Championing Youth, Community, and Philanthropy in Kingston Founding Youth Diversion: A Vision for Change
Judi Beaman and George Thomson
Former judge George Thomson’s legacy in Kingston is deeply intertwined with his founding of Youth Diversion 50 years ago. (See previous post) The program has transformed the way young people are supported in the justice system. Reflecting on its origins, Judge Thomson recalls, “I was worried about how labelling young persons as “juvenile delinquents” could become a self-fulfilling prophesy”. He felt the artificial court process was often a barrier that prevented creative and more effective ways of responding to the behaviour that brought youth before the court.
“I was a believer in restorative justice principles,” he explains. “If you could help a young person be part of a process through which they better understood the impact of what they had done, how it had harmed the victim, and then there was a focus on practical ways of undoing that harm, there was a much better chance of finding a successful response” Judge Thomson also says he benefitted from trying this approach here in Kingston: “Kingston has always had a committed community of people who want to help at-risk children and families. Including them more directly in finding the right response when the court became involved seemed a better way forward.”
He is equally excited about how far Youth Diversion has expanded its role beyond the committee he established and is now much more focused on prevention and addressing the challenges that youth and families face that increase the likelihood of court involvement. “ I may have been part of planting the seed at the beginning but the real pleasure lies in seeing how much the program has grown and flourished over the past 50 years”
Philanthropy: Giving Back to Kingston
Philanthropy is a family value for Thomson and his wife, former judge Judith Beaman, both of whom have served Kingston as judges. “When my wife and I started thinking about what we could do philanthropically, we felt that supporting the kind of innovation and creativity in this community that assisted us in our work here made a lot of sense”.
The Community Foundation: A Perfect Fit
For the Thomson-Beamans, the Community Foundation for Kingston and Area is the ideal partner. “We’ve established a fund at the Community Foundation, and people like Shawn Quigley, Youth Diversion’s Executive Director and others are part of a committee to decide how that fund will be used,” Judge Thomson notes. He appreciates the Foundation’s collaborative approach, which aligns with his belief in community-driven solutions: “Enabling those who understand today’s challenges and can identify creative responses feels like the best way to support children and families.”
George Thomson’s vision, shared with Judi Beaman, continues to shape Kingston’s future, one that values restorative justice, community engagement, and philanthropy that empowers local voices.