A Yukon government pilot project to provide services to youth is being temporarily transferred to the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre, the government announced Thursday.

Christine Tapp of the Department of Health and Social Services explained that while the friendship centre delivers the service in the coming months, the government will work with community partners to develop a long-term vision for the service.

The Integrated Supports for Yukon Youth opened its doors in August 2016 on a two-year trial basis under the late stages of the former Yukon Party government.

The program assists youth with finding housing, work and connecting them to other resources available in the community.

Tapp said some of the 15 or so permanent clients are youth no longer eligible to remain in foster care because of their age. But there are others enrolled as well, she said.

Tapp, the acting director of the social supports branch, said the Integrated Supports also provides a drop-in service.

It’s expected the program will transition to the friendship centre in early February, though it will still be funded by the Yukon government, she said.

Tapp said the friendship centre will deliver the services over the next few months while the government consults with other youth services in the community and First Nations to review the program.

“We will be looking at what worked and what did not work,” she said.

“What do you think we could do differently? What could we do better? What did we do very well? And build off that.”

Tapp said the goal is to create a collaborative service model. She expects consultation with the other community partners will go into the spring and perhaps early summer.

The government has contributed $740,000 from existing funds to support the project through the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years. she explained.

The existing centre with one government outreach worker and one social worker is located in the Financial Plaza on Second Avenue at Lambert Street.

Tapp said the friendship centre will hire two of its own outreach workers, and the social worker will work half-time at the friendship centre.

The friendship centre staff will begin working out of the existing office while they plan the move to the friendship centre on Third Avenue, to ensure the transition is smooth, she said.

Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost said in an interview this morning the intent is to continue providing the services provided under the existing program but perhaps under a different model.

It’s not likely the program will return under the same model developed by the Integrated Supports for Yukon Youth, but it will return in some form, she insisted.

Frost said the comprehensive review is an opportunity to re-examine the program together with the community partners.

It’s an opportunity to ensure the services are better aligned with the needs of the territory’s youth, she said.

“It’s important that we support our youth and help them transition into healthy, confident adults,” the minister said in Thursday’s press release.

“We are pleased to be collaborating with the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre to provide youth with the services they need in a safe and welcoming environment.

“Going forward, we want youth to be empowered and feel the full support of the government and the community.”