Teacher hopes to help Kenora Youth Hub clients finish school

The lead teacher at Kenora's Youth Wellness Hub estimates that he's so far helped 20 to 25 youths who face barriers to accessing the traditional school system to restart their education.

Jeff Richards of St. Thomas Aquinas High School became the hub's first lead teacher in February.

The hub already provided youth with a place to hang out, have a snack and access health care, social services, employment help and housing support.

The Kenora Catholic District School Board partnered with the organization to create the lead teacher role in an effort to help an estimated 500 Kenora youth who don't currently attend school, he said.

"Some of them aren't attending due to just not having a constant in their life, like they don't even know where they're sleeping at night," Richards said. "Others, they've maybe experienced some kind of bullying or just not being accepted in different facilities."

Richards applied for the job because he wanted to try and help youth from marginalized backgrounds, he said, something his own parents did when he was growing up.

"We probably had four to five young people live with us growing up that were either displaced from their homes or moved out," he said. "My parents were very caring and took care of my sister and I's our friends and some of their siblings so I thought 'Why not?'"

Richards had just five weeks to start reaching out to family services and group homes to spread the word about his services before the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to in-person education, he said.

But, he added, now that schools have reopened for the fall, things are getting busier, and students who are taking online classes through the traditional education system are popping by the hub for help too.

At least one of the youths Richards has been helping is currently living on the streets, he said.

"Maybe if he doesn't find a great spot to sleep at night, he'll come in and have a little nap to rejuvenate," he said, "and at that point we could offer him some snacks.And then we don't push the education on him, but if he's interested in doing a little bit some days and it's usually two to three times a week he's interested in opening up the booklets and trying to get a page or two done."

Richards already has one student who is on track to graduate this year, he said.

"He's interested in an apprenticeship program through construction or carpentry," he added.