Children & Youth

Supporting Our Youth to Become the Future Leaders of Toronto

Dixon Hall’s Children & Youth department works with over 600 children and young people every year, from ages 3 to 29. Our programs are built with their voices in mind and their needs guide our work.

We believe that all children and youth deserve opportunities to learn, to grow, to be challenged, to inspire one another, to feel safe, to feel exceptional and to have an adult in their life who will support them through anything.

A group of children wearing colorful feathered masks and casual clothing are playing limbo outdoors on a sunny day. One child in the foreground is bending backward under an orange limbo bar with arms outstretched. Other children stand nearby, watching and holding hands. Some are wearing face masks. The background features a modern high-rise building, a colourful community center, and a clear blue sky.
Children & Youth Camps
A large group of children and teenagers pose together at an outdoor playground, smiling, laughing, and making playful gestures. Some are sitting on the ground, while others stand or crouch, flashing peace signs and striking fun poses. They are dressed in colorful casual clothing, with some wearing face masks. The background features trees, a splash pad with water fountains, and an urban setting with a pink building and parked cars

Our Summer and March Break Camps provide children and youth with the opportunity to develop positive social skills, discover new experiences and create good memories.

Summer Day Camp runs Monday to Friday in July and August for children ages 4 to 12.

Summer Slam Camp and March Break Camp are for youth ages 13 to 17, and focus on skills development, positive risk-taking, recreation and education through experience.

Many of our camp activities take place outside of the GTA to provide experience with new environments for youth.

To learn more about Summer Day Camp, contact:
Christine Chow, Director, Seniors and Children & Youth Services

a-white-envelope-icon-representing-email-or-messaging Christine.Chow@dixonhall.keyasital.com
Parent Engagement & Support
A young girl with curly hair is learning to ride a yellow and blue bicycle with training wheels on a tree-lined path. Her mother, dressed in a white shirt and jeans, is holding the bike and smiling, while her father, also in a white shirt and jeans, walks alongside with an encouraging expression. The setting is a peaceful park with greenery, lampposts, and soft sunlight filtering through the trees.

In partnership with seven community organizations, Growing Up Healthy Downtown (GUHD) is a program that focuses on improving the health and well-being of young children ages 0 to 6 by offering support and skills-based workshops for their parents or caregivers.

Program topics include how to prepare affordable healthy meals, positive parenting, social skills development, and more.

To learn more about this program, contact: Ronnie Thompson

a-white-envelope-icon-representing-email-or-messaging ronnie.thompson@dixonhall.keyasital.com
Sport, Recreation & Mentorship
A group of eight young basketball players and their coach pose in a gym, celebrating their 31-17 victory. They wear matching light blue jerseys, with one player holding an extra. The center player holds a large golden trophy. The coach, in a beige jacket and slippers, smiles while holding a can. The players strike celebratory poses on the wooden court with a red and black logo.

Our Mentoring for Violence Prevention (MVP) program uses sport to provide mentorship to young people and to address issues around youth violence.

Youth have the opportunity to join a team and experience the benefits of taking part in positive, productive and anti-violence activities. During practices and throughout the season, team members and their peers are encouraged to discuss real life issues and to seek help whenever they need it.

To learn more about our MVP Program and/or how to join a team, contact:
Peter Wetuvanga, Youth Worker Supervisor

a-white-envelope-icon-representing-email-or-messaging Peter.Wetuvanga@dixonhall.keyasital.com
Supporting Girls & Young Women
Two young girls smile and pose together indoors. One wears a beige coat with pink earmuffs, while the other wears a light pink jacket. They stand close with their arms around each other, with a classroom setting in the background.

Designed specifically for young women, our girls and young women’s programming offers activities that are aimed at promoting resiliency, self-care, coping skills, stress and anger management, healthy relationships, physical and mental health, healthy eating, and positive risk-taking.

One-to-one support and counseling services are also available at our Girls Only Drop-in Centre.

To learn more about this program, contact:
Christine Chow, Director, Seniors and Children & Youth Services

a-white-envelope-icon-representing-email-or-messaging Christine.Chow@dixonhall.org
Youth Leadership & Community Events
Youth leaders talking to a group of children. They are all clapping listening to the person in jeans and navy blue shirt speaking.

Our Keeping Youth Motived Committee (KYM) is made up of 12 young, aspiring future leaders who plan events for youth in the community and lead by example. All of KYM’s events are youth-led, youth-focused, and are aimed at highlighting and elevating young people in our community. They range from art-based, to sport-focused, to community beautification.

