They're spelled out in a strategic plan drafted with the help of Yellowknife's Workstyle-Lifestyle Consulting.

Julie McNeice, SideDoor Youth Centre chair, says she is looking to the future. - Chris Puglia/NNSL photo

Among the more significant goals are establishment of a youth board, alcohol and drug counselling, 24-hour service, parent/teen mediation and expansion of the building to include a third floor and elevator.

Julie McNeice, who chairs SideDoor's board of directors, leadership training for youth has already begun.

Dubbed G-10, groups of 10 youth receive training every six weeks.

McNeice said she hopes 60 to 70 youth go through the program.

"We hope to bring them to a stage that they have a loyalty to SideDoor and will take a leadership role," said McNeice.

She added that integrating a professional executive director into the organization could be helpful.

"I'd like to see a professional director with a degree. One getting paid $65,000 a year rather than $39,000," she said.

That's not to suggest the current or past directors are doing a poor job, she said.

"The expectations would be different," she said.

"These guys get discouraged (when) they see others in the community doing the same things and making more."

A professional director would also not have the same emotional attachment to the job, which could be beneficial.

"One night we had kids who left a screwdriver in the door and broke into Kevin's office. Quite a bit was taken," said McNeice.

"I think that was the thing that broke Kevin's spirit."

Kevin Laframboise is the founding executive director of SideDoor. He is on a six month leave of absence. The leave is giving him time to decide if he will resign or not.

No charges were laid in the break-in, McNeice said, because the youth already had so many charges against them it would not have made a difference.