Allies and Partners

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In collaboration with the City of Toronto and East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club, Bridging Borders With Inmates has delivered gang prevention programming in elementary and high schools across Scarborough, Ontario. Through these initiatives, BBI has supported  over 100 youth and young people, providing education, mentorship, and early intervention focused on reducing involvement in gang-related violence and strengthening community safety.

Beyond prevention, BBI also provides targeted advocacy and support through our Gang Exit and Violence Interruption Program, which works directly with youth and young adults seeking to disengage from gang involvement. This program combines one-on-one advocacy, safety planning, mentorship, and access to community resources to support individuals as they transition away from violence. Through this work, 53 participants have successfully disengaged from gang involvement, with ongoing support focused on housing stability, education, employment pathways, and emotional well-being.

Our advocacy approach recognizes that leaving a gang often involves real safety risks and systemic barriers. BBI advocates on behalf of participants with schools, community organizations, and service providers to reduce exclusion, prevent further criminalization, and ensure young people are not pushed deeper into the justice system. This includes advocating against school suspensions and expulsions, supporting safe reintegration into educational settings, and helping participants access long-term supports that make disengagement from violence sustainable.

Since 2021, Bridging Borders With Inmates has been a committed supporter of the Ethnocultural Committee at Beaver Creek Institution, working closely with incarcerated individuals to support successful reintegration into the community. Through this work, we have assisted individuals with release planning, community connection, and access to critical supports upon return to society.

67% of the individuals we have supported are racialized clients who have secured employment and/or permanent housing as a direct result of our advocacy and support. In addition to reintegration services, BBI has assisted with multiple appeals and bail hearings involving individuals held in federal institutions, helping to strengthen release planning and legal advocacy efforts.

Our members and clients are supported across a range of institutions, including Beaver Creek Institution, Vanier Centre for Women, Warkworth Institution, Collins Bay Institution, and other federal and provincial facilities. Since 2021, Bridging Borders With Inmates has supported a total of 145 incarcerated individuals, reflecting our sustained commitment to community-based support, dignity, and successful reintegration.

In 2023, Bridging Borders With Inmates partnered with York University to deliver a seminar course for upper-year students focused on incarceration and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. The course provided students with a deeper understanding of the criminal legal system, the realities of incarceration, and the long-term effects on social outcomes.

Through this partnership, students were introduced to trauma-informed and community-based approaches to working with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. The course emphasized ethical engagement, harm reduction, and the importance of centering dignity, lived experience, and community knowledge when supporting people impacted by incarceration. 

We have also had the privilege of collaborating with post-secondary institutions including Sheridan College, Centennial College, and Humber College by hosting placement students who work directly with our clients. These students bring diverse academic backgrounds and lived experience to the work, many coming from the same neighbourhoods we serve.

By integrating students from these communities into our programs, BBI benefits from rotating lenses, fresh perspectives, and culturally grounded approaches to support. This model not only strengthens our services, but also builds capacity within the community by supporting the next generation of advocates, service providers, and leaders who are deeply connected to the realities of the people we work alongside.