Youth Well-Being & Support Protocol
The Youth Well-Being & Support Protocol (YWBSP) is an upstream prevention tool that presents human service providers with an evidence-based structure to support vulnerable youth. Through the identification of vulnerabilities, early-stage risk, strengths and protective factors, the protocol guides the practitioner in the identification of effective individualized strategies that promote positive change. The goal is to safeguard youth and steer them away from pathways that result in harm, crisis and criminality.
How it works
The Youth Well-Being & Support Protocol (YWBSP) provides an assessment tool, along with a protocol, and resources that human service providers can embed into their day-to-day operations. Through both singular and multi-sector collaborative efforts, implementers of the protocol can identify tailored opportunities for protective factor enrichment, reduce barriers to these opportunities, and support youth to maximize their overall well-being. This voluntary, consent-based, and client-centered approach utilizes individualized coordinated care processes that are often reserved for youth experiencing elevated risk or crisis related to harmful or criminal behaviour.
This project represents a new area of primary prevention efforts at OPV. It was developed in collaboration with the Living Skies Centre for Social Inquiry and three key partner agencies — including organizations serving historically underserved communities—through a rigorous research driven and evidence-informed process. Key partners include the Alberta Somali Community Centre (AB), Muskoday First Nation (SK), and Youturn Youth Support Services (ON). These partnerships ensure that the project is culturally relevant and reflective of the local realities of partner communities while contributing to broader learning at the national level.
“Building safer futures for youth through proactive care and opportunity”
Development
Development involved the review of 66 systematic studies and the identification of 784 risk and protective factors. The protocol was refined through 540 hours of in-kind consultation with more than 54 frontline practitioners.
During 2025, project partners collaborated with families and community organizations to identify culturally responsive strategies for supporting youth well-being. Protocol implementation involves a six-step framework that includes: Outreach, Exploration, Enrichment Planning, Monitoring, Wrap-Up, and Evaluation.
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Youth Profile Form
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Well-being Checklist
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Enrichment Planning Template
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Monitoring and Achievement Forms
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Evaluation Surveys (Youth, Caregiver, Support Partner)
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Implementation Guide and Coding Manual
Project Goals
For Youth
For Practitioners
For Families & Communities
Funding for this initiative has been provided through a contribution agreement from Public Safety Canada’s Crime Prevention Action fund administered under the National Crime Prevention Strategy and The City of Edmonton under the Community Safety and Well Being Strategy.
If you’d like to learn more about this initiative or explore opportunities to get involved, please reach out using the contact information below.
Project Contact:
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