Photo courtesy Trails Youth Initiatives.

Using the outdoors to equip vulnerable youth
Trails Youth Initiatives' Leaders in Training

Trails Youth Initiatives’ mission is to challenge and equip vulnerable youth from the inner city of Toronto to become contributing members of their communities. Their unique program provides each young person with four-year part-time programming that offers opportunities to learn and grow in a safe environment, to gain high school credits while cultivating life skills, build self-confidence and self-respect, using the outdoors as a vehicle for change. Since 1992, Trails has proactively helped numerous inner city youth to be contributing members of their communities. Students earn 3.5 high school credits with 85% class average achieved.

Grant funds would be used to: conduct quantitative research and evaluate the impact of the program on pre-, post- and nonparticipants; strategically expand their reach to new partners and more communities; create promotional and marketing materials; and, engage a professional to create a communications plan. Trails will use these activities to set the groundwork for expansion of their program in 2010 and 2011.

More Information
Learn more about the Vital Toronto Fund's Vital Ideas granting program ››