The new executive director of Huron House Boys' Home will be tasked with helping the organization transition to serve all youth in the future -- not just boys.
Don Adam who has held the position for the past nine years, and worked with youth for 43 years, is retiring and will be replaced by Brett Gatt on December 6.
Operating Board President Bert Phills said four people were interviewed, but Gatt stood out.
"He seemed to just be a step above," said Phills. "In his answers he always seemed to put kids first, he has the education and he particularly has the background and experience in the area. So, that really made him an ideal candidate."
Gatt served as the clinical director of Stratford Children Service for the last ten years. The organization supports live-in residential youth and transitional service for adult foster care.
He has a Master of Business Administration [MBA] from Royal Roads University, a Bachelor of Arts [BA] degree from the University of Western Ontario, and has completed certificate programs in Play Therapy, Applied Counselling and Not-for-Profit Management.
Gatt is also trained in nonviolent crisis intervention and he coaches hockey, participates in parent/teacher councils and is involved in fundraising activities in his spare time.
Huron House provides a safe, structured, live-in treatment environment for adolescent boys.
"One of the things we are looking at is how to best serve the community and right now we are the Huron House Boys' Home and we're trying to transition towards a gender neutral type of home," said Phills.
He said the shift won't be easy.
"We have to take a look at the infrastructure and that's going to have to change in the boys home as well."
Phills said they'll be relying on community partnerships to pull it off.
"Don has started that. So, Don is going to be with us until December 24 and he will be part of that transition in getting him [Gatt] up to speed in all the things that we're doing here as well."
Phills said the organization, on Lakeshore Road in Bright's Grove, is currently caring for about nine boys.
"I've been on the board more than ten years now and funding has always been an issue. However, the one thing we do have, and continue to have, is the support of the community and working with the community, building those partnerships within the community is how we've been able to survive to this date," he said.
Huron House Boys Home in Bright's Grove. (BlackburnNews file photo by Rob Jenkins)