Impact Stories

UNITED for kids and youth in need – School’s Out and Future Leaders brings kids and youth together for success

When 12-year-old Claire first joined her United Way BC School’s Out program, she was very timid, but making friends has made a world of difference.

“I used to be really shy. I still am a bit shy sometimes, but my social skills have gotten a lot better, and I’m emotionally stronger than I was when I first started,” Claire says. She is referring to United Way BC’s School’s Out program at her elementary school.

This is her second year taking part and it’s made a vital difference in her life. Claire’s Grandma, Rhonda, says she’s seen a “big time” change in her granddaughter. “[She] had a lot of fears…They’ve given her confidence.”

Access challenges

Gaining confidence is just one of the many benefits of School’s Out programming, which is offered in underserved communities and areas with a lack of accessible and affordable community support and services. Through School’s Out, school-aged children have safe spaces where they can get the mental wellness and developmental support they need between 3 to 6 pm.

Healthy, safe, educational activities for children in Grades 1 through 7 are critical to their emotional and social well-being, academic success, and physical health. However, it’s often kids who need out-of-school programs the most, who can’t access them.

After-school and summer programs are a luxury that many families in BC simply can’t afford. That’s because 1 in 6 BC kids live in poverty – that’s almost 150,000 children in our province.

Connecting for success

Along with educational support and homework assistance, School’s Out programming includes mentoring, social and emotional support, and help for at-risk kids develop basic life skills.

“A big part of our program is connecting with positive and safe influences,” says Ally, Youth Outreach Worker with Capilano Community Services and School’s Out leader. “It gives them that opportunity that they might not have had as well due to financial barriers.”

Like many other School’s Out program offered across BC this one is free, so kids get to experience things they might not have been able to, which sparks new ideas and behaviours.

“In a world that’s lived so virtually…programs like [School’s Out] are really important because [youth] can see…what that energy is like to be around rather than living through a screen. So, someone like Claire looking at Lucky can look up and be ‘Oh, I see how he is, I want to be like that, and I want to take those opportunities’,” says Nick Avery, Executive Director at Capilano Community Services Society, which offers both School’s Out programming and United Way BC’s Future Leaders program.

Empowering youth

Future Leader and role model Lucky (left) with School’s Out participants

Sixteen-year-old Lucky is a former School’s Out participant and now in United Way BC’s Future Leaders, which provides youth ages 15-29 with practical work experience and the skills necessary for future employment.

Youth like Lucky grow leadership skills, develop social networks and gain a deep sense of accomplishment – the building blocks of increased confidence to help them create their own path to success as adults. Lucky and his peers meet bi-weekly to plan and organize activities for the upcoming week. Along with leadership skills, he’s become more organized not only in school, but in life and in giving back as positive role models.

On the benefits of School’s Out, Lucky says, “After school, I was really bored most of the time, and I know some people who go out and make those bad decisions when they’re given that free time, but coming here has just helped me keep myself busy, keep myself occupied. l get to hang out with my friends outside of school, we do fun activities, we go places. It’s very enjoyable.”