Open Doors Program
The Open Doors Program is an after-school initiative designed to cater to the different talents and needs of youth. This after-school program includes opportunities for youth to partake in a variety of activities including drama and dance, homework aid through our tutoring program, photography and creative writing workshops and much more. This program is serviced by volunteers and supervised by CanTYD staff. This program strives to provide students with an environment conducive to the academic and artistic pursuits of high school students
Basketball Drop In
CanTYD introduced an initiative to assist youth in developing their skills in basketball while providing a space for like-minded youth to build relationships with each other and outreach workers.
Parent Council
The Parent Council consists of parents whose youth attend drop-ins at the high schools serviced by CanTYD. Hosted monthly, Parent Council meetings discuss many issues that youth are affected by as well as strategies to assist parents’ to effectively and address these concerns with their children.
Project Empowerment
Project Empowerment targets youth who are involved with the criminal justice system or have difficulty identifying their strengths and potential. Partnered with Operation Springboard, Project Empowerment provides an outlet for at-risk youth to give back to their community and acquire beneficial skills. This program provides one-on-one support to encourage open dialogue between youth and outreach workers as a means of pursuing healthy and sustainable resolutions and working relationships. Project Empowerment works collaboratively with school boards to provide assistance to Tamil Youth that need additional support. This includes ensuring they are equipped to graduate, able to make healthy life decisions, and contribute to meaningful growth and development.
Project T.H.A.M.I.L.
Project THAMIL (Tamils Helping and Motivating to Inspire Leadership) aims to identify strengths in youth through diverse and creative programs. The success of Project THAMIL lies in its effective incorporation of youth projects, one-on-one mentorship and collaborative workshops. The initiatives of this program have resulted in positive outcomes including increased class attendance, safer school environments and improved communication between parents and students.
Youth Council
The CanTYD Youth Council (CYC) was formed to engage youth in contributing to a strategic initiative that strives to link youth in the community with CanTYD. Youth representing various high schools in the GTA, connect with CanTYD to promote mutual respect between youth and community leaders, and to ensure that the voices of youth in the community are heard.
Each member of the Youth Council serves as a CanTYD representative at their school, thereby linking CanTYD with the greater community. The aim of this initiative is to engage youth in extracurricular activities of a positive and empowering nature, promoting youth leadership.
Lunchroom Drop-In
CanTYD has partnered with different schools in the GTA within the Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board to have our outreach workers attend schools during lunchtime hours to provide a space for Tamil youth within the schools to: build meaningful relationships, discuss issues that exist in their communities, liaise with CanTYD outreach workers who can refer them to programs and services at CanTYD. Currently, we are collaborating with the following schools in Scarborough: Lester B. Pearson Collegiate Institute, Jean Vanier Catholic High School, Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute, Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute, and R.H King Academy.
Post-Secondary Transition Program
CanTYD’s Post-Secondary Transition Program helps our youth gain the necessary skills and knowledge required when pursuing post-secondary education. It is designed to tackle topics that are not typically taught in an academic institution, but are necessary to prepare youth for a successful postsecondary transition. Topics include: applying to university, OSAP application processes, time management skills to name a few.
