A new type of bus service has come to 91原创, but it has nothing to do with transit.

Instead, the City has accepted an invitation to climb aboard Project Reach Out.

Joined by local project co-ordinator Amanda Repetowski, Project Reach Out executive director Jerome Bouvier spoke at a recent City council meeting about the Port Coquitlam-based youth outreach program which recently expanded to 91原创.

The multi-service, mobile youth drop-in centre is conducted out of a brightly painted bus which travels the streets a couple of nights each week.

During the eight years it鈥檚 been operating in Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Belcarra and Anmore, the bus has become a familiar and welcome sight on the streets of those communities, he said.

Often, as the unmistakable vehicle approaches, kids will come flooding out into the street, said Bouvier. Other times, workers will get a phone call asking them to come to a particular spot.

鈥淲e meet youth where they are, on their terms. We meet them where, when and how they need us.鈥�

That might be providing clothing, food or hygiene products, sexual health information or referral for addiction treatment.

Sometimes it鈥檚 as simple as providing a bus pass or a slice of pizza as a reward for positive behaviour.

The bus is staffed by a minimum of four people, including three adults joined by youth mentors, practicum students and volunteers, he explained.

Each night, it is stocked with hot chocolate and cider, hoodies, shoes, bus passes and anything else they might find a need for along the way.

Aimed at 12 to 18-year olds, Project Reach Out is about creating relationships first, and addressing issues second, Bouvier told council.

鈥淲e use the label 鈥榓t-risk鈥� loosely. All youth are at risk of something.鈥�

Their targets are street-involved youth, including those that are harder to reach, as well as some of the community鈥檚 most vulnerable youth 鈥� those who are transient, marginalized, isolated and disconnected, he said.

鈥淲e have never and will never turn any youth away,鈥� said Bouvier.

Already, Bouvier is noticing the kids he鈥檚 encountering in 91原创 鈥渁re a little more rough around the edges than we see in the Tri-Cities.

鈥淏ut you look past all that,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e still kids, dealing with the same things.

鈥淭hey want respect and (they want) help, when they want it.鈥�

Not surprisingly, social media is playing a big role in Project Reach Out鈥檚 attempts to connect with teens.

They have a Facebook page and will often get messages from area youth.

鈥淭hey鈥檒l text us and ask 鈥楥an you come here?鈥�

鈥淲e also tweet several times a night about what鈥檚 going on.

鈥淢ostly, those are followed by adults,鈥� said Bouvier.

The Project Reach Out bus has already hit the streets of 91原创, and Bouvier estimated there are about 60 kids in the community who he expects can benefit from the outreach program, which will be out and about on Friday and Saturday nights.

鈥淚鈥檓 stunned,鈥� said Councillor Teri James. 鈥淗ow did we get so lucky to be selected?鈥�

鈥淵ou have a guardian angel,鈥� replied Bouvier, saying 鈥渁 friend in the community鈥� had provided a substantial sum of money to get the project off the ground in 91原创.

But part of what brings Bouvier to 91原创 City is his own personal connection to the community, he told council.

For many years, his mother worked as a cashier at the 7-Eleven store, just a block away from City Hall.

The stories she told him about the troubled area resonated with him, and when Bouvier found himself in a position to help, he naturally thought of 91原创.

Rotary Club of 91原创 Central has helped with some fundraising as well, said Bouvier, and already, almost enough money has been raised to fund a full year pilot project, he told council.

Bouvier estimates it will cost a minimum of $100,000 to $120,000 to operate the bus for 12 months in 91原创.

鈥淲hen you look at the grand scheme of things, that鈥檚 one (police) officer, or an executive director of a large agency,鈥� he said.

But one year is not what he鈥檚 shooting for 鈥� he鈥檇 like to see long-term funding for the project secured.

鈥淲e need to be innovative and creative. Prevention is huge

. . .  a one-year program doesn鈥檛 do it. We need consistent support.鈥�

That involves more than money, he added.

Among the donations Bouvier hopes to garner are munchies 鈥� apples and oranges 鈥� to hand out, jugs of water for the cooler on the bus and an auto shop that can serve as a 鈥榩it crew鈥� for the vehicle.

鈥淭here鈥檚 one out here (in Port Coquitlam) that does our oil changes and only charges us for the oil.鈥�

Bouvier closed his presentation to council with a rap song about Project Reach Out, written and performed by a young man who has been helped by the program.

鈥淭he whole philosophy is so much more than what I expected,鈥� said Councillor Rosemary Wallace. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 thank you enough.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 a little choked up. I think the kids have a guardian angel in you,鈥� said Councillor Gayle Martin. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e made me very emotional. There are no boundaries with you.鈥�

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 work without the front line officers,鈥� Bouvier replied. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about working together.

Mayor Peter Fassbender invited Bouvier and Repetowski to come back to council in three months or six months to update them and fill them in on any challenges they may be facing in the City.

鈥淎t times we marginalize kids by putting them in a box. They don鈥檛 live in a box, they live in our community,鈥� said Fassbender.

鈥淪uffice to say, we鈥檙e on board.鈥�

Anyone in the community who would like to help Project Reach Out get rolling in 91原创 is asked to call Bouvier at 604-525-1888.

The number for the Project Reach Out bus is 604-781-6671