In Grade 6, getting along with teachers was a real challenge for her. She was often sent out of class and spent a lot of time in the office. Often, she’d sit in the hallway on her own, watching magic videos on her phone.

YEP trained her and a group of her classmates in teaching skills. Then they performed magic tricks for seniors in their community, and showed them how to do the tricks themselves. A year later, she said:

“This program helped me let go of all my negative energy. I’ve been more positive instead of being negative.”

For some children, school just doesn’t work. They fall behind, act out, and start to believe they have nothing to offer. Most programs are done to and for these students, not by them.

55%of the Grade 5 students we work with start out rated “Needs improvement” on their report cards.

“There’s a bunch of kids for whom school does not work. The structure is all wrong for their needs and learning styles. YEP is hooking those kids who do not see themselves as fitting in at school.”

• ✓Children in Grades 5 to 8 become the teachers, for adults and seniors in their own neighbourhood.
• ✓It’s a real leadership role, often their first.
• ✓Students who struggle in class get to show their strengths, and their teachers see them too.
• ✓Teaching builds patience, communication, and respect, skills that carry back into the classroom.

“We were shy and we were nervous, and we weren’t sure if we would succeed… it made us realize what we are capable of doing. Thanks to you, we now call ourselves teachers.”

It shows up in the classroom, too.

• 57%

  fewer classroom removals

• 61%

  more homework handed in

• 72%

  rise in positive feelings toward their teachers

“I felt that this program really helped with their self-esteem. I really wanted them to have an opportunity to see themselves as having gifts and strengths, and this program allowed for that to flourish.”

“I took a computer course at the library with 15 other adults and one instructor. Most of us didn’t speak English, and we all spoke different languages. We also had different levels of computer skills: some people learned fast, and some learned a lot slower. One time I had a question, and I waited 20 minutes for the instructor to get to me, because he had to help so many other people. At YEP, I have my own tutor, and so does everyone else. Whoever needs it gets a tutor who speaks their language. It’s so much easier to understand, and so much easier to learn this way. The tutors at YEP may be young, but they really know what they’re talking about.”

Many adults come to us after spending a long time trying to learn the skills they need every day, like English or using a computer, and struggling in traditional classes.

22%of adults drop out of government-funded language classes

Source: Government of Canada, Evaluation of the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program (at least 22%)

• ✓They get the attention they need, without waiting.
• ✓They learn what they actually need, as quickly as possible.
• ✓Often in their own language, from a young person they trust.

In a study, two groups of 12 adults learned the same lesson. In the traditional classroom, one instructor taught all 12. In the YEP classroom, each adult had their own youth tutor. Here’s how long it took for everyone to learn it:

Many adults, especially newcomers, are juggling so much: jobs, child care, and responsibilities at home. So it’s not only how fast they learn that matters, but when they can learn. Most government-funded classes run on weekdays, during the day, and for many adults that just doesn’t work.

YEP programs run outside traditional hours too: during the day, in the evenings, and on weekends, so adults can learn when it works for them.

“Other classes were always during the day, when I had to look after my kids, and I couldn’t pay for daycare. With YEP, I can come in the evening or on the weekend. For people like me, that makes all the difference.”

Source: Government of Canada, Evaluation of the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program (class schedules).

What adults learn at YEP lasts. It helps them become more independent, builds the connections that ease loneliness, helps newcomers settle into their communities, and improves their overall quality of life.

• 77%signed up for more education or community programsNew friends, new networks, and less isolation. For many newcomer adults, YEP is their first step toward settling into their new community.
• 30 minless help needed from their children or spouse each weekMore independence, and less pressure on their kids to translate.
• 98%learned a practical skill they now use regularly in daily lifeNot just in class: skills they keep using long after.

“I used to wait outside in the cold for the streetcar, sometimes for a long time, not knowing when it would come. My tutor showed me how to check the schedule with an app on my phone. I’m so happy. It makes my life so much easier. I use it every day to get to work.”

“Where I live, people see young people as the problem. We’re always the ones being helped, never the ones helping. At YEP, I’m the one teaching, and the adults in my neighbourhood see me differently now.”

In many under-resourced communities, young people are seen as a problem, not a solution. They receive services, but are rarely given the chance to provide them.

At the same time, adults and seniors who don’t speak English or French well can feel shut out of everyday life for years, even with young people right next door who speak their language and know the neighbourhood.

But every community already has what it needs: young people with skills, and adults and seniors who want to learn.

50+languages spoken by the people we serve, from 40+ countries.

We create opportunities for young people to provide services, teaching the adults and seniors in their own communities. It’s a low-cost solution that unlocks what’s already there.

And it’s flexible: tailored to each community, and to each person in it. People learn what they want to learn.

• ✓In communities with many immigrants, English as a second language makes a big difference.
• ✓At seniors’ centres, seniors learn technology, and how to avoid financial scams.
• ✓When children are the tutors, those with low confidence get a chance to build it.
• ✓When youth are the tutors, they practice real leadership skills, build meaningful connections, and come to care about their community.

Through our National Youth Leaders Program, we train young people to create programs for their own communities, with a grant and coaching.

• 249

  youth leaders trained

• 113

  youth-led programs and events

• 3,250

  people reached

• 18

  cities across Canada

By unlocking the skills and goodwill that already exist in a community, YEP makes the whole community stronger, and the value keeps growing.