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Ian revealed that he was once part of the OACYC for some time, but has recently forgone renewing his membership. This decision was based on more personal factors, as Ian found literature from other regulated bodies resonated with his current direction in the field of CYC.

This being said, Ian still praised the OACYC for its functions, as its platform serves CYCPs by informing them of new literature in the field of child and youth care, offers resources for professional information, and aids new CYCPs navigating the jobs available. It's important for CYCPs to keep track of the evolving regulation information regarding our field, but also the newest research, data, opportunities, and techniques that keeps our practice up-to-date.

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CALL 416-924-2100

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Congratulations, Vanessa Lackraj! Elizabeth Manson Award Recipient 2021

Vanessa Lackraj (she/her)

A Message from Our Executive Director

Hi everyone: it is my absolute honour to advise all of you that Vanessa Lackraj has been selected by SickKids Hospital as the 2021 recipient of their Elizabeth Manson Award. This award honours Vanessa’s commitment, talent, innovation, integrity, and leadership in building our R.I.T.E.S program for Black youth and families. Anyone who knows Vanessa will agree this work lives deep within her. In her new management role, we have seen Vanessa’s uncompromising and constructive advocacy for Black youth and the Black community. No one would ever doubt her courage and authenticity.

Congratulations Vanessa. I know that she would want me to include her talented team in this commendation so thank you all!! We also want to acknowledge the leadership and support from Priscilla Ofosu-Barko, our Agency‘s Director, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism.

The late Maya Angelou once said, “I love to see young women go out and grab the world by the lapels.”  Keep going Vanessa!!!!!

Heather Sproule

View What's New Archive

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Central Toronto Youth Services - Empowering youth, changing lives.

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Tweets by CTYS_Youth

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We empower youth feel better about their lives, through indivual and group counseling. We are a Toronto accredited children's mental health centre.

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An organization that supports young people in different sectors of their lives, within in the local communities of Toronto. Offering a wide range of programs to meet the needs of youth using support groups, counselling, early interventions, goal-focused treatments, and more.

This agency is up-front about their anti-oppressive practices, as they support young folks from all walks of life. The workers make it a priority that every individual feels welcome and they have equitable access to the help and resources CTYS provides.

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1. CYCPs support clients to transition back into real life after hospitalization.
2. CYCPs contribute creating safe and calm environment for clients.
3. CYCPs continue to evolve and change to better serve their clients and always try to kept up to date.
4. CYCPs apply evidence-based interventions, strength based/trauma informed practices.

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1. Ian is a day program counselor for a program called 'the new outlook day program.'
2. Through the program, Ian helps his clients learn about mental illness and strategies to help improve mental health.
3. Ian provides an environment conducive to the client's mental health, considering the therapeutic milieu.

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Ian mainly works with youth and young adults ages 14-24 who have complex needs such as mood disorders, psychosis diagnoses, or face issues for their LGBTQ+ identities.

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Worked in schools, supporting students who were struggling in school or classroom, residential settings, camp experiences like outside of the cities. Exploring different 'fun environments'. All of those experiences in different environments helped him to gain various skills that can be applied to other settings.

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Ian Pereira, our group's interviewee, described the Day Program as part of CTYS's New Outlook directive. It is a small support group made up of (typically 8-10) young people aged 14 up to 24, led by a CYCP. The main focus is to help young folks work through their mental wellness and challenges while also managing their continued learning in school.

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Young people come into the Day Program with either goals of their own or they develop goals with the help of the group and CYCP Ian. The group program itself functions as a way for these students to receive both peer support and professional guidance in pursuing academic credits and meeting mental health recovery goals.
It serves to keep young people from falling behind in school while receiving mental health treatment in a patient-lead support group, as well as 1-on-1 time-in connections with a CYCP. The group nature of this program allows for all members to get involved, share positive strategies, and to have supportive and encouraging peers to work through mental wellness.

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Ian commented how CTYS is "one of the higher paying ones," estimating a 62-64K annual salary. He suggests that wages for CYCPs need to increase because of inflation. When Ian worked at CAMH and with hospitals, he stated that his pay was around $35 an hour, which is pretty good, all things considered. Ian also reassured us that school boards typically pay CYC jobs well enough. An interesting note: CYCPs usually take on additional or multiple jobs, finding other sources of income to supplement livelihood. Lastly, Ian stated that "more education gives you more opportunities to make money," which rings true for almost any profession.

