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The purpose of this project was to analyze three regional Situation Tables located in Northumberland, City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough. A literature review was conducted to explain the history, working practices and Provincial guidelines of Situation Tables. Data that each regional Situation Table records was analyzed in order to identify trends among the three regions in regards to which human services and justice organizations are most involved and what risk factors are most commonly present. Surveys and interviews were completed to capture the experiences and opinions of individuals who participate at each regional Table and gather their ideas for improvements. Findings include that police services are heavily involved in both the referral process and intervention responses across all three regional Tables. Mental health services are also very commonly involved in the intervention responses as mental health was found to be the most common risk factor discussed and actioned at all three regional Tables. Ideas for improvements such as ensuring a more fulsome understanding of Situation Tables among all members are presented. Additionally, possible missing agencies for each regional Table are suggested based on the survey and interview responses of participating Situation Table members. Potential future research and limitations in this study are also discussed.

Previous research has determined that having a sense of community belonging can help reduce youth's criminal involvement. Given this, the HKPR Regional HSJCC initiated the current project to explore and identify youth programs that promote and/or create the conditions to enhance youth's sense of belonging. The aim of this project was to determine what types of programs promote community belonging; identify how these programs were distributed within Haliburton, the City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland; and analyze how these programs were structured in terms of barriers and commonalities. Using a qualitative approach data was collected through a literature review, an environmental scan and interviews. Results revealed that multiple terms indicate community belonging, and that a diverse range of programs can help enhance this feeling. Programs identified in each of the research areas tended to be located within close proximity to one another, and were not evenly distributed. Comparisons of the programs also revealed that the most common barriers youth face to participation are financially and accessibility related. Future suggestions include: addressing these barriers, and working to better inform these communities of the impact that having a sense of community belonging can have for youth. Considering educationally based programing, program structures that view at- risk youth positively, and incorporating positive role models are recommended as future directions in developing an ideal youth program. Involving youth in continued research is also strongly suggested to enhance their sense of belonging while mitigating potential criminal involvement.

Peterborough Ontario is looking at ways to improve immigration integration within the community. This environmental scan explores current and innovative practices of workplace and vocational English as a Second Language (ESL) programming for small urban cities to determine if such a program could fill this need. The broader literature and prior studies maintain that there is a need to determine if language is the sole deterrent to hiring foreign-born employees in small urban centers or if there is a larger cross-cultural issue that must be addressed. The research presented here suggests that the most successful programs consider these cross-cultural matters and the importance of including stakeholders at multiple levels. Given the diversity of Peterborough's immigrant population and the logistical vastness of the Peterborough area, it was determined that a program that was multileveled and delivered as a workplace ESL program to meet the varied needs of immigrants and their employers would be best suited to the area. Qualitative data collected through a literature review and key informant interviews with service providers generated deeper understanding and nuances of program challenges, and an online survey supported the collected data.