Calgary Youth Justice Society

What Calgary Youth Justice Society does

Calgary Youth Justice Society (CYJS) is a Calgary-based registered charity founded in 1996 that delivers strength-based programs, mentoring, and justice diversion services to vulnerable and justice-involved youth aged 12 to 24. Its portfolio includes five core programs: the school- and community-based In the Lead leadership curriculum; In the Lead 180, an online (Zoom-delivered) variant for youth referred through the criminal justice system under Sections 6 and 10 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act; In the Lead Next Gen, an advanced leadership track for 18-24-year-old alumni; the Calgary Youth Justice Committees (CYJC), which handle approximately 70% of Calgary's Extrajudicial Sanctions caseload via 24 community-based volunteer panels serving 270 Calgary communities; and the Youth Diversion Project co-developed with Calgary Police Service. Technology is a thin layer: Zoom for online class delivery, web-based referral forms, and a custom coach/mentor matching system, with the proprietary asset being the strengths-based curriculum rather than a software platform.

CYJS is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Cenovus Energy as founding partner since 2010, RBC Foundation, Rogers Birdies for Kids), government grants (Alberta Justice and Solicitor General, FCSS, City of Calgary), and foundation grants (Calgary Foundation, Alberta Law Foundation). All programs are free to youth participants, with no fees charged to families, schools, or referral agencies. The organization employs 25+ paid staff under CEO Denise Blair, supported by a Board of Directors and 100+ trained volunteer coaches and Youth Justice Committee panel members. Distribution is multi-channel: school-based direct delivery (13 school partners), community organization partnerships (The Alex, Trellis Society, Calgary AfterSchool), justice system referrals (police, probation, courts), and open self-enrollment.

Cumulatively, CYJS has diverted 12,000+ youth from formal court processing since 1996 and served 1,300+ youth through In the Lead since 2011, with reported participant outcome metrics of 95% confidence gains and 100% improved connection to resources. The operating model combines quasi-judicial community diversion infrastructure (a regulatory and relationship moat) with a strengths-based curriculum brand ("Strong Not Wrong") validated by 15+ years of program data.

Name

Calgary Youth Justice Society

Legal name

Calgary Youth Justice Society

Website

https://calgaryyouthjustice.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Calgary Youth Justice Society is a Calgary-based registered charity, founded in 1996, that delivers strength-based leadership programs, volunteer mentoring, and community diversion services to vulnerable and justice-involved youth aged 12 to 24, free of charge and funded through diversified donations, corporate sponsorships, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Justice and Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAM

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAI

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAIAFAE

Community Corrections (Probation, Parole & Reentry)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)

SECONDARYBPAGAEAN

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

Keywords

• Youth justice diversion
• Leadership development programs
• Community mentoring services
• Strength-based youth programs
• Extrajudicial sanctions

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals, including monthly recurring donations and one-time gifts. Registered charity number 870837044 RR0001.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Financial support from corporate partners like Cenovus Energy (founding partner of In the Lead), RBC Foundation, and others. Includes employee volunteer programs and matching gifts.
3. Government Grants: Funding from Alberta Justice and Solicitor General, Family & Community Support Services (FCSS), and other government bodies.
4. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Calgary Foundation, Alberta Law Foundation, and Rogers Birdies for Kids.
5. Third Party Events: Community events (dinners, golf tournaments, auctions) organized by supporters with proceeds directed to CYJS.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Calgary Youth Justice Society is a registered charity that provides strength-based leadership development, mentoring, and youth justice diversion programs at no cost to participants aged 12-24. The core offerings include In the Lead (school and community-based leadership program), In the Lead 180 (online program for justice-involved youth), In the Lead Next Gen (advanced leadership for alumni), the Calgary Youth Justice Committee Program (community diversion alternative to court), and Youth Diversion (police partnership diversion program). All programs are funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, government grants, and foundation grants.

Product overview

Calgary Youth Justice Society operates as a non-profit community organization offering youth-focused programs rather than a technology product company. The organization provides a portfolio of direct service programs centered around youth justice diversion and leadership development. The core offerings include: (1) In the Lead - a school and community-based leadership program; (2) In the Lead 180 - an online program for justice-involved youth; (3) In the Lead Next Gen - an advanced leadership program for young adult alumni; (4) Calgary Youth Justice Committee (CYJC) - a community-based diversion alternative to court; and (5) Youth Diversion - a police partnership program. These programs collectively serve youth aged 12-24 through strength-based approaches, mentoring, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• In the Lead: Strength-based leadership and character-building program for youth who may struggle to see, use and believe in their natural leadership abilities.
• In the Lead 180
• In the Lead Next Gen
• CYJC
• Youth Diversion

