CICS provides programs and activities for immigrant children and youth in both Toronto and York Region.
For services in York Region, please click here.
Below are programs in Toronto:
Featured Programs
IYC Instagram (@immigrantyouthcentre)
Toronto Youth Team provides a variety of programs and services to youth ages 6-29 in the Toronto area at no cost. From Homework Clubs, March Break Camps to Drop-In Basketball games, the Toronto Youth Team ensures youth success in various areas. Programs and services that are provided by our youth team include academic development, creating social connections, building resilience, improving job readiness, and promoting mental and physical health.
Academic & Language Support
Academic work can be challenging for many. This is especially the case for newcomer youth and children, who are new to Canada and need that extra support to understand academic work. That is why we provide academic support for younger children and youth from elementary school to high school. Free programs such as the Homework Club will assist youth to become academically successful. As a part of academics, we also offer free services to help guide youth towards their desired academic pathways. This includes, but is not limited to programs and direct services involving university applications, exploring post-secondary options, and getting support on applying to post-secondary public funding such as OSAP.
Community Connection Events
Want to connect with your community more? Learn about Toronto's culture? Forming healthy connections with your local community is important because it helps you to feel more comfortable with your surroundings and helps you make more friends and connections with others. We offer many programs and opportunities for youth to explore and connect. This includes hosting social events, game nights, and field trips to certain areas around the GTA! One of our goals is to help newcomers feel more safe, comfortable and adapt to the new home and community.
Social & Recreational Programs
What better to do than to have fun and relax? School and life can be stressful. So, we also offer programs that help relieve the stress and promote enjoyment when the youth have free time. The Toronto Youth Team offers a variety of recreational programs such as Drop-In Basketball, doing crafts, cooking programs, and lots more! We aim to help youth find something that they enjoy and further enhance it by programming it in our facilities. Youth can also take the opportunity to make new friends, and learn new skills when taking part in our recreational and social programs.
Mental Wellness
Mental Health is something that everyone should pay attention. No matter your age, gender or whether you have a mental health disorder or not, learning about how to take care of your mental health is crucial for your overall health. We provide mental wellness programs to allow you to learn about how to deal with stress, anxiety, sadness and many more.
Life Skills Training
Learning beyond books! To make your mark in the world, you need to know how to apply what you know well. Topics include: intercultural communication, team-building, conflict resolution, problem-solving, cultural sensitivity, etc. We provide these workshops at various locations and at different times. We welcome invitation to bring our services to school and other community organization.
Leadership Training
Our leadership training takes youth deeper into life skills training. This interactive training focuses on youth being the leaders in their own lives and in the communities they belong to. The content of the training is based on strengths, passion and confidence building.
Community Involvement & Volunteering
Everyone has the power to make a positive difference. If you're interested in discovering yourself more, learning more and getting more involved in the community, do get in touch with us! Our rigorous volunteering programs will give participants valuable feedback so that you may continue to grow. Let's talk about what you're interested in. We're eager to match you with opportunities that will enrich your experience and at the same time build and sharpen your skills.
Pre-employment Training
Our pre-employment programs aim to equip new immigrant youth with the on-demand job-search skills and employment information needed to make informed decisions on educational and career choices.
Youth Mentorship
As a community, we promote the idea of helping each other out when in times of need. At our Toronto Youth Team, not only do we offer 1:1 service from our Youth Workers, but we also help youth connect with their peers to access support. We offer peer youth mentorship services, where we have youth mentors helping out with any needs required by newcomer youth. This includes providing 1:1 academic support, emotional support, and building healthy community connections through a variety of activities. Please feel free to reach out if you require a youth mentor to help out or if you want to become a mentor yourself to gain some meaningful volunteer hours.
March Break & Summer Day Camps
Camp! Camp! Camp! Every year during March Break and Summer Break, we have a variety of camp programs aimed at helping our children and youth remain active, learn more about themselves, each other and the world around them in an exciting and fun atmosphere.
Parental Support
CICS works in partnership with many community organizations in providing support to parents and care-givers who play a significant role in children's lives. We will arrange group discussions, panels and workshops in which professionals, parents and guardians can share their experiences, provide support and empower each other to face life challenges and understand contemporary issues.
Contact Information
General Inquiries: infoiyc@cicscanada.com