Braeburn Neighbourhood Place

The initiative runs "Lunch and Learn," a peer tutoring and mentorship program where youth connect twice a week over the lunch break at West Humber Collegiate.

To date, 232 students have been supported with homework and exam preparation by older students who build positive relationships with them. 66 students have been hired part-time as peer tutors to date. Many participants are newcomers or first-generation Canadians, so the program includes further supports for reintegration into the community.

The initiative has also developed partnerships with community agencies such as Pathways, MicroSkills and Rexdale Women's Centre, who visit the program to run workshops on goal setting and career planning. The initiative has been so effective at engaging youth and building their skill sets that 10 participants are now leading a mentorship/tutoring program at a local junior middle school.

Participants have reported feeling more confident and less anxious about school-related tasks. Many have improved their grades and all say they have a better understanding of their work. Tutors are building leadership and mentorship skills, and both tutors and participants are benefitting from interactions with youth in different grades.