Who we are

Leaders in At-Risk Youth Care

At Youth Impact Jeunesse, we believe in helping ensure that every youth has at least one trusting and caring relationship in their life. This support and guidance helps youth reduce risk factors, strengthen their resilience, and move toward their full potential.
Our Values
Our history
Our team

Mission, Vision, & Mandate

Our Mission

Youth Impact Jeunesse Inc. helps young people succeed by providing support and new opportunities.

Our Vision

The Maritimes’ leading organization in growing successful people.

Our Mandate

The purpose of Youth Impact Jeunesse Inc. is to provide quality care and guidance to children and youth between two and twenty-five years of age, with social, emotional, and behavioural challenges.

The goal is to help youth and their families reduce or eliminate the conditions that have acted as obstacles to their success.

 Services are offered within an integrated multi-component continuum of care which ranges from preventative community services, in-home family support, highly structured residential treatment programs, to less structured transitional housing.

Our History

Youth Impact Jeunesse was established in 1985 as a charitable organization when the provincial government asked Moncton Boys and Girls Club Inc. to assume control and direction of a parent model group home that was disbanding. Out of that initial purpose emerged a new autonomous agency: Youth Impact Jeunesse.

Since its inception, Youth Impact Jeunesse has experienced considerable growth and diversification in order to effectively respond to community needs. Our goal is to inspire youth to move forward to a successful life by investing skills, time, and energy into their transition, and empowering them to make effective choices that give them enhanced control over their futures.

Changing with the Times

1985-1989
  • 1985 – Youth Impact Jeunesse (formally Moncton Youth Residences) founded to take over Peer One, and opens its first residential program on Drummond Street.
  • 1985 – Residential program on Sherrard Avenue opens and later moves to Snow Avenue.
  • 1985 – 50 Myers Street residential program opens and establishes the first safety net for crisis situations.
  • 1987 – Anne Street residential program opens.
  • 1988 – Enman Street residential program opens.
1990-1999
  • 1995 – Pierre Caissie Centre opens.
  • 1997 – Intensive Support Program (ISP) in Greater Moncton area.
  • 1998 – Provincial Place of Safety opens (now 52 Myers Street Residential Program).
  • 1999 – CASP program for at-risk youth begins (now Youth Impact Learning Centre)
2000-2009
  • 2000 – Strong Families Strong Children Outreach program begins.
  • 2000 – Snow Avenue Residential Program opens.
  • 2002 – Transition Housing Programs opens.
  • 2003 – Champlain Street Group Home opened (later expanded and relocated to Chesed Boulevard).
  • 2003 – Drop-in Centre purchased and Capital Campaign begins for Youth QUEST Central
  • 2003 – Strong Families Strong Children outreach program ends in October.
  • 2004 – Greenhill Residential Program opened in January (later expanded and relocated to Chestnut Crescent).
  • 2004 – QUEST Case Management Outreach program begins.
  • 2004 – Westhaven Place Residential Program opens.
  • 2005 – Capital Campaign completed and Youth QUEST Central’s Grand Opening held October 31.
  • 2005 – All outreach programs move to Youth QUEST Central – St. George Street.
  • 2008 – Provincial Place of Safety closes as Government of New Brunswick decides that each region was to develop its own resources.
  • 2008 – Cumberland Road Residential Program opens in Sussex, becoming Youth Impact’s first Residential Program outside of Greater Moncton.
  • 2009 – 52 Myers Street changes mandate from a place of safety to a long-term Residential Program.
  • 2009 – Vincent Road Treatment Centre opens in Quispamsis
  • 2009 – Transitional Housing moves to new location with expanded capacity.
2010-2019
  • 2010 – The Youth Impact Learning Centre expands by hiring a part time staff to offer an on-line course to youth at Youth QUEST Central
  • 2011 – 50 Myers Street Residential Program is converted from a crisis unit to a 60-day Stabilization Unit
  • 2011 – Chestnut Crescent Residential Program closes
  • 2011 – Priestman Street Residential Program opens in Fredericton
  • 2012 – Chesed Residential Program closes
  • 2012 – Family Preservation and Diversion closes
  • 2012 – Lancaster Avenue Residential Program opens in Saint John
  • 2012 – Westhaven Residential Program closes
  • 2012 – Dufferin Residential Program opens in Saint John
  • 2013 – Work Your Pace Program opens in Moncton
  • 2013 – Drug Intervention Program opens in Moncton
  • 2014 – Enman Open Custody Program closes
  • 2014 – Changed name to Youth Impact Jeunesse Inc. and refreshed the mission statement
  • 2016 – Anne Street Residential Programs relocated to Augusta Terrace in Moncton
  • 2017 – Youth Impact achieved an accreditation designation from the Canadian Centre for Accreditation
  • 2018 – Thomas Street Residential Program opens in Dieppe
  • 2019 – Fulton Crescent Residential Program opens in Moncton
2020-2029
  • 2020 – Main Street Residential Program opens in Bath
  • 2022 – Pierre Caissie Centre changed its mandate to a Provincial Stabilization Service
  • 2022 – Intensive Support Program closes
  • 2023 – Pierre Caissie Centre changes its name to Provincial Stabilization Service
  • 2023 – Family Preservation Program opens
  • 2024 – Dever Road Residential Program opens in St. John
  • 2024 – Corridors Program closes
  • 2024 – Cumberland Residential Program closes

Senior Directors

Mel Kennah

Executive Director
mkennah@youthimpact.org
(506) 869-6340

Charline Melanson

Associate Director
(Residential Programs – Moncton)
cmelanson@youthimpact.org
(506) 869-6835

Mary Reid

Associate Director
(Finance)
mreid@youthimpact.org
(506) 869-6231

Neil Young

Assistant Executive Director
(Outreach Programs, Human Resources)
nyoung@youthimpact.org
(506) 869-6342

Tracy Cormier

Associate Director
(Youth QUEST, Development Office)
tcormier@youthimpact.org
(506) 869-6294

Barb Ferguson

Associate Director
(Special Projects)
bferguson@youthimpact.org
(506) 856-2441

Helen Groslouis

Associate Director
(Residential Programs – Fredericton and Saint John)
hgroslouis@youthimpact.org
(506) 869-6213

Board of Directors: 2023- 2024

Back Row (L-R): Michelle Duffie, Peter Stevens (Past-President), Juergen Weiland (Vice-President), Lucie Côté

Front Row (L-R): Damien Lahiton (President), Dave Niles, Danielle Bernard, Jim Dixon (Treasurer/Secretary and Past President)

Absent: Eric Larose, Jonathan Hines, Josée Cormier, Natasha Compeau

Management

Back Row (L-R): Mel Kennah, Helen Groslouis, Richelle Smith, Connie Mowbray, Mary Reid, Charline Melanson, Matthew Brennan, Tracy Cormier, Ron MacDougall, Neil Young, Robert Steele, Paula Medford, Monique Couture-Belliveau, Jonathan Thibodeau, and Byron Rayne

Front Row (L-R): Krista Kenny, Ricki Vardy, Tracey Donnelly, Amanda Fielding, Myranda Reeves, Serina Rose, and Tenesha Vautour

Absent: Barb Ferguson, Kaylie Sears, and Samantha Hamilton