To learn more about the KYM Committee, contact:
Christine Chow, Director, Seniors and Children & Youth Services

a-white-envelope-icon-representing-email-or-messaging Christine.Chow@dixonhall.org
BLOCK Project

A new project that is supporting youth and their families, in community home and school. The program explores life skills, tailor made supports, and excursions.

Trevlyn Kennedy is the manager, her email is

a-white-envelope-icon-representing-email-or-messaging trevlyn.kennedy@dixonhall.org
Sexual Health Education – A Guide for Parents

These flyers serve as a resource for parent/caregivers seeking guidance on initiating and conducting discussions about sexual health with their teenage children. The flyers discuss the importance and benefits of these conversations and provide tips on how to navigate the conversation with recommendations of what important topics and details to include.

a-colorful-informational-poster-titled-sexual-health-education-a-guide-for-parents-provides-guidance-on-discussing-sexual-health-with-teenagers-the-poster-includes-sections-on-why-it-is-important-to-talk-about-sexual-health-how-to-have-these-conversations-and-what-topics-to-cover-such-as-gender-stis-contraception-puberty-and-consent-it-also-lists-sexual-health-clinics-with-contact-information-the-design-features-bright-yellow-blue-and-black-sections-with-icons-bullet-points-and-illustrations-to-make-the-information-engaging-the-dixon-hall-logo-is-displayed-at-the-bottom
an-educational-poster-titled-common-education-topics-for-teenagers-provides-information-on-puberty-contraception-sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-and-gender-and-orientation-each-section-is-color-coded-and-contains-bullet-points-explaining-key-facts-the-poster-highlights-lgbtq-inclusivity-safe-sex-practices-and-available-contraceptive-methods-it-also-includes-additional-resources-such-as-websites-for-further-learning-the-dixon-hall-logo-is-displayed-at-the-top-right-corner-the-design-is-engaging-with-illustrations-and-icons-related-to-the-topics

Additional Resources:

  1. Action Canada
  2. Teaching Sexual Health
  3. NSPCC
  4. Western Health Resource Kit
  5. KidsHealthHub.ca
  6. Louis Pressbook “Medical Terminology: An Interactive Approach”.
  7. Cheo
  8. Planned Parenthood
  9. Hassle-Free Clinic
  10. Booklet: Sexually Transmitted Infections
Learning to Manage Digital Plateforms in the Home

Recognizing the rapid growth of digital media and technology, we developed several resources to support families explore the impacts social media, gaming and digital consumption have on fostering healthy family experiences. These posters are designed to educate parent caregivers on the impacts of digital media on children, emphasizing their effects on children’s health and development, and the importance of safe, mindful screen use. These resources encourage parent caregivers confidently educate their children to build healthy digital habits together.

Download PDF

an-educational-poster-titled-tech-talks-with-your-children-learning-to-manage-digital-platforms-in-the-home-provides-guidance-for-parents-on-screen-time-setting-boundaries-and-online-safety-the-poster-includes-sections-on-developmental-impacts-of-excessive-screen-use-tips-for-setting-screen-time-limits-and-cybersecurity-measures-it-emphasizes-open-conversations-privacy-settings-and-monitoring-children-s-online-activities-illustrations-and-speech-bubbles-highlight-key-points-such-as-avoiding-excessive-screen-use-encouraging-breaks-and-minimizing-online-risks-the-dixon-hall-logo-is-displayed-at-the-bottom-along-with-qr-codes-and-website-links-for-additional-resources
an-informational-poster-titled-tech-talks-with-your-children-learning-to-manage-digital-platforms-in-the-home-explains-the-effects-of-screen-time-on-physical-mental-and-social-health-it-highlights-reduced-sleep-quality-obesity-risks-poor-posture-attention-span-issues-increased-irritability-and-social-skill-impairment-due-to-excessive-digital-use-the-poster-encourages-at-least-one-hour-of-physical-activity-daily-group-play-for-teamwork-and-limiting-screen-exposure-to-promote-healthier-development-engaging-illustrations-speech-bubbles-and-facts-support-key-messages-the-dixon-hall-logo-is-displayed-at-the-bottom-along-with-qr-codes-for-additional-resources

Contact

Bill Graham Youth Centre
51 Wyatt Avenue
Toronto, ON M5A 1Y7

Christine Chow, Director, Seniors and Children & Youth Services