Impact in Action
Community-led impact
across Pathways locations
Building Stronger Support Networks
for Youth in Longueuil
At Pathways Longueuil, building strong partnerships has been essential to supporting students’ social and emotional well-being. First opened online during the pandemic, Pathways Longueuil quickly adapted to a decentralized, in-person model, connecting with students across five local high schools. As many youth struggled with academic setbacks and rising anxiety after returning to school, the Longueuil team focused on strengthening the support network around them.
One of the most impactful strategies has been partnering with local outreach centers and youth-serving organizations to offer students access to a wider circle of caring adults. Mentoring activities are hosted within the community, and program staff often accompany students to build rapport with additional counsellors and social workers. This co-ordinated approach helps youth feel supported beyond the classroom, especially those dealing with learning difficulties or challenges forming social connections.
Through these partnerships, Pathways Longueuil ensures that students have multiple touchpoints for social-emotional support.
Kitchener Students Turn Ideas into Impact
To help youth realize their agency in creating positive community change, Pathways Kitchener is amplifying experiential opportunities that build advocacy and leadership skills.
For example, in partnership with the Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab, Pathways students had the opportunity to pitch solutions to local social challenges. Youth recently competed with over 100 youth from other local organizations for a chance to turn their idea into reality. One winning idea came from a group of Pathways Kitchener students to introduce recently immigrated families to new channels of success. With the funding, the group developed a program to connect newcomer youth with opportunities in the trades. This experience helped students deepen their leadership and advocacy skills, empowering them to take an active role in shaping their own communities.
The team at Pathways Kitchener also provides additional in-house volunteer opportunities for youth to gain transferable skills and inspire civic engagement. For example, the team offers peer tutoring opportunities that partner Grade 9 students with Grade 12 mentors, helping to further the sense of belonging in program spaces.
Honouring Tradition and Student Voice at Pathways Winnipeg
The beginning of a new year at Pathways Winnipeg opened with a Pipe Ceremony led by Elder Lionel Houston, inviting youth to smudge and participate in a communal prayer and set positive intentions for students’ wellbeing. The inclusion of this practice is significant to strengthen ties to traditional ways of knowing and being for the large Indigenous student population at Pathways Winnipeg, as well as supporting cross-cultural understanding for youth of all backgrounds. Students were invited to ask questions and learn about the importance of smudging and Indigenous medicines, building a sense of community.
With the program off to a strong beginning, the Pathways Winnipeg team also planned a series of events shaped by student voices. During program orientation, youth gave input on rules of conduct and expectations, building a shared sense of accountability and respect within the space. Students were also provided backpacks, school supplies, and bus tickets at orientation, ensuring they had all the resources they needed for a successful new year.
Pathways Spryfield Students Explore Identity and Respect
At Pathways Spryfield, a new mentoring initiative is helping young men build emotional intelligence and healthy relationships. Developed in response to concerns about consent and conflict resolution, the weekly Mancave group provides a supportive space for male students to explore identity, gender norms, and social pressures.
The group meets at lunchtime to remove barriers to participation. Sessions begin with snacks and evolve into open conversations where students examine societal messages about traditional masculinity. Discussions also cover topics like healthy relationships, consent, and how to navigate rejection or conflict in respectful ways. Activities are designed to encourage critical thinking and help students shape a healthier, more compassionate view of themselves and others.
Interest in the group continues to grow, with students expressing a desire to meet more frequently and continue into the summer. The program has also strengthened broader engagement with Pathways, inspiring other youth to join after seeing the group in action.
Youth-informed Anti-Racism Education
at Pathways Hamilton
Staff at Pathways Hamilton formed an Anti-Racism Committee to develop youth-friendly educational materials on issues related to racism, anti-racism, racial justice, and racial unity, made possible through the Hamilton Community Foundations’ BIPOC Literacy through History grant.
Over the span of the project, the committee hosted many educational spaces, both in-person and online, and created opportunities for youth to engage in discussion and learn from current racial justice research.
To ensure that materials were tailored and relevant to the needs of youth, the team also developed a Youth Anti-Racism Committee, comprised of Pathways Hamilton students interested in providing their peers with the language and tools needed to contribute to social change. Based on what they learned during the sessions, Pathways youth developed the topics and content for the series of educational materials. Check out this video created by Pathways students and alumni as part of the initiative.
