Pathways to Education

Submitted by jsuart on Tue, 2011-09-27 16:32

Pathways to Education is a community-based program designed to give disadvantaged youth the educational support they need to succeed in school. The result is reduced drop-out rates and increased enrolment in post-secondary education programs. Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC) launched the innovative program together with Pathways to Education Canada in September 2010 aimed at families who live in the inner North End and Rideau Heights communities. More than 100 grade nine and ten students have been enrolled.  

Pathways to Education students attend tutoring two nights per week and group mentoring activities twice per month. They receive financial support in order to attend school in the form of bus tickets and lunch vouchers. Each student is assigned a Student Parent Support Worker who helps guide the student through the daily challenges of high school life.  Participating students will continue to receive academic and one-on-one counselling support throughout high school. In grades 11 and 12, students will also take part in educational exploration and career planning activities to ensure they reach their career goals.  Each student is eligible to receive a $1000 scholarship for each year they are in the program to put toward the cost of their post-secondary education.

Pathways to Education is a true community partnership. The Community Foundation of Kingston & Area has provided significant financial support. Empire Life has been a generous sponsor of the program. The Limestone District School Board, the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board and the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario are helping to facilitate the program in schools. The Boys and Girls Club and St. Matthews United Church have provided programming space. Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College have created scholarship and bursary programs to support the program. The program has more than 50 volunteers.

In Pathways to Education communities across Canada, the program has reduced high school dropout rates by more than 70% and increased the number of youth going on to college or university by more than 300%.