A Milestone Season: Celebrating Our First Spring Break Programs!

At Thrive Youth, our mission is to provide high-quality, year-round opportunities for youth in under-served communities. This spring, we reached a major milestone by launching our very first Spring Break programs. From Toronto’s Regent Park to East Vancouver, we spent a week witnessing the power of creativity, leadership, and connection.

Toronto: Learn, Create, Explore in Regent Park

This program was made possible by supporters Northbridge Insurance, BNP Paribas, the Bradstreet Family Foundation, the COMART Foundation, the Janice Lewis and Mitchell Cohen Family Foundation, the Johansen Larsen Foundation, and the Ontario Arts Council and the Government of Ontario.

March Break in the heart of Regent Park was bustling as we hosted a week-long intensive for kids ages 9 to 13 at the Daniels Spectrum focused on eco-sustainability and community connectedness!

The week began with LEAF leading an urban forest exploration, which inspired campers to upcycle materials into innovative "eco-designs" like bug hotels and street-cleaning robots. The momentum continued as campers explored hands-on, thoughtful mosaic tile crafting led by Clay With Me, and a high-energy introduction to the first dance of Hip Hop culture, Breaking, with Bryce Taylor at Citadel + Compagnie Dance Studio, where our campers practiced the art of perseverance.

Midweek, artist Kelcy Timmons Chan led an interactive "art crawl" through Regent Park, exploring murals and public art that sparked discussions on identity and community building. This inspiration was immediately put to use as Kelcy guided the campers in creating their own mural designs using stencils and tape-resist techniques. Another major highlight was our pilot workshop with Fashion Takes Action, where campers explored "fast fashion" through the 7 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Repair, Resell, Rent and Recycle ) and repurposed old clothes into intricate, functional accessories.

While these activities provided the framework, the true impact lived in the personal breakthroughs we witnessed:

• Inclusivity: The group naturally adapted their communication to support a peer who struggled at first with being in a new group, helping her feel safe enough to share her creative interests through written notes.

• Overcoming Perfectionism: On the very first day, a camper moved past the fear of "making mistakes" by embracing how art can adapt and change as you create it.

• Confidence: A quiet participant was uplifted by her peers and found the bravery to advocate for herself and engage confidently in group "Show and Share" moments.

• Community: A tight-knit group of friends demonstrated exceptional growth by opening their circle to newcomers, turning a room of individuals into a supportive community.

We concluded the week with urban gardening and nature drawing with Green Thumbs Toronto at Allan Gardens. At their final showcase, the campers proudly shared their journey and artwork with their families, proving how much confidence and connection can be built in just five days!

Special thanks to Green Thumbs Toronto for generously providing space for the camp plus a fantastic workshop, YSM Double Take Thrift Store for donating materials for the campers to upcycle, and to photographer Adrien Cross of Slumbering Tiger Creative for capturing the week’s magic.

Vancouver: Youth Lead Impact at Windermere

This program was made possible by our National Lead Supporter for YLI, RBC, and delivered in partnership with the Vancouver School Board. 

In East Vancouver, our Youth Lead Impact (YLI) cohort transformed Windermere Secondary School into a professional studio. This crew of tenacious high schoolers stepped into the roles of project managers and social advocates to answer one central question: "How do you wish to shape your community?" 

Working with artists Saghi Ehteshamzadeh and Sarah Thompson, the youth were given the autonomy to define their own path within the curriculum, exploring themes of environmental justice, inclusion, and food insecurity. They combined 2D and 3D collaging with public speaking to create a unified "Art Activation"—a collective project that showcases their ideas as one powerful voice.

The week was defined by transformative moments:

• Resilience: One student moved past creative doubt to build an intricate 3D structure that became a fantastic centerpiece of the project.

• Voice: A student who faced significant barriers to verbal communication built the confidence to research, write, and deliver a poignant speech aloud.

• Constructive Support: The group moved away from individual competition to focus on collective growth. During rehearsals, peers held space for one another, using a "Glow and Grow" feedback model to highlight what each speaker did well while offering thoughtful suggestions for improvement.

By the final day, every participant stood tall to deliver their vision for a better world to an audience of parents and staff. Videographer Freya Maude supported our team in capturing these moments to share broadly, ensuring these young changemakers reach a wider audience. The journey continues as the group coordinates with local libraries to exhibit their 3D collages city-wide. Stay tuned for their video, coming soon!

The Path Ahead

These Spring Break programs represent a vital step forward for Thrive Youth. By bridging the gap between school semesters, we are providing a consistent, safe, and empowering environment where youth can discover their roles as advocates for their communities and the planet through their own creativity, ideas, and voices.

We can’t wait to see what the summer brings!