A Feasibility (Pilot) Study of an Innovative Non-pharmacological Intervention Program in at Risk Youth
Condition: At Risk Youth
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Early Phase 1

Summary: 
      At risk youth face various adversities including homelessness, social isolation, substance
      abuse and other mental illnesses. Thus far, the investigators have successfully partnered on
      programs of housing, social and recreational interventions in this population. The
      investigators now wish to assess the feasibility of delivery of an innovative
      bio-psycho-social intervention, Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES!), developed by their partner,
      the not-for-profit Art of Living Foundation. Therefore, the aim of this research is to
      conduct a proof of concept study to determine the feasibility of a novel YES! program as an
      intervention for at risk youth.
    

Detailed description: 
      STUDY DESIGN: The proposed is an open-label study with a mixed methods design. Research
      participants will be thirty youth between the ages of 16-25 years who are currently accessing
      any resource offered by Youth Opportunities Unlimited, London, ON. Youth will be enrolled in
      a rolling 8-week YES! Program repeated when adequate group size is achieved (>6
      participants). Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected, which will allow for a
      detailed analysis of the feasibility of YES! as an intervention for youth at risk of
      homelessness.

      STUDY RECRUITMENT: Participants for this study will be recruited through the Youth Action
      Centre (YAC) of Youth Opportunity Unlimited (YOU), London. Participants will be between 16
      and 25 years of age. As this is a pilot study, the investigators have set the sample size to
      n=30, which is in accordance with current standards for pilot studies. The investigators
      anticipate to recruit participants at a rate of at least 1 youth/week. Advertisements about
      the study will be placed throughout YAC (located in the YOU Cornerstone Building, 332
      Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 3C3) and Theresa McLachlan, a staff member with YOU Transition
      Services will provide interested youth with additional information as required. There is no
      obligation for the youth to take part in the study; all participation is voluntary.

      SCREENING AND INITIAL ASSESSMENTS: Potential participants will be screened as per inclusion
      and exclusion criteria by trained research staff. Immediately prior to the start of the
      intervention trained raters will meet with participants to obtain demographic information and
      complete baseline measures of social inclusion, substance use and mental health.
      Specifically, the following scales will be administered:

        1. demographic, service and housing history

        2. community integration questionnaire

        3. Global Appraisal of Individual Needs- Substance Problem Scale (GAIN-SPS), (GAIN-SPS is a
           subscale of a biopsychosocial battery that has been designed for clinical and program
           evaluation and has been validated for use in individuals 11 years of age and older), and

        4. Colorado Symptom Index.
    

Intervention name(s): Youth Empowerment Seminar, YES!
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): An 8-week innovative bio-psycho-social program.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other