Education and Life Skills

Education and life skills are an important part of the wraparound support that we provide for youth, to help them attain their goals and live the lives that they want for themselves.

Education

 Education can be a lifeline for youth because it offers them a pathway towards positive change and stability. It extends beyond the classroom walls and fosters critical thinking, nurtures creativity, and empowers individuals to make informed decisions.

Our staff help youth:

  • With applications to schools and prerequisites
  • With scholarship opportunities
  • Source electronics, books, and other school supplies
  • Receive the proper certifications, for youth who want to enter trades (including attain proper gear, like steel-toed boots and safety vest)
  • Connect youth with tutors

Tutors

Tutors help youth with schoolwork and support newcomers who wish to learn subjects such as English, or other languages. We have adult and peer-to-peer tutors (who are or have been university students).

Life Skills

Many youth who arrive at our doors lack the life skills that many of us take for granted. Our life skills coordinators help with everything from self-care to living in the community. Here are some of the life skills that are taught, either in workshops or in one-on-one sessions:

Cooking

  • We have a fully operational teaching kitchen where we help youth learn everything to do with cooking, from shopping within your budget and knife skills to preparing meals and the proper handling of food
  • We work with La Tablée des Chefs which runs the Cook Up Your Future program that offers youth the opportunity to connect with a professional chef, to learn how to make simple and seasonal meals, in a supportive environment

Budgeting

  • Youth are taught how to budget for rent and bills, and how to save to indulge in hobbies and leisure activities

Communication

  • Youth are given support to communicate their needs when dealing with services out in the community, both verbally and digitally

Renting

  • When moving out of CHV and into the community, youth are given an overview of tenant’s and landlord’s rights and responsibilities, to protect them in the competitive rental market
  • Youth are taught how to safely navigate the rental market to avoid being scammed or placed in an unsafe environment

We also work with a variety of community organizations, who play a valuable role in helping youth with educational needs, or for those who wish to learn new skills, or advance their current skillset. Some organizations include: