Annual Report 2021

UNPRECEDENTED…an overused word from the past year to describe COVID-19 and its worldwide impact.

RESILIENT– not as frequently used but such an important way to describe the young people who came to 360°kids over the past year. RESILIENT means being able to withstand or recover from difficult conditions… It is a fitting theme for this Annual Report as we look back on the work of 360°kids over the past year, supporting vulnerable young people whose world got even more challenging but who found a way forward, despite great odds.

We saw this in our iGrad program. While there were reductions in the number of youth served overall in our programs, this was not so in our education partnership with the York Region District School Board. Despite the closure of in-person classes and the many uncertainties related to schooling, we had 54 youth enrolled in iGrad classes, 12 more than the year prior with 10 of them graduating for a total of 61 youth graduates since the program began in 2016. That’s RESILIENCE!

As an organization, we were resilient by remaining focused on helping the youth and the staff who support them, providing staff with access to a broader number of wellness resources, additional days off with pay and a temporary wage top up, thanks to the funding support of the United Way Greater Toronto and our government partners. We are grateful for the dedication of staff who adapted to new roles overnight, who provided stability to youth during times of uncertainty, who pivoted through changing information during what seemed like an interminable pandemic. Through their efforts, not one youth living in our residential facilities tested positive for COVID-19 during this fiscal year.

The pandemic has reminded us about the importance of homelessness prevention, one of our key priorities as we completed year one of our 3-year Strategic Plan. Our Youth Strategy, which has engaged over 30 service providers and young people, is helping us provide leadership in York Region on this issue of homelessness prevention. We remain focused on the other 4 Strategic Priorities – Evidence-based practices/Outcome Measurement, Invest in our People; Elevate our Brand and Organizational Sustainability.

As we think about the year ahead, we know that there will still be uncertainty about the pandemic and the lasting impact on the lives of young people, especially those who are most vulnerable. We are heartened however by the commitment of a community that came through for us in unprecedented ways over the past year, helping us surpass some of our financial goals. It is because of you that we were able to be there for the young people and for that, we are grateful. Thank You! We look forward to your continued support in the year ahead.

Clovis Grant

Chief Executive Officer

Laura Williams

Chair, Board of Directors