The 'learning city' contains a range of non-formal learning economies. In recent years researchers have focused on, what has been termed, the non-formal arts learning sector, to document best practices, the emergence of new literacies and/or cultural practices, and to highlight interventions that support otherwise marginalised and underserved…

This paper argues that after-school programmes need to be considered an essential part of lifelong learning infrastructure, particularly in light of the dominance of the economic discourse in both lifelong learning literature and the initial schooling literature. The paper, which is based upon existing literature, begins by providing an overview…

Education plays a key role in young people's healthy development. Research conducted by the McCreary Centre Society (a British Columbia non-profit organization concerned with youth health) has shown that even the most vulnerable youth who feel connected to school are more likely to report better health and above average marks, and to engage in…

Tim Horton Children's Foundation operates camps for disadvantaged children that build their self-confidence. The newest camp, Onondaga Farms in Ontario, is also a year-round outdoor education center. Its five program streams--environmental education, creative arts, agriculture, adventure, and recreation--all have direct links to Ontario's…

Manitoba's STAY program is designed to create employment for "special needs" youth ages 16 to 24: the chronically unemployed, the handicapped, dropouts, native youth, delinquents, and single parents. The program pays participants to work in the private sector or nonprofit organizations and provides them with counseling and tutorial…

The vocational guidance program, Creating a Career, is aimed at a target population of disadvantaged youth between the ages of 15 and 25 who are unemployed or underemployed, without a high school education, preparation for an occupation, a knowledge of the world of work, an occupational goal, decision-making skills, skills to find and keep a job,…

In a Canadian program, adult volunteer mentors meet with elementary student mentees for an hour each week during school. An evaluation of five such school-based mentoring programs found that mentored students developed a more positive attitude towards school, achieved higher grades, and improved relationships with adults and peers. Mentors report…

Progress of the children involved in a Canadian day care project is reported, focusing on the day-to-day interaction of the children and any changes in their overt behavior patterns. Particular emphasis is on the adjustment of the inner-city youth to the problems produced by the cultural and economic deprivation of their environment. A brief…