VCFS EMPOWERING YOUTH THROUGHOUT 2022/2023

Celebrating 25 years of operations, VCFS is more than happy to announce that we will be supporting Pathways to Education Kingston during the 2022-2023 year!

Pathways to Education is a non-profit organization in the Kingston area that commits to empowering youth to succeed in work, life, and school. The organization provides Kingston youth with tools, community-based programs, and meaningful relationships to help them be their best. Helping students graduate highschool, pursue higher education and work apprenticeships, and find meaningful employment are just a few of the outcomes that Pathways to Education strives to help Kingston students achieve.

Established in 2010, Pathways to Education started out with a goal to bring highschool graduation rates from half the provincial average to on or above the provincial average. However, the organization strived to build better opportunities for Kingston youth and recognized the struggle youth faced transitioning from highschool to post-secondary. This lead to the expansion of a pilot program reaching beyond the organization’s initial mission, as they began to help students navigate highschool graduation and facilitate further opportunities for Kingston youth that they previously could not access.

The broader Pathways Canada Model began in 2001 in the Regent Park neighborhood of Toronto. During its establishment, the dropout rate for youth in this area was beyond 50%, or approximately one in five students continuing on to pursue post-secondary endeavors. Recognizing the challenges and various barriers that prevented youth from going onto further education, the Regent Park Community Health Center and local schools worked together alongside other community partners to develop a holistic approach to the program with their outlined four pillars - Tutoring, Mentoring, Financial Support, Advocacy. Pathways to Education has expanded into 27 Canadian cities since their original Regent Park location, namely Ottawa, Hamilton, Halifax, Winnipeg, and Kingston.

Last year, VCFS supported the Kingston Interval House (KIH) and was happy to announce a grand total of $72,000 raised for the organization. We hope you can join us this year to support our fundraising efforts to raise money for Pathways to Education Kingston and supporting local youth in their pursuit of achieving success in work, life, and school.

Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved with VCFS and Pathways to Education! For more information on the charity we have partnered with, check out https://kchc.ca/pathways-to-education-kingston/ for more information.