Building resilience, one kid at a time.

The first indicators of a student’s risk of disengagement are the history of suspensions and other disciplinary measures. Traditional school suspensions are counter-productive and increase the risk of repetition, leading to dropping out.

Alternative Suspension, offered at the Hamilton site, is a dropout prevention program designed to counter these risk factors. The primary objective of the program, initially developed by The YMCAs of Québec in Montreal, is to offer young people the opportunity to transform this time of suspension into a positive experience, so that they can reintegrate harmoniously into school. The program fosters personal development and autonomy through insertion into an environment conducive to personal enhancement and the acquisition of tools enabling young people to cope with the various difficulties experienced in their school career.