We Believe in Youth
Cornerstone Youth Centre first opened its doors in 1994, and is a grassroots, non-profit, non-denominational charitable organization, designed to teach life skills and develop therapeutic relationships to best inspire and prepare youth for a successful life outside of our centre. Everything we do is intended to "fill the tool-belts" of youth, so they may have the resources to handle life's tricky situations before they are forced to deal with them. Prevention is our game.
Cornerstone operates with a small cohort of youth. Youth who are a part of the cohort meet weekly with a mentor to discuss their short and long term goals. Within these meetings, the youth and mentor talk about supports, resources, barriers, as well as successes in the goal setting process. Whenever a goal is achieved, we celebrate the youth's successes with gifts or experiences.
Four times a week, Cornerstone also designs and implements programs used to teach the youth life skills. The programs are based upon the 40 Developmental Assets, with a focus on a particular asset for 2 weeks at a time. We tailor the programs to the cohort, in that we focus on their skills, preferences, and abilities.
Preparing youth
for a brighter future.
Programs
We offer free research-based preventative programs. Programming runs each day from 4:30 to 5:30 pm (2:30 to 3:30 pm during the summer). Designed by our Youth Workers to meet the developmental asset needs indicated by the youth who attend our centres, our programs have a different theme each day and it is optional for youth to participate or not.
Our programs come in the form of crafts, activities, presentations, discussions and guest speakers with every program having a facilitated debrief afterwards to discuss the intended outcomes.
Methodology
Every four months, our registered youth complete an intensive professional survey through The SEARCH Institute designed to both highlight the youth's current needs as well as the effectiveness of our program facilitation. These survey results guide our daily programs and, as a result, we change our focus areas every four months.
Designed to act as preventative measures to build resiliency, our programming better equips youth to resolve current issues and make healthy choices once outside the centre.
Get Involved!
Do you have something you’d like to share with our youth? Let us know! As part of our informal programming, we invite outside agencies or individuals to present, perform, teach, or engage our youth in a wide range of topics.
Our Partners
Skip the Depot
One Day is Not Enough
Cornerstone recognizes that one day to commemorate the victims and survivors of Canada’s colonial past is not enough. Ultimately, for truth and reconciliation to prevail in Canada, our efforts must be a daily commitment. At Cornerstone, we take up this challenge wholeheartedly, and support in taking action for forging a national identity wherein reconciliation is centered.
Donate a Car Canada accepts Vehicle Donations for Cornerstone Youth Centre. Free towing is provided in most areas across Canada, or you can drop off your vehicle to maximize your donation. When you donate your car, truck, RV, boat, or motorcycle to Cornerstone Youth Centre through Donate A Car Canada, it will either be recycled or sold at auction (depending on its condition, age and location). Donate a Car Canada will look after all the details to make it easy for Cornerstone Youth Centre to benefit. After completing your vehicle donation, our charity will send you a tax receipt and put your gift to good use. Click here to donate your car now!