Halifax Youth Attendance Centre to Officially Open

A centre focused on helping youth at risk will officially open on Monday, Feb. 5.

The Halifax Youth Attendance Centre will provide one-stop access to programming for youth under court-ordered community supervision in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

The temporary location of the centre is St. Patrick's High School on Quinpool Road in Halifax.

"The attendance centre will address the needs of at-risk youth by providing a variety of structured group and individual programs and services," said Justice Minister Murray Scott, today, Feb. 2. "We believe that the attendance centre will have a positive impact on students who have difficulty thriving in a regular classroom environment."

Programs offered will include education, counselling, job training and substance-abuse education.

Initially, the education component of the attendance centre will accommodate 20 people, to be phased-in gradually. More young people will be able to access evening and weekend programming.

The attendance centre's permanent facility is expected to open this fall.

The Halifax Youth Attendance Centre fulfills a government commitment in response to the Nunn Commission of Inquiry.