Bruce J. McKitrick Centre

Bruce J. McKitrick Centre is a residential open custody facility operated by W.W. Creighton Youth Services and provides services for female youth aged 12 to 17 years who have been in conflict with the law. The centre is a mandatory program for youth at McKitrick Centre. To meet this requirement, W.W. Creighton Youth Services contracts with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board who provides a teacher to conduct the school program in the facility classroom.

Intake to the school program involves diagnostic testing, contact with community school, and orientation for all youth. An education plan is developed for each student based on their individual needs. Most students discover that they can achieve success here due to small class size, individual assistance and program flexibility. Progress is recorded according to provincial expectations and reported in the student's Ontario Student Record (OSR).

Community involvement is seen as an effective motivational and rehabilitative component of the open custody program. Youth who display pro-social attitudes and behaviours within the facility respond positively when exposed to meaningful community-based activity.

Some Program Activities

• visits to local sites and attractions
• skating and hockey at a community arena
• healthy active living opportunities in a community school gymnasium
• golfing, hiking and baseball
• downhill skiing and snowboarding
• cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
• curling at a local club