M.A.C. (Non-Residential Attendance Centre)
52 Simcoe St. South
Oshawa, ON, L1H 4G3
Phone: (905) 571-4655

Contact: Marlene Niskala, Program Director
Email: mniskala@murraymckinnon.ca

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, Attendance Centre participation can be ordered by the courts to provide a community based option for custody bound young persons. Probation Case Managers may also direct young persons to attend the centre as part of a counseling condition. Both pathways allow a young person to remain in the community to participate in an intensive, structured and closely supervised program.

The Attendance Centre provides gender specific and gender informed programming in the delivery of individualized intervention plans. The worker will strive to form a strength based relationship with the young person to better understand the young person's current situation, their resiliency and their risk need areas linked to reoffending. The centre aims to involve family and community resources with the hopes of engaging and supporting the young person with their success.

M.A.C. is located downtown Oshawa and satellite sites are offered throughout the Region to better serve our young persons.

Objectives are:

• Provide a viable alternative to custody
• Development of an individualized intervention plan
  developed in collaboration with the Case Manager,
  community services and the young person
• Provide an Independent Credit Study Program in
  collaboration with Durham District School Board,
  Grove School, teacher provided
• Provide individual and group based programs based on the principles of evidence based and best
  practices
• Provide support to client and their family during the intervention
• Target areas:
  • Pro-social attitudes and behaviours
  • Awareness on the impact of behaviour,
    victimization
  • Substance abuse
  • Anger and aggression
  • Education
  • Employment and vocational skills
  • Life skills
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Heathy relationship and self expression
  • Trauma support through Clinician to young
    person/parent(s)
  • Responsive to service gaps
  • Provide exit links to community resources

The referral source is the Youth Justice Court or the Probation Case Manager.