After-school Programs
Offering a safe virtual space for kids to discover and build on their strengths.
Traditionally, 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.
Due to the ongoing pandemic and social restrictions, Moorelands Kids continues to offer the same great experiences — now online! Click here to learn more about our virtual programs.
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
Online BLAST
BLAST offers fun and educational programming for kids ages 6-12 that emphasizes cooperation, self-control, teamwork and leadership!
BLAST is offered 3 times a week, with online meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and an activity video every Wednesday on our YouTube channel.
Online 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.
LED runs once a week as an online meeting, every Wednesday at 4 pm.
Online VITAL
VITAL is a high school program designed to help youth master the skills and character qualities they need to become leaders in their community. They gain valuable experience and volunteer hours.
VITAL runs once a week as an online meeting, either on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 4 pm.
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).
