Routes Youth Centre allows youth in the Dundas and Hamilton area to come together and participate in non-structured and structured programming.
Join us for a round of Mario Party during drop-in time, learn something new during workshop, join us for our day trips, come chat with staff or check out our gym on Friday nights! There is something for everyone at Routes.
Vision, Mission & Values
Our Vision
That youth in Dundas find fulfilling and productive routes for their lives and living, within a healthy and supportive community.
Our Mission
Routes is dedicated to providing a welcoming space for learning, growing, building relationships, having fun and supporting youth aged 8-19 to experience fulfilling routes through life.
To elaborate, the mission of Routes Youth Centre (Routes) is to provide a safer place for Dundas and area youth, aged 8-19, to gather and to provide programs in a caring social environment conducive to building healthy relationships. In fulfilling its mission, Routes provides free drop-in services and informal programs focused on supporting youth mental health, healthy lifestyles and personal growth. Routes provides programs that encourage volunteerism, community engagement, employment skills and youth leadership. Routes staff and volunteers encourage the personal development of young persons, through the engagement of youth themselves, their families and other community supports. Routes contributes to a healthy and supportive community by sharing our expertise, advocating for youth needs and participating in broader community initiatives.
Our Values
Routes offers a supportive space for youth ages 8-19 to freely express themselves and celebrate their unique and valuable worth as members of the community. Routes strives to ensure, both in program design and delivery, that youth, staff, volunteers, and community supporters feel welcomed, valued, accepted and that their human rights are upheld. Recognizing youth culture as a dynamic and ever-changing phenomenon, we are committed to ensuring that youth’s voices are heard and that they play a role in how Routes exists as part of their community. Routes celebrates the unique experiences and stories of every youth and encourages them to follow their own route to a fulfilling life journey through various programming opportunities, community partnerships, social advocacy efforts.
- Accessibility: Routes is committed to providing low-barrier access to a safer, supportive space for youth to build community, recognizing we all come to Routes with different stories and needs.
- Advocacy: Routes engages with youth, community members, and community partners to influence systemic change for the betterment of our community’s future.
- Respect: Routes embraces the unique identities and experiences of each youth, recognizing and celebrating their personal backgrounds, beliefs, and values.
- Collaboration: Routes values its ongoing collaboration with youth, volunteers, and community members. Routes works to ensure that youth voices are heard and valued and supports youth-led initiatives. Volunteers and community members play a vital role in the functioning of Routes. Routes strives to build quality working relationships that celebrate the unique skills, resources, and talents of our volunteers to make Routes Youth Centre a place where youth can thrive.
- Integrity: Routes values its position as a trusted professional community service provider. Accountability, transparency and thoughtful analysis are paramount in all that we do.
