Investing in Youth

United Way's community investment strategy is continually evolving to meet the needs of our stakeholders. Through numerous consultations with youth, educators, civil servants, and community members, United Way has developed a strategic plan to focus resources on preventative programming for youth to yield a measurable impact.

Why Youth?

Successful youth become assets to their community. There is significant data that demonstrates the need for greater investment in our youth:

• One in six children live in poverty in Niagara;
• Only 70.6% of youth graduate from high school; and,      
• Only 33% of youth completing high school continue to post –secondary education.

The Research

Studies have found that children engaged in extra-curricular activities experience academic benefits beyond their less-active counterparts. Furthermore, after-school hours have been identified as a critical time for youth. That time can represent either an opportunity to learn and grow through quality after-school programs or a time of risky behaviour.

After-School Programs

United Way's after-school programs bring a safe, supportive environment to stressed neighbourhoods. Serving youth ages 10 to 15 years, programming includes homework assistance and access to computers as well as opportunities to participate in physical activity and recreation, arts, science, and community service. Moreover, it is an opportunity to experience new ideas, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and have fun.

Neighbourhoods

There are families and neighbourhoods within our community plagued by an array of
socio-economic challenges including poverty, unemployment, and vandalism. United Way's
after-school programs will bring a network of services to the neighbourhoods that need it most.

• Manchester Avenue Family Community, hosted by The RAFT
  
  
  
• Thorold After-School Program, hosted by The RAFT
  
  
• Beamsville After-School Program, hosted by The RAFT
  

Partnerships
As a community builder, United Way has leveraged the support of community partners to bring after-school programs to stressed neighbourhoods, including Niagara Regional Housing, The RAFT, Big Brothers Big Sisters St. Catharines Thorold & District, Department of Physical Education & Kinesiology ( Brock University), Lyndesfarne Theatre Projects, St. Catharines Regional Child Care Centre, Women’s Resource Centre, YMCA of Niagara, YWCA Niagara Region

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." -Franklin Delano Roosevelt, thirty-second President of the United States