Ammavum Nanum Parent Cafe

An initiative of CanTYD’s Selvy’s Circle for young women, Ammavum Nanum seeks to foster stronger relationships between mothers and daughters. Sponsored by the Youth Challenge Fund, Ammavum Nanum provides young women with a safe platform to discuss issues unique to young females in society. Supervised by volunteer mentors, this project incorporates planning sessions and café sessions with participants discussing issues pertinent to mothers and daughters.

BAM! (Brothers, Appas & Mentors)

The BAM! program aims to forge stronger relationships between fathers and sons. BAM! provides a comfortable environment for discussions about issues relevant to young males. This generation-specific program is designed to create opportunities for young males to meet positive role models and make new friends.

Medai Konal

Medai Konal is a performance team that promotes youth expression, creativity, and originality through theatrical arts. The title Medai Konal (Crooked Stage) – is rooted in the notion that the stage, as with life, is viewed from all angles forming different perspectives. Youth participate in various forms of art including stage and film performances, dance, music, improvisation, and stand-up comedy, as well as directing and producing theatrical features.

Open Doors Program

The Open Doors Program is an after school initiative catering to the different talents of youth. This after school program includes opportunities for youth to partake in a variety of activities including drama and dance, homework help through our tutoring program, photography workshops, creative writing workshops, and many more. This program is serviced by volunteers and supervised by CanTYD staff to develop the academic and artistic skills of high school students.

Parent Council

The Parent Council consists of parents whose youth attend drop-ins at the high schools serviced by CanTYD. Hosted bi-weekly, Parent Council meetings discuss issues affecting youth as well as strategies for parents to address these issues. The long-term goal is to form a council that will run independently with the support of CanTYD staff, and to host a major Parent Forum in the coming years.

Project T.H.A.M.I.L.

Project THAMIL (Tamils Helping and Motivating to Inspire Leadership) aims to identify strengths in individuals through diverse and creative programs. The success of Project THAMIL lies in its effective incorporation of youth projects, one-on-one mentorship, and workshops. The initiatives of the program have resulted in positive outcomes including increased class attendance, safer school environments, and improved communication between parents and students. CanTYD currently hosts this program at Albert Campbell CI, Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School, R.H. King Academy, Winston Churchill CI, and Woburn CI. As CanTYD continues to grow, this program will expand into more schools in Scarborough and York region.

Recreational Drop-ins

CanTYD hosts recreational drop-ins at several high school gymnasiums after school hours throughout the year. Hosted twice a week, the drop-ins include a variety of sports and are supervised by CanTYD staff. All youth are provided with a healthy snack and drink. The drop-ins are funded by the Ministry of Health under the Health Communities Fund (HCF) promoting healthy living.

Selvy’s Circle

Selvy’s Circle is a project geared towards young women that seeks to create a positive and therapeutic environment to address their goals, concerns, and issues. Through regular seminars, discussions, workshops, and socials, participants are left with a positive experience after identifying and overcoming barriers faced by women both socially and culturally. CanTYD currently hosts this program at Albert Campbell CI, Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School, R.H. King Academy, Winston Churchill CI, and Woburn CI.

Youth Council

The CanTYD Youth Council (CYC) was formed to engage youth in developing a grassroots strategy for the organization. It is comprised of youth representing several high schools in the GTA, and serves as a vital link between youth and CanTYD to promote mutual respect, and in ensuring that the voices of youth are heard. Each member of the Youth Council serves as a CanTYD representative of their school, thereby linking CanTYD with the greater community. The aim is to engage youth in positive activities to create strong leaders in the community.

Mentorship Program

CanTYD’s new mentorship program provides youth the opportunity to connect one-on-one with a mentor through weekly, bi-weekly or monthly meet ups. The mentor and mentee who are matched based on similar interests, hobbies and relatability will partake in activities and attend events recommended by the mentorship program coordinator. Participation in the program will improve the mentees’ self-esteem, confidence and self-assurance while providing the mentor a chance to exchange knowledge and learn new skills. Contact: dela@cantyd.org for more information.

Tutoring Program

The tutoring program provided by CanTYD has been developed to help our youth succeed. We call it the CanTYD Homework Club. Our staff and our office are dedicated to providing the youth a place where they can study in a quiet and positive learning environment. We provide assistance and tutoring, high-speed internet for research, quiet space as well as space for groups to work on projects. This initiative is held on a weekly basis every Wednesday and Thursday evening.