Products and services

• In the Lead A strength-based leadership and character-building program for youth aged 14-18 who may struggle to see, use and believe in their natural leadership abilities. Combines weekly 90-minute classes with adult mentor/coach pairings and group volunteering events, delivered through 13 school partners and 3 community partners.
• In the Lead 180 An innovative online leadership and character-building program for young people aged 14-24 involved in the justice system who show leadership potential. Delivered via weekly online Zoom classes cycling through 6 weeks of curriculum, with referrals accepted anytime from law enforcement (Section 6 YCJA), Youth Justice Committees (Section 10 YCJA), probation officers, and Alternative Measures Programs.
• In the Lead Next Gen An advanced strengths-based leadership development program for young adults aged 18-24 who have previously completed the In the Lead program. Features six module topics covering leadership, emotional intelligence, communication, and storytelling for impact. Program runs from October 2025 to May 2026.
• Calgary Youth Justice Committee (CYJC) A community-based alternative to court that gives young people aged 12-18 a second chance on a minor offence. Twenty-four Youth Justice Committees across 270 Calgary communities handle approximately 70% of Calgary's Extrajudicial Sanctions caseload. Three volunteers meet with youth and families to determine appropriate sanctions, allowing youth to avoid a formal record if crime-free for 2 years.
• Youth Diversion A program working closely with Calgary Police Service to divert youth from formal justice system processes, building awareness and strengthening partnerships with law enforcement to ensure eligible youth have an opportunity to make amends with community support.
• In the Lead Summer Camp 2026 A free summer camp for young people aged 15-18 focused on leadership skills and community service. Runs August 4-13, 2026 (excluding weekends) from 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM at the CYJS office in Calgary.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of participants report confidence in applying new leadership skills
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Calgary Police ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw enforcement partner for Youth Diversion Project and Youth Justice Committee program. Refers eligible youth to diversion programs and community alternatives to formal charges.
• Lester B. Pearson High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner hosting In the Lead programming. Principal provided testimonial about program impact on school culture and student outcomes.
• Jack James High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner hosting In the Lead programming for students.
• Discovering ChoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlternative education partner with multiple campuses participating in In the Lead programming.
• The Alex Youth Health CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity health partner offering In the Lead programming as open enrollment opportunity for youth.
• Trellis SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth-serving organization partner for community-based In the Lead programming.
• Community KitchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit providing accessible food resources. CYJS In the Lead participants volunteer at Community Kitchen as group community service events.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Calgary: Calgary-based youth development and mentoring organization serving at-risk youth. Comparable in target population (vulnerable youth in Calgary), volunteer-driven service model, and reliance on corporate and government partnerships.
• YWCA Calgary: Calgary nonprofit delivering housing, education, and social programs for women, youth, and families facing adversity. Comparable in community-based service delivery, vulnerable population focus, and diversified government/corporate/individual funding.
• Hull Services: Calgary-based nonprofit delivering child, youth, and family mental health and social services. Comparable in serving high-risk youth in Calgary with government and foundation funding, and a community-based service delivery model.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary & Area: Calgary mentoring nonprofit pairing adult volunteers with youth facing adversity. Closely comparable in mentor matching, strengths-based outcomes focus, and reliance on corporate volunteer engagement in the same geography.
• Wood's Homes: Calgary-based nonprofit providing mental health, social services, and residential/community programs for vulnerable youth and families. Comparable in client population (justice-involved and at-risk youth) and government-funded service delivery.
• The Alex: Calgary community health and social services nonprofit serving vulnerable populations. Comparable in serving low-income and at-risk youth, and is also an active CYJS community partner for In the Lead delivery.
• Trellis Society: Alberta-based youth services nonprofit serving at-risk young people. Directly comparable mission (youth development, justice diversion) and is also an active CYJS community partner for In the Lead delivery.
• Pathfinder Youth Centre Society: Calgary alternative education and youth support nonprofit serving at-risk and justice-involved youth. Comparable in serving vulnerable Calgary youth through school-linked programming and diversion-style supports.

Broad incumbents

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: National mentoring organization. Comparable in volunteer-based youth mentoring model, but operates as a broad national umbrella across all mentoring use cases rather than specializing in strengths-based leadership and justice diversion.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: National federation of youth development clubs. Comparable in mentoring and youth leadership programming, but operates as a broad national umbrella rather than specializing in diversion/justice services like CYJS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/127087990696428
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calgaryyouthjusticesociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/calgaryyouthjusticecommittees
• TikToktiktok.com/@intheleadyyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Calgary Youth Justice Society