Youth Programs

We help identify, build, and nurture strong networks of supportive people that youth can depend on. Building connections for youth from foster care helps them to develop healthy relationships, self-esteem and confidence, and trust in adults and social systems. Our dynamic programming increases the sense of belonging and community for young people that allows them to thrive. 

Within our Building Connections Program, we have 3 main focus areas:

Homelessness Prevention

• We provide early intervention and preventative programming to ensure youth who are marginalized and vulnerable achieve safe, long-term housing in order to be successful at school and in the workforce, increase community connections and supportive networks, and reduce future risks of re-entering the group home and shelter systems.

Education & Employment

• We empower youth through education and employment support in order to help them break the cycle of poverty and dependence on social systems. Through ongoing school and career counselling, academic tutoring, job shadowing opportunities, building résumés and interview skills, and connecting youth to alternative and interest-based education and employment programs, StepStones helps to improve the future outcomes for youth from foster care.

Belonging & Mental Health

• Our mental health programming has proven results in changing outcomes for youth by combining a full case management approach with critical one-to-one support. We employ early intervention and preventative measures aimed at reducing the onset, development, and severity of chronic disease and mental illness.

For youth transitioning out of foster care, stable housing can make the difference between pursuing education or employment and falling into crisis. To address this gap, StepStones created the Youth Housing Subsidy Portal—a secure, online system that allows young people to directly apply for housing grants. The system is fast, youth-friendly, and uses automation and AI to streamline eligibility, identity verification, and payment processing. Subsidies are paid directly to landlords, easing financial strain and helping youth stay housed. With the right tools in place, youth can build the stability needed to pursue their goals and move forward with confidence.

Young people in our program access and maintain housing through:

• A secure, youth-accessible online portal to apply for housing subsidies;
• Automated eligibility checks, ID verification, and direct payments to landlords;
• Grants covering first and last month’s rent and monthly rent top-ups for up to 12 months;
• Clear eligibility criteria ensuring support reaches youth with the greatest need;
• Collaborative partnerships across the sector to expand access and scale impact

Our engagement programming consists of workshops, recreational events, seasonal celebrations, and a unique weekly community dinner. StepStones’ weekly community dinner provides a set time and place for youth to meet with StepStones front-line staff, volunteer mentors, and other supportive individuals on a consistent basis for personalized service navigation support during full, healthy meals reflective of the diversity of youth who attend.

Engagement Programming includes:

• Diverse workshops featuring cooking skills, nutrition knowledge, arts and creative expression, health and wellness, financial literacy, and small-business development led by experts;
• Group recreational events including go-karting, bowling, and roller skating for physical fitness and peer comradery;
• Inclusive events celebrating diversity through the calendar year during Black History Month, International Women’s Day, Pride, and National Indigenous People’s Day;
• Seasonal celebrations including our Fall Harvest Feast, our Youth Holiday Dinner and Party in December, and our annual spring BBQ;
• Weekly Youth Community Dinners for youth involved in child welfare in our program, on our waiting list, and from the broader community