Number of Workshops
Number of Students Reached
Number of participants
Data representing last fiscal year, April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026
Our Educational Outreach program takes a preventative approach to youth homelessness, by breaking down stereotypes around this important social issue, and building knowledge and empathy within the local community. The program’s interactive workshops are available for all ages throughout the Greater Toronto Area and are delivered at schools, colleges, community groups, and corporate partners. The program breaks down common stereotypes and myths around homelessness, and introduces participants to the realities of life as a homeless young person, and all the struggles that entail. While building knowledge, tolerance, and empathy, the program also teaches participants about the resources in their community that can assist in preventing and responding to family emergencies.
Explore More Ways to Get Involved
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Time4Change: Use art as a powerful advocacy tool to spark conversations and inspire change in your community.
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Teacher Resources: Access downloadable educational materials and activities to bring youth homelessness education into the classroom.
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Fundraising Initiatives: Explore tools and resources to organize third-party fundraisers in support of youth.
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Student Volunteering: Discover opportunities for students to give back and help support their peers.
Contact our Educational Outreach Manager
416.748.0110 ext. 39 | education@yws.on.ca
CALLING ALL TEACHERS!
Spark Change in the Classroom with Time4Change Activity Sheets!
As champions of knowledge and compassion, we invite you to join us in an important mission to educate students about the realities of youth homelessness. Our Time4Change activity sheets are designed to foster understanding, and empathy, and to break down stereotypes surrounding this critical issue.
For more information on how you can engage your classroom please contact our Contact the Educational Outreach Manager: 416.748.0110 ext. 39 | education@yws.on.ca or CLICK HERE to book a workshop!
Thank you for your commitment to education and making a difference.
The impact of the YWS Education Program on my students is undeniable. The engaging presentation draws students in with eye-opening statistics, combined with a natural and relaxed conversation of youth homelessness myths and stigmas. It ends with a clear direction on how they can affect the issues caused from it. Our school has been involved with YWS over the last decade and continues to value our amazing partnership which provides our youth with the opportunity to not only learn about an important issue in their very own community, but also to be proactive in promoting a further understanding while engaging in valuable volunteer opportunities. Quite simply, the YWS Education Program teaches and instills empathy in students and motivates them to take action today and in the future.
I believe that it is very important for students to learn about homelessness in their community to support their understanding of local social responsibility and to encourage the development of empathy….Youth Without Shelter representatives presented to 6 classes from Grades 4 to 8. The response from my staff was very positive. They indicated the workshop was educational, interesting, age appropriate, curriculum relevant, engaging and fun. Both my staff and I would recommend the presentation to our colleagues.
Students not only learned the various causes that can lead to youth homelessness and how easy it is for individuals much like themselves to end up on the street, but were also educated about what can be done to help prevent it, and what can be done to help those individuals who find themselves in this situation.
One thing I learned from the workshop is that just because you are homeless it doesn’t mean you don’t have values and don’t want to finish school. I have friends who could use Youth Without Shelter.
