MPP Hillier Announces $41,000 OTF Grant
On Tuesday, The Lanark County Community Justice program hosted local MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, Randy Hillier, to help share some exciting news with the community. Over the next year, thanks to a $41,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), they will be able to develop a revised volunteer recruitment, screening, training and mentoring program. This will help increase the number of highly trained community justice facilitators in the county.
This event was also an opportunity to honour the current volunteers of the program for the important contributions they make to the program and to our community. The guest speaker for the event was a parent of an offender and an accused. (The names and identity of participants have been omitted in order to protect the young offender). Joining MPP Hillier to celebrate the funding announcement was OTF representative Gordon Monroe.
“I am pleased to see this program is being enhanced with a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. this program provides a remedy for harm, and accountability to the victim, while diverting cases that can be adjudicated outside of the courts away from an already heavily burdened justice system.” said Randy Hillier, MPP for Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington.
The Lanark County Community Justice Program (LCCJP), seeks to stimulate the growth of safe and healthy communities through engaging community partners in the prevention and repair of harm by embracing restorative community justice principles and practices. The program involves the community in repairing the harm that results from crime. People directly affected by an incident and their supporters come together in a community justice forum to discuss what happened, listen to what other have to say and reach a decision about how to make things right. If a forum is successful, the result is a written legally binding agreement that is signed by everyone present. Highly trained volunteers guide the forum discussion and ensure that the process is respectful for all.
A leading grant maker in Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation strengthens the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. An agency of the Government of Ontario, OTF builds healthy and vibrant communities.
LEARN MORE
· For more information about the Lanark County Community Justice Program, visit www.commjustice.org or email Joellen McHard ed.lccjp@gmail.com
· For more information about the Ontario Trillium Foundation, visit www.otf.ca