After-school Programs
A safe space for kids to discover and build on their strengths.
Moorelands Kids offers three after-school programs for children and youth in the NIAs (Neighbourhood Improvement Areas) of Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, Humber Summit and Humbermede.
BLAST (Budding Leaders After School Teams), LED (Youth Lead Excel Demonstrate) and VITAL (Volunteers in Training as Leaders) offer youth in elementary, middle and high school the chance to build life and leadership skills in a safe, structured environment. Our programs are rooted in positive youth development to help kids build confidence and increase their sense of self-worth, develop character, and establish positive relationships with peers and adults.
More Confident
90% of participants said they felt more confident after participating in a Moorelands Kids program in 2021.
More Responsible
94% of participants said they were more responsible after participating in a Moorelands Kids program in 2021.
Made Positive Connections
87% of participants reported making positive connections with peers in their program in 2021.
Better Problem Solving
92% of participants said they improved their problem solving skills in a Moorelands Kids program in 2021.
Our after-school programs
BLAST
BLAST offers fun and educational programming for kids ages 6-12 that emphasizes cooperation, self-control, teamwork and leadership!
Available to kids at Thorncliffe Park PS, Gateway PS and Grenoble PS. All spots are subsidized.
LED
LED is a middle school leadership program offered to youth in grades 6 to 8. The program helps youth develop leadership and life skills through fun, hands-on experience.
Available to students at Valley Park Middle School, Gulf Stream Public School and Humber Summit Middle School.
VITAL
Moorelands Kids’ online/in-person hybrid VITAL program for high school students is an advanced personal leadership development program. We provide Toronto youth with vital social connections, leadership and employment skills, and the opportunity to put those skills into action.
Now looking back at Moorelands’ programs and working in the field that I do, I have an even greater appreciation for Moorelands Kids for two reasons: First, Moorelands is not a “babysitting” program. It is made up of intentional programming and compassionate staff… The second reason is that Moorelands Kids invests in the most vulnerable, communities in Toronto… We are in need of the kind of programs that Moorelands Kids provides.
Mahreen, LED alum & Moorelands Kids’ Ambassador.
Benefits of After-school Programs
After-school programs bring a wide range of benefits to kids, families and communities. After-school programs are shown to boost academic performance, promote physical health, reduce risky behaviours, and provide a safe, structured environment for kids.
- Research shows that after-school programs can improve classroom behaviour (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2010), school attendance, academic aspirations, and can reduce the likelihood that a student will drop out (Huang, Leon, La Torre, Mostafavi, 2008).
- Participation in after-school programs has been associated with reduced risky behaviours such as drug use (Investing in Our Young People, University of Chicago, 2006) and criminal behavior (UCLA National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing, 2007).
- After-school programs can play an important role in encouraging physical activity and good dietary habits. Participation in afterschool programs has been associated with positive health outcomes, including reduced obesity (Mahoney, J., Lord, H., & Carryl, 2005).
