The mission of the South Vancouver Learning Centre is to provide students aged 12 to 18 years in grades 8, 9, and 10, with a nurturing, supportive environment to pursue academic and social development. The SVLC is a person-centred, goal-oriented program in which students are challenged to address their personal barriers to success. It offers students an opportunity to belong to a positive peer group while striving to achieve their full academic and personal potential. The program recognizes the uniqueness of the individual and will foster greater family, community and peer connections.

The South Vancouver Learning Centre provides individualized learning plans for students who have an extended history of non-engagement in school.  These plans are designed to assist youth who would benefit from extra support in a small group setting in order to obtain academic credit. Youth are placed in full-time, modified or evening classes. The Learning Centre is an inter-agency program that works jointly with the Vancouver School Board (VSB). All groups work under the Vancouver School Board academic curriculum and have several VSB teachers teaching the core academic courses.

Our team works to identify each student’s strengths and needs in order to build academic skill, develop good work habits and encourage a positive attitude towards learning.   Our program works with the student’s entire support network (school staff, social worker, probation officer, parent/guardian, mental health worker and/or one-to-one worker etc.) to maximize each student’s potential for success.

In addition to the academic component, our program works to build on youth’s existing strengths and provide further opportunities in areas that include:

• Academic support
• Life skills
• Literacy
• Vocational skills
• Fitness and self-care
• Recreation
• Volunteering/community involvement
• Computer skills development

Transition Plans will be developed to provide transition to a senior alternative program, to a vocational program or employment.