Pubdate: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: Mike Howell Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) PROVINCE NO BUDDY TO RAY-CAM An award-winning program at city community centres that pairs young immigrants with Canadian youth to prevent them from falling into crime and drugs is in jeopardy. The provincial government has decided not to fund $280,000 for the Buddy Program, which helps 1,000 kids at five centres, including the Ray-Cam Community Centre on East Hastings. "We didn't believe it," said Steve Bouchard, president of the Ray-Cam board, about the letter from the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services Ray-Cam received two weeks ago. Other centres affected are Kiwassa Neighbourhood House, Froghollow Neighbourhood House, Collingwood Neighbourhood House and Thunderbird Community Centre, Bouchard said. The cut means Ray-Cam has only enough funding to keep the program afloat until January. Ray-Cam's portion of the $280,000 was $70,000, which is used to pay a full-time and part-time youth worker and cover program costs, including field trips and activities. The loss of the program at Ray-Cam means 230 kids, aged 10 to 14, from the Campbell and Hastings streets neighbourhood-one of the poorest areas in Canada-will be without the program after January. Ray-Cam created the Buddy Program in 1992 because community centre staff recognized young immigrants were vulnerable to recruitment by gangs, Bouchard said. "We thought this would be an excellent, positive outlet for them," he said, noting Ray-Cam won the Commonwealth Youth Services Award in 1994 for creating the Buddy Program. The program's aim is to have youth, who have since become Canadian citizens, link up with new immigrants to give the newcomers a friend to depend upon in their neighbourhoods. Through this relationship, immigrants are taken on field trips, sporting events and participate in sports leagues-all occurring away from the negative influences in the neighbourhood, said Bouchard, noting the Ray-Cam neighbourhood is one of the most multicultural in the city. Despite the cuts, Bouchard said Ray-Cam staff wants to work with the provincial government to find money for the program. "If not, we're going to have to look outside for funding," he said. Marisa Adair, a spokesperson for the ministry, said the government created a request for proposals this year for the Buddy Program, as opposed to directly funding community centres, such as Ray-Cam. The successful bidders had to meet three criteria, including "organizational capacity," have a management plan and an estimated cost for running the program. "I can't go into the specific bid, and give you the confidential details of exactly how they were scored and rated," she said. "There will be a debriefing session done early in the new year with all of the proponents." Adair said 28 agencies and community centres in B.C. submitted proposals, with 11, including the YMCA of Greater Vancouver and Mosaic, receiving money to operate the Buddy Program. Bouchard said Ray-Cam didn't have the budget to create "glossy proposals" and found it ironic that Ray-Cam-the centre that created the Buddy Program in 1992-didn't receive funding. "I just hope we can work something out." - ---