WELCOME TO THE CHEERS PROGRAM!
Our goal is to get you excited about your future and create multiple opportunities for your connection, your learning and growth. Ultimately CHEERS is about creating hope that ensures your excellence and ultimate success. We hope that you can find your own unique ways to collaborate with us and other program participants to create opportunities and bigger dreams for yourself.
Program Background and Mission
CHEERS is a BMO Financial Group community-based Mentorship program, sponsored by Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre. We provide youth in and from the child welfare system (care) with comprehensive wraparound support services as they transition from care to independence. This in turn results in more choices in adult lives including access to higher education, increased earning potential and systemic independence.
CHEERS was created in acknowledgement and recognition of the many challenges youth in care experience when making the transition to independence. What makes CHEERS unique is making this experience easier through a one-on-one Mentor in addition to other supports such as community building, ongoing training opportunities, collaboration with other services to provide further help with the transition to independence, and access to health and wellness services at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre.
CHEERS provides these supports in hopes to facilitate growth in educational attainment, enhance existing life and social skills, and extend personal social support systems.
CHEERS was created in acknowledgement and recognition of the many challenges youth in care experience when making the transition to independence. What makes CHEERS unique is making this experience easier through a one-on-one Mentor in addition to other supports such as community building, ongoing training opportunities, collaboration with other services to provide further help with the transition to independence, and access to health and wellness services at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre.
CHEERS provides these supports in hopes to facilitate growth in educational attainment, enhance existing life and social skills, and extend personal social support systems.
Overview
Developed in partnership with Children’s Aid Foundation with a multi-year grant made possible by donors such as BMO Financial Group, and sponsored by Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre.
Guided by an advisory committee consisting of various stakeholders and community members to provide input to the development and implementation of CHEERS
Designed to provide mentees with a plan for transitioning out of care, as well as to give space for mentees to develop a sense of self in their personal development
Designed to ensure Mentors are recruited from an application and interview process and are offered several training sessions before the matches with mentees occur
Mentors and mentees will make contact via phone/text/email and meet once a month in the
Community, as well as attend events hosted by CHEERS
Mentors also will have the opportunity to be matched with Community Mentors from the community.
Guided by an advisory committee consisting of various stakeholders and community members to provide input to the development and implementation of CHEERS
Designed to provide mentees with a plan for transitioning out of care, as well as to give space for mentees to develop a sense of self in their personal development
Designed to ensure Mentors are recruited from an application and interview process and are offered several training sessions before the matches with mentees occur
Mentors and mentees will make contact via phone/text/email and meet once a month in the
Community, as well as attend events hosted by CHEERS
Mentors also will have the opportunity to be matched with Community Mentors from the community.
What We Know about Youth in Care.
- 1 out of 182 children in Ontario is involved with the child welfare system
- Over 60% of homeless youth have been in the child welfare system
- Youth in care are often report feelings of social isolation as they lack a space to connect and learn from other youth in care
- Youth in care continuously report being underprepared and lacking support for independence and post-secondary education
- Approx. 40% of youth in the child welfare system manage to graduate from high school
CHEERS Values
- A community where youth are supported to support other youth in care
- An effective support system that promotes permanent relationships with positive peers and mentors
- Consistent support and encouragement for youth to pursue education and increase earning potential
- To increase in the capacity of youth to transition from care successfully
- Collaborate and convene community support services to develop a comprehensive transition plan