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1. From a young person, his own queerness, realized he needed more information, as he did not fit into his environment in a specific way.
2. Internal and personal battles, allowed him to explore who he was, with few resources as he could not access resources the same as now.
3. In college he reflected on what he was good at, and what characteristics could transferred to a career.
4. He wanted to be a paramedic and started studying for this path but the heavy duty nature made him consider teaching or support work.
5. He came across a child and youth counselor description, and it resonated with him, as it aligned with his personal experiences.
He focused on lgbtq+ at George Brown College as it aligned with his resources, and was supported by that community.

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Qualifications for Getting into the Field

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Qualifications for Getting into the Field

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The simple answer is a degree that is related to the field. Diplomas, some experience and degree is what all organizations are moving towards too. Volunteering is good to have as well and are always helpful when hiring for CYC jobs.

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Some trends, as found by Ian, are that the youth are now beginning to understand their own mental health. Not only understand it but are more knowledgeable about it. They can express themselves more in individual activities. He did talk about the fact that although young people are getting more comfortable bringing their knowledge and expressing themselves in individual settings, but this is different in larger groups. Youth are supporting themselves more and more in a variety of areas, and that independence with regard to mental wellness is an interesting trend.

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A Glance into the Past: CTYS 10 Years Ago!

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A Glance into the Past: CTYS 10 Years Ago!

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Oh, how far they've come!

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New Outlook is a collection of programs offered at CTYS that aims to provide extra support for mental wellness, case management, and psychiatric help. From 1-on-1 counselling to family interventions, New Outlook's services and programs covers "Social Recreation Programs/Groups", the "Youth Hostel Outreach Program", "CSI: Community Support and Intervention", "CSP: Community Support Program", "EI: Early Intervention", and the "Day Program", which we will cover more extensively.

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When COVID-19 first happened, their agency went online.  Ian designed an online program, got creative with an instagram account that was just for the program.  Zoom wasn’t around yet at that time. They were connecting with the young folks, tried to make a schedule with some times that the folks could jump in.  They checked-in, explored resources with technology. The agency eventually caught-up and connected with these resources and started to align with some of the legalities they had to overcome. After a few years, they returned to the office and worked back and forth between office and home. Finally, they came to the decision that Wednesdays are half-days.  They had school in the morning and sent students home early.  They did programming online and had online meeting in the afternoon.  Everyone stayed home and Wednesdays were reframed as a wellness day.  Ian agrees that the combination of in-person and online is a trend now.

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Benefits and challenges of the CYC field

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Benefits and challenges of the CYC field

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Ian indicated the first benefit is the in-person connecting and support that they do.  There are creative opportunities to connect the young folks, providing some wellness for them in really interesting ways.  It can be the standard “couch and desk” way but also working on a mural together and having a chat.  We can make it so creative and this is something he enjoy.

Ian also enjoys being part of movements that happen in the field and he thinks it is very important to advocate for folks in the field.  Most of those who are contending with their wellness usually have a lot going on in their life and he wants to make sure that aligns with the infrastructures around us that exist.  These are opportunities that we have to really make sense of somebody’s world and where the government is falling behind on, like the lack of funding.  Ian likes being on the advocacy part and likes to fight back a little bit and have things to say.

Ian mentioned challenges of the field include the lack of funding that comes through.  He also does not enjoy CYCP is not being a regulated field which creates barriers for us as a body of CYCPS and the politics.

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CTYS's community counseling program offers support to youth ages 12-17 and their families through outreach, individual counseling, family counseling, and group work. Counselings are office/community based, depending on the client's needs.

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CTYS’s Youth Justice Programs support young people serving a youth order and matters before the Youth Court. CTYS offers various programs to help clients successfully reintegration into society.

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CTYS runs various groups to provide a safe space to connect and discuss with people with the same interests or issues. Groups are Connect 2 Chill, RITES for African_Canadian Youth, Yo! Yoga, Transeptance, Families in
TRANSition(FIT)-2022, Boyboy

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Vision Restored is a blog where young people share their work, such as writing, photographs, drawing, and painting, to connect with the outside world and voice their thoughts.

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CTYS offers both individual and family counselling for young queer folk facing oppression, and dealing with issues of discrimination, relationships, mental health, trauma, and abuse, all while affirming their individuality and expression of identity. Programs to support LGBTQ2SIA+ youth include "Yo! Yoga", "TRANSceptance", "FIT: Families in TRANSition" and "Boyoboy."

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Been in this position for 14 years, finished college at George Brown, a professor networked for him, connecting him to a program part-time job. Worked at St. Joe’s hospital, and did other part time jobs. He taught at colleges. Got an opportunity to work with CAMH (Canadian Association of Mental Health). During COVID, he went back to university: started a Bachelor of Social Work. It had opened more opportunities for him to explore.