Meet the Youth Cadets
The Youth Cadet Program provides employment opportunities in community safety.
Chevon Smith (left) and Maryam Farah (right) standing in front of the Community Safety Unit banner.
This program was first created in 2022 by TCHC’s Community Safety Unit (CSU) and The Centre for Advancing the Interests of Black People (CABR). It was designed to give young people hands-on experience to learn about community safety and law enforcement, and provide youth with access to jobs.
Chevon and Maryam joined TCHC as Youth Cadets in October 2024. Coming from a social work background, Maryam decided to apply for the program to challenge herself and change the perspective she had about law enforcement. “I wanted to learn more about community policing and challenge myself as much as I can and [also] contribute to the CSU,” said Maryam. “But along the way, I came to realize that much of the training CSU already does is in community policing.”
For Chevon, who holds a diploma in Police Foundations, the Youth Cadet program seemed like a natural fit. “I had a passion for community policing, and an interest in sharing my perspective as a tenant to CSU,” he said.
The Youth Cadet Program gave Chevon and Maryam opportunities to explore various functions within CSU, from supporting community events to community patrols to dispatch.
“My favourite part of the program so far is working with the Community Safety Advisors, and the work they do to prevent anti-social behaviours. I also like how they connect with the community on a personal level,” Maryam explained.
Chevon, on the other hand, enjoys working with the Special Constables. “It’s been a great experience learning about the type of calls they respond to. It’s a chance for me to combine the practical way of policing with the way I learned through school.”
The Youth Cadets participating in a safety audit with the YouthWorx team.
Since joining the program, Chevon and Maryam have focused on learning more about confronting anti-Black racism, addressing anti-social behaviours, de-escalation, and community engagement.
“When you live in TCHC, you may not know about issues that exist within your community,” explained Maryam. “Since joining the program, I am more aware of how TCHC addresses some of the issues, such as anti-social behaviours, and seeing how issues start within different communities.”
Chevon chimed in and mentioned the dedication from staff he has seen since joining the program. “Seeing the amount of work that CSU and the site staff do, day-to-day, to maintain safer communities, makes me appreciate the work the team does,” he explained. “At the same time, having this program in partnership with the Centre, we are bringing more awareness to the systemic barriers and racism that tenants experience in housing and addressing these issues to improve the tenant experience.”
As Chevon and Maryam’s cohort wraps up in the fall, both of them would love to see this program expand in the years to come.
“As tenants, we have a unique perspective that we can bring to the CSU,” said Chevon. “If we can have more cadets working in different communities, we can support with long-term engagement in communities and help bridge that gap and disconnect between tenants and the CSU.”
Maryam added that this program can offer youth living in TCHC opportunities for mentorship and new learning. “Never in my life did I think I would be working with Special Constables, but the amount of mentorship and learning I have gained from my team will be a benefit to many more youth.”
The second cohort of the Youth Cadet Program starts later this fall. To learn more about how the Youth Cadet Program aligns with our CABR Strategy, visit The Centre for Advancing the Interests of Black People page.
Youth Cadet Chevon Smith shares his experience being part of the Youth Cadet Program.
