Community Based Education

The Vancouver Board of Education currently operates six Adult Education Centres in Vancouver.  These centres provide educational opportunities to youth and adult students whose studies range from beginning literacy to secondary school completion. 

We focus on the four subjects essential in any academic program: Science, Social Studies, English and Math. All grade 10, 11 and 12 courses follow prescribed Ministry of Education curriculums.

Students can begin at any time.  These youth programs adjust to meet the individual’s learning needs. They provide encouragement and support to enhance the student’s confidence in their own abilities.

The emphasis is on providing flexible and accessible programs:

• a flexible schedule: day time, evening and weekend courses and year-round course offerings
• a variety of study options: students may choose self-paced, quarter and semester courses, computer based curriculum, and support for distance education courses
• courses are offered at skill levels (rather than grouped by age).

Who should be in these programs?

Youth who:

• Need extra help, support and encouragement
• Need to develop better school attendance
• Want to graduate from high school

How do the programs work?

• Age: Must be 16 on July 1 of the current school year.
• Start date: September
• End date: June
• Operate on a semester basis
• Primary intakes in Sept and feb
• Ongoing intake as spaces become available
• Students will be interviewed before they can start school.
• Referrals accepted from counselors, social workers, families, friends and self
• Students may be tested to be placed in the right course
• Programs include grade 10, 11 and 12 Ministry authorized courses

The Centres are:

• Downtown East: 101/105 Powell Street, Tel: 604-713-5760
• Gathering Place: 609 Helmcken Street, Tel: 604-257-3849
• Hastings: 1661 Napier Street, Tel: 604-713-5735
• Main Street: 333 Terminal Ave., 4^th Fl., Tel: 604-713-5731
• Roberts: 1666 Comox Street, Tel: 604-713-5752
• South Hill: 6010 Fraser St., Tel: 604-713-5770

Five specialized programs for youth are offered at:

• Collingwood Outreach Program: Downtown East Education Centre
• Fresh Start Junior: Hastings Education Centre
• Fresh Start Senior: Hastings Education Centre
• Gathering Place Education Centre
• Kiwassa: Downtown East Education Centre
• RAIL - through Roberts Education Centre
• South Hill Youth Program through South Hill Education Centre
  

Registration

To register, all potential students are required to meet with the instructor or a designated Youth Program Advisor.  A referral from a counsellor or administrator and completion of an English and Math assessment are required for acceptance.  Students must be 16 years of age as of July 1^st of the current school year.  Students whose educational background requires specialized assistance are not suitable for the program as support services available throughout the K-12 system are not available in Adult Education.

Collingwood Outreach Program

Collingwood Neighbourhood House

5288 Joyce Street

Phone (604) 435-0323

Monday to Thursday 9am - 3pm

This program operates at the Collingwood Neighbourhood House. The curriculum offered is self-paced and focuses on the core subject areas of science, math, social studies and English with opportunities for computer-based instruction. Students generally enter the program to complete grade 10 and continue to complete grade 11/12 requirements.

Fresh Start Junior

Britannia Teen Centre

16612 Napier Street

Phone (604) 713-5735

Monday to Thursday 9am - 3pm

Fresh Start operates at the Britannia Teen Centre. This program is for at-risk youth who have not succeeded in the regular or alternative setting due to attendance, lifestyle or family issues.

In a self-paced, closely tracked format, the student works throught the core subject areas (math, English, social studies, science) to grade 10 completion. The atmosphere stresses and works toward cooperation, respect and advancement for all in the program.

Fresh Start Senior

Portable on Britannia Grounds

Phone (604) 713-5735

Monday to Thursday 10am - 3pm

Fresh Start Senior operates in a portable behind Britannia Elementary. This program is for at-risk youth who wish to complete grade 12. It will provide a transition for students who have completed grade 10 in a regular or an alternative environment.

Students will take a combination of structured and supported self-paced courses. The goals will be to provide a positive atmosphere for learning, focus on student’s individual needs and to successfully meet requirements of grade 12 completion.

Gathering Place Education Centre

609 Helmcken Street

Phone (604) 257-3849

Monday to Thursday 10am – 8pm

Friday 10am – 5:30pm

This program is located in the Gathering Place Community Centre. The students come from the downtown community and often face a variety of barriers which may include poverty, homelessness and addiction.

Students who come to this centre should feel comfortable in an urban setting and working with a wide range of learners. Students are typically first language speakers or First nations’ students living in the downtown area. The flexible programs are specifically individualized for the learner and often included a combination of classroom and supported self-paced courses. Students are accepted on a continuous drop in basis and must register in person.

Kiwassa Education program

Kiwassa Neighbourhood House

2425 Oxford Street (at Nanaimo)

Phone (604) 254-5401 local 231

Monday to Thursday 8:45am – 3pm

This program operates at the Kiwassa Neighbourhood House. Students work at their own level in the core subject areas of science, social studies, English and math up to a grade 10 completion and then may choose to continue with grade 11 and 12 courses. An additional one-month program is offered during July.

RAIL program

Roberts Education Centre

1666 Comox Street

Phone (604) 713-5752

Monday to Friday 11:30am – 3:30pm

The Roberts Alternate Individualized Learning program is designed so that students receive individualized instruction in a classroom with a supportive teacher.

In the first semester, students will generally register for four individualized core courses at the grade 10 or 11 level. After the first semester, while continuing in the RAIL program, students may register for any combination of structured, individual modularized or online courses all leading towards secondary school completion of the 80 credit or 52 credit diplomas. Courses include core and elective grade 10/11/12 subjects.

South Hill Youth program

South Hill Education Centre

6010 Fraser Street

Phone (604) 713-5770

Monday to Thursday 10am – 7:30pm

Day, afternoon and evening sessions

The South Hill education Centre program is for students working at a grade 10 or above level and who were not successful in the regular or alternative secondary school due to attendance, lifestyle or family issues.

The program provides students who have left secondary school with opportunities for supported, individualized, self-paced learning in a structured yet flexible program. There is a strong emphasis on personal responsibility, respect and a shared “social contract” of beliefs and agreements. Courses include core grade 10/11/12 subjects and a variety of electives.

Note: Some school age students 16 and over and not in these specialized youth programs attend courses in the Adult Education Centres