How EarlyON Helped Lizzie and Sawyer Grow Together When Lizzie first became a parent during the COVID-19 pandemic, much of her world became smaller. Most days were spent at home, navigating motherhood while trying to meet the needs of her son Sawyer, who is non-verbal and autistic. Like many parents, she wanted the best for her child, but finding support, resources, and connections wasn't always easy. Then she found [...]
It Starts with a Simple Moment There’s a moment that happens in Youth Action that’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. A young person walks into a room. Maybe it’s their first time. Maybe they don’t know anyone. There’s that pause… that quiet question: Do I belong here? And then something shifts. Someone waves them over. A group makes space. A simple [...]
The Town of Pelham is partnering with the YMCA of Niagara’s Niagara Centre YMCA in Welland to allow the Pelham Penguins competitive swim team to continue for the 2026 season while the Town’s outdoor pool is temporarily closed for renovations. Through this partnership, Pelham families will continue to have access to training and competitive swimming opportunities during the renovation period.
The YMCA of Niagara announces the launch of the YMCA Youth Education Supports Program (YESP), part of a $9.4M national investment to help youth stay engaged in school, build skills, and pursue post-secondary education.
Listening, Leading, and Inspiring: Jéda’s Story A Vision for Change When you meet Jéda Anderson, it doesn’t take long to feel the power of her resilience, creativity, and commitment to change. At just 17, she has already achieved what many spend a lifetime aspiring to—a lasting impact on her community. From her early advocacy efforts as a member of her school’s Student Equity [...]
How Gambling is Being Driven by Influencers By YMCA of Toronto Influencing: Another Way to Advertise As social media continues to grow in popularity there are increasing opportunities for new forms of advertising on these platforms. Social media advertising is nothing new and many companies are using these platforms to specifically advertise to young audiences. It has been estimated that today’s youth are exposed to as many [...]
Healthy Boundaries Around Gaming and Gambling By YMCA of Toronto Youth Gambling Although they may not be of legal age to enter a casino, youth may be already engaging in gambling behaviour to some degree, even from a young age — whether that’s making a bet with a rare Pokémon card or playing a claw machine game to win a prize. Gambling at any age has risks [...]
Dispelling myths around youth gambling Explore a few common myths and facts related to youth gambling. By YMCA Toronto When it comes to gambling, there are many misconceptions — and perhaps the biggest one is that youth don’t (or can’t) gamble. That’s because we often associate gambling with playing poker or blackjack in a casino. But gambling takes many different forms. In fact, 68 per cent of Ontario [...]
Gaming and gambling: What's the difference? By YMCA of Toronto Video games often have elements of gambling, and there are blurred lines between games of skill and games of chance. It’s important to understand the definition of gambling, how the lines are blurred and the signs of a potential problem. The YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program (YGAP) defines gambling as “risking something of value when you don’t [...]
