry of Children & Youth Services –Youth Justice Services, provides funding for a pilot project for a Non-Residential Attendance Centre. The agency purchases a building at 1015 Highland Avenue.
2006
Open Custody/Detention Program moves to 1015 Highland Avenue.
2007
A second secondary school program opens on site at 1015 Highland Avenue. The two school programs are renamed New Beginnings I for the open custody/detention youth and New Beginnings II for the Children’s Aid Society Youth from the New Beginnings group homes and referrals from the Windsor Essex Children’s Aid Society.
2008
The New Beginnings main office/building complex, located at 1015 Highland Avenue, is formally dedicated to the Honourable Saul Nosanchuk. The building now named, The Honourable Saul Nosanchuk Building.
2009
New Beginnings purchases 866 and 867 Rossini Blvd. from the Windsor Essex Children’s Aid Society.
2009
Service agreement with Catholic School Board to provide counselling services, through the Attendance Centre Program.
2009
Youth Opportunities Strategy Program moved to 1049 Janette Avenue. Program expanded to include an Employment and Life Skills Worker. The Summer Jobs Program expanded to provide 240 youth summer job positions.
2011
The Compass Classroom for students who are expelled is provided at New Beginnings through partnership with the Greater Essex County District School Board for students from the Public and Catholic School Board.
2011
The Transitions Classroom for youth on probation is piloted through a partnership with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services- Youth Justice Division, the Greater Essex County District School Board and New Beginnings.
2012
New Beginnings begins a Supervised Access and Exchange Program in Windsor and Leamington. The program is named the Windsor Essex Child and Parent Place funded by the Ministry of the Attorney General.
2013
Additional therapeutic programs are added to the Youth Justice programs to include: Art Therapy, Domestic Violence and Trauma programs.
2013
New Beginnings provides focus on outpatient services, phasing out residential group care services.
2013
Youth Opportunities Strategy expands into a fifth priority neighbourhood known as “University”. Services include both Outreach and Jobs For Youth Summer Employment Program.
2014
New Beginnings provides a Youth in Transition Worker offering services to youth exiting the care of Children’s Aid and residing in Windsor.
2014
Introductory Trades Training Program launched at the Youth Opportunities Strategy in partnership with the Canadian Tooling and Machining Association.
2015
Jobs for Youth program phased out across the province. New Beginnings starts delivering the Youth Job Connection program funded through the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development.
2016
Risk Intervention and Prevention Project (RIPP) launched in Windsor with funding through the Ministry of Children and Youth Services Youth Justice Division. Will assist the most acute youth from Windsor, Tecumseh, Belle River, Amherstburg and Lasalle.
2016
Youth Employment Experience Program launched in partnership with the Windsor Essex Children’s Aid Society. Program provides part time jobs to youth in care to gain work experience.
2021
Open Custody and Dentetion Facilty is phased out due to funding. The Butch Collins Residence was an open custody and detention facility funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services – Youth Justice Division.
2022
Opening of Sober Living Residence . Youth Mental Health Court Worker program starts at New Beginnings and is funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services-Youth Justice Division. The program provides services that address the issues and supports of young persons with mental health and/or behavioural needs who are in the youth justice system. The specialized services program starts funded by the same Ministry as the Youth Mental Health Court Worker program and is a program that addresses and supports youth who have significant mental health and/or behavioural needs and are involved in the youth justice system, ultimately aiming to reduce the potential of recidivism.
2023
New Beginnings received funding support through Public Safety Canada's Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF), enabling us to expand our efforts in addressing youth gun and gang violence through prevention and intervention initiatives, creating new roles within our organization, including a program coordinator and two dedicated youth risk intervention and prevention workers. The program coordinator works in partnership with the City of Windsor to oversee new community safety initiatives and to implement the region's first Regional Crime Prevention Council, further strengthening our community's safety measures.
2024
YJC/YJC-S program's funding model changed and it became the CareerWise program as a response to Employment Ontario’s new employment service model, Integrated Employment Services. This new delivery model is to streamline services for job seekers and employers more efficiently and effectively.