KWMUNITY is a community-based mentorship program for Waterloo Region

Waterloo Region’s only CTS site will close March 31st 2025 and be replaced by an abstinence-only facility

People who use drugs face social exclusion, community stigma, and discrimination. This disincentivizes seeking help for themselves, making it harder to access resources, maintain employment, and reintegrate into society.
Upon discharge from care or at critical transitional points, people who use drugs are not equipped with the tools needed to reintegrate into society, such as:
- Discharge from the hospital or medical care
- Critical life shifts (e.g. housing changes)
- Release from rehabilitation centres

Treatment for people who use drugs often focuses on managing overlying complications without addressing the underlying addiction. Interventions that target root causes are:
- Motivational interviewing (MI)
- Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT)
- Invitation to Change Approaches (ITC)
Previous studies on naloxone training programs confirm that people who use drugs prefer support from peer workers over non-peer workers due to reduced power imbalances, increased safety and comfort, and stronger social networks which in turn optimize informal overdose response.

So how would the mentorship program work?

1. Recruitment and Screening

Identify and onboard mentors and mentees aligning with our program’s mission. This includes an application process, interviews, and screening to ensure compatibility and commitment.
2. Mentor to Mentee Matching

Based on skills, goals, and personal interests, we will match mentees with mentors through surveys provided to mentees.
3. Active Mentorship Phase

Mentors and mentees engage in regular meetings, goal setting, and progress tracking. Workshops, networking events, and skill-building sessions will support the mentorship experience.
4. Engagement and Retention

To maintain engagement, we provide continuous resources, check-ins, and opportunities for mentors and mentees to stay involved.
5. Achievement of Goals for Mentees

By this stage, mentees have achieved significant progress toward their personal goals.
6. Mentees Return as Mentors

Graduated mentees transition into mentors, paying forward the guidance they received. This creates a sustainable cycle of mentorship.

Next Steps

March

Finalize Program Design
April

Based on skills, goals, and personal interests, we will match mentees with mentors through surveys provided to mentees.
May

Partnerships Between Existing Community Programs
June

Pilot our idea with initial round of mentors and mentees refine program

- Currently in communication with community programs for program integration
- Leveraging existing community networks for mentor recruitment
- Bridging together existing training and educational programs for a network
Pilot Program Design
- A graduated system for recruiting volunteers, rather than a single screening mechanism
- Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) with Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Cyclical Structure, Mentees come back as Mentors