How do we make sure that we are meeting the ever-changing needs of our students and their families at CEDA Pathways to Education? We include them in all levels of planning and decision-making processes by ensuring they holds spots on our board of directors, by including our Board and our Peer Helpers in our organizational strategic planning, and by following hiring practices that reflect the cultural diversity of the community we serve.

Over the last few years, we’ve taken our model of inclusion and mentorship a step further by hiring graduates of the CEDA Pathways program. This has proven to strengthen the successes of our program as our alumni recognize first-hand the importance of education as well as the barriers that our students face. This year we are so happy to have 6 SPSWs, 2 Peer Helper Mentors, and 8 tutors working at CEDA Pathways to Education who are graduates of the program! And, of course, let’s not forget the superstar CEDA staff who are/were parents of students in our program: Garfield, Florence, Claudette, Tracy K., and Tracy R.!

We aim to create a circle of mentorship, modelled after the Circle of Courage, that:

• Helps students find BELONGING in our program and community;
• Encourages MASTERY of our students’ skills and talents;
• Fosters student INDEPENDENCE and accountability in the community and program; and
• Supports students to show GENEROSITY and give back to their community and the program.

Thank you to the amazing CEDA Pathways graduates who make this program the success that it is (from left to right):

Peer Helper Mentors:

Tutors:

We’ll be celebrating all the successes of our alumni on November 1 with a Alumni Party at 541 Selkirk Avenue. All students who graduated from our program from 2010 to 2018 are invited to join us on that day!

https://www.facebook.com/events/173814373500619/?notif_t=plan_user_joined&notif_id=1539279580015239