Who We Are
The Saskatchewan Youth in Care & Custody Network (SYICCN) is a provincial non-profit organization that advocates and supports youth, aged 14-24, in or from government care. Government care can include:
- Foster Care
- Young Offender/Custody
- Child Welfare
- Social Assistance (ageing out)
- Person of Sufficient Interest (PSI)
- 16/17 Year Old Program
Located in Regina, SK the SYICCN is mandated to help set up "local networks" throughout Saskatchewan and develop strategies that empower youth in and from the system.
Youth who are currently in or from government care are the main members of the SYICCN. The SYICCN works towards the goal of healthy nourishment, educational, and experiential opportunities in the lives of young people in government care. Youth are able to build connections, use their voice and expertise to identify system barriers and make positive change.
Youth members have opportunities to be involved in many different areas of the SYICCN. Some of these include workshops, speaking panels, youth-led projects, sporting, and recreational activities, storytelling, art and drama activities, and cultural opportunities.
The SYICCN works with regional departments of Child Welfare, Youth Corrections, Youth Justice, the Saskatchewan Foster Families Association, and many other youth-friendly agencies. Many of our adult supporters come from these professions.
At our core, we are a "by youth, for youth" organization. A majority of our members, staff, and volunteers are people who are currently in or have had experience with child welfare, foster care, and young offender systems.
The SYICCN is a provincial non-profit organization that is dedicated to supporting and improving the lives of young people, aged 14 to 24, in or from government care in the province of Saskatchewan. We are a youth-driven, “by youth, for youth”, organization. Our purpose is to ensure that our members are able to have a voice in their lives and in the community while encouraging youth to assume positive roles in their lives.
MANDATE
The SYICCN is a non-profit organization that advocates and supports Youth, aged 14 - 24, in or from foster care/young offender systems. Located in Regina, the SYICCN is mandated to help set up local 'networks' throughout Saskatchewan and develop strategies that empower youth in and from the system.
Youth who are currently in or from the foster care system/young offender custody are the primary participants of the youth in care network. The SYICCN works towards a goal for educational development and healthy nourishment in the lives of these young people through educational workshops, speaking panels, youth-run projects, recreational and other activities, and positive peer support. Alongside this, we aid in the development of youth-run support groups--local "youth in care/custody networks" across Saskatchewan.
At a deeper level, the SYICCN mandate sees to it that youth in care and/or custody are able to find their voices within the system(s) and encourage them to speak out on issues and services in the system based on their own experiences. The SYICCN strives to offer services to all of Saskatchewan's youth in care and/or custody by working closely with regional departments of social services, the Foster Families Association, and many other youth-friendly agencies. Many of our adult supporters come from these professions. Most of all we are a "by youth, for youth" organization. All of our members, staff, and some of our volunteers are people who are currently in or have had experience with child welfare, foster care, and young offender systems.
Our guiding principles encourage youth to assume positive roles in their lives and in their communities. The SYICCN strives to accomplish these goals through peer mentoring, adult support, fairness, fun, and friendship.