WHAT DO WE DO?

What does Pathfinder Youth Centre Society do?

The Pathfinder Youth Centre Society is one of the leading non-profit organizations in Vancouver's Lower Mainland dedicated to helping youth at risk acquire life and employment skills. Our programs help youth with barriers transition back to the work environment or from school into the work environment by training and mentoring them.

Since 2003 Pathfinder has received funding from the Government of Canada's "Youth Employment Strategy" for its programs that have given more than 279 youth the tools to find the path to their future.

HISTORY

Pathfinder began its services in Surrey in 2003 with a mentorship program for youth under the sponsorship of Human Resources Development Canada. Pathfinder's mentorship programs target youth, who are homeless, unemployed, in the care of social services or in trouble with the judicial system. The key to Pathfinder's success is its programs that focus on life and employment training and mentorship which are crucial for youth at risk.

The Surrey-based program was expanded in 2004 to provide services to youth throughout the Lower Mainland. Pathfinder has the capacity to deliver youth mentorship programs to 60-90 participants per year. At the completion of the program, most participants find full or part time employment and/or return to school.

To date approximately 464 youths have completed one of our programs

MISSION, VISION and VALUES

Mission Statement

To promote opportunities for young adults and families, by guiding them along the pathways of education, life skills, employment training and recreation; mentoring one young adult at a time.

Vision

To build a national network of youth centres, dedicated to cultural diversity and the well-being of all youth and their families.

Values

- We believe families and youth are society's greatest potential resource.

- We believe in developing personal relationships with families and youth based on mutual trust and respect

- We believe life skills and employment training are the foundation of a self-sufficient and independant life.