Printer FriendlyFrequently Asked Questions
• Why has “The Sea Star Centre” been chosen as a working title?
• Will a CYAC duplicate services that are already provided?
• Who will receive services at a CAC? What services will be provided?
• Where will the “Sea Star” Centre be located?
• When will satellite CYACs be open in other communities?
• Why is it called a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre?
Why has “The Sea Star Centre” been chosen as a working title?
“Sea Star” is another name for starfish. The Sea Star Centre reflects our Maritime location, but also captures the meaning of the “Starfish Story”:
While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking things up and throwing them into the ocean.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.
He came closer and called out, "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
The old man smiled, and said, "I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?"
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said,
"It made a difference for that one."
Will a CYAC duplicate services that are already provided?
No. A CYAC seeks to increase collaboration and coordination of services that are already in place. Evidence has shown that a CYAC can actually decrease duplication of services, by increasing communication and collaboration amongst the involved multidisciplinary organizations.
Who will receive services at a CAC? What services will be provided?
Details on the exact scope of services that will be provided are still being determined. Many CYACs direct services toward children and youth who have been victims of sexual or physical abuse, or severe neglect.
Where will the “Sea Star” Centre be located?
These details are still being determined. It will be important that the location of the centre be accessible, have a child- and youth-friendly atmosphere, and have a sense of privacy and safety.
When will satellite CYACs be open in other communities?
The project team is enthusiastic to work with other communities who may wish to develop their own satellite CYACs in the near future. Currently, the focus is on successfully developing the Sea Star Centre, which will be the first CYAC in the Atlantic Provinces, and using this to create a Toolkit which will support other communities in developing satellite CYACs. The aim is to complete this project in 2013. Timelines for when CYAC services might be expanded to satellite centres across the province have not yet been determined.
Why is it called a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre?
The CYAC model originated in the United States, where the professionals who support and assist victims are often called “Victim Advocates”. Since victim assistance is a major focus of the CYAC approach, these centres are known in the United States as “Child Advocacy Centres”. Since the CYAC model is still fairly new in Canada, the use of the word “advocacy” in this context is not as well known yet.
