Pathways Voices

Neha graduated from Pathways Kitchener in 2019. She is a fourth-year student in the University of Waterloo’s Accounting and Finance program and recently completed a co-op working for Business Development Bank of Canada’s Thrive Venture Fund and Lab for Women.

Neha’s journey in youth engagement started with busy Tuesday evenings in Grade 9. Basketball practice at school meant that she had to miss some of the Pathways Kitchener events that took place on the same evening. “I told one of the Pathways staff members that I had some feedback,” Neha recalls. “They really listened to me.”

Neha shared ideas to improve programming, like using new social media platforms to reach students. Her feedback was so valuable that she was invited to join the local Youth Advisory Committee and work on a youth engagement framework. “We went through months of talking about what a good, accessible program would look like,” Neha recalls. “For example, how can programs consider students’ scheduling and access to transportation? Then, the recommendations we made were implemented to improve the Pathways Program and other services offered to youth in the community.”

That same year, Neha was accepted to the University of Waterloo. That opened many new doors, like sitting on the 100 Women in Finance steering committee and working with a local foundation to help them involve youth in their grant decision-making process. Now, Neha is working with the university’s social entrepreneurship incubator to turn her youth engagement experience into a consultancy. She was recently granted the Youth Council Entrepreneurship award by the City of Kitchener. It’s a long way from giving feedback to Pathways about her busy Tuesday evenings, but the vision is the same. “There’s so much value in listening to young people and their experiences,” Neha shares. “More and more organizations are realizing it, and I’m excited to do my part in encouraging that shift.”

Mars graduated from Pathways Winnipeg in 2018 after joining the program in Grade 8. She now works at the same Pathways location she attended and plans to pursue further post-secondary education in Social Work. Outside of work, Mars volunteers as a Pathways Alumni Ambassador and plays the big drum in an Indigenous women’s drumming group.

In her spare time, Mars plays the big drum at pow-wows, weddings, and other community events. For her, it’s a profound way to engage with her Indigenous heritage. She explains that colonization has left limited ways for youth to learn about their culture and history while growing up. In her case, a challenging situation at home meant that traditions were not passed on through family. That’s why culturally competent programs like Pathways were important to Mars. “I learned a lot about my own culture at Pathways,” Mars explains. “The program incorporated Indigenous culture, like the Seven Teachings: love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility, and truth.”

The inclusion of Indigenous knowledge into the Pathways Program helped Mars go through high school in a context that valued her culture, and the knowledge and histories associated with it. It also gave her a place to talk about her lived experience. “We talked about heavier topics like bullying, discrimination, racism, and mental health,” Mars shares. “I grew up around all of this, so I wanted to talk about it; I was interested in it. Pathways welcomed that.”

Finally, the commitment to inclusion at the heart of Pathways Winnipeg’s work made it easier for Mars to access the short-term supports she needed, like food and transportation. “Asking for help can feel like a struggle for students in low-income communities,” Mars explains. “But at Pathways, I met caring and loving Indigenous people who could help. It felt safe to check in and hang out, have a meal, or do homework.”

With the help of these supports, Mars graduated from high school and has recently returned to Pathways Winnipeg as a staff member. In this role, she provides students with key supports in a context that values their heritage. What’s even more exciting, she explains, is that this program location is adapting to the many young newcomers who have joined since she was a student herself. “The students I work with really want to appreciate both Indigenous culture and other newcomer cultures,” Mars shares. “I’m so happy they brought that up—I want to celebrate every student in the program!”