stepping Stones

About Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones is a transition-focused employment program that exists to help young adults achieve independence as they encounter the challenges of entering early adulthood. We are a supportive network of caring people who journey alongside participants as they navigate personal finances, parental relationships, living arrangements and higher education. As a program of Youth Unlimited Toronto, young adults receive holistic support while being invited to consider who God is and the reality of His love for them.

Stepping Stones offers two program options for young adults:

1. Seasonal landscaping employment where they will learn skills such as laying sod, deck/fence construction and repair, and patio design, amongst others

2. A bicycle repair shop, Heartbeat Bikes, where they will learn skills such as bicycle repair and refurbishing, customer service, sales and handling monetary transactions.

Through both of these programs, participants will be provided with 30 hours of paid work each week, on the job training and experience, WHIMIS, first aid, Occupational Health and Safety certificate, and mentoring with life skills and goal setting. We will also help direct them to any other support they might need (i.e. counseling) that we ourselves are not able to provide.

 Many programs focus on working with youth under the age of 18, which can leave young adults who have aged out feeling lost and uncertain, as they navigate the transition between adolescence and adulthood on their own. The young adults on our team are living in this uncertain time, often feeling disconnected from the positive support networks they had as youth. This experience can lead to immersion in unhealthy environments, as they journey towards adulthood.

Beyond simply being an employment program, Stepping Stones aims to provide a positive support network that assists in growth towards independent living. We encourage the young adults that work with us to set goals for themselves and then provide support as they seek to reach them. Goals might include getting their driver’s license or learning how to manage their finances. Whatever the aspiration, we help them establish steps that will lead to achieving their goal. Through this process we seek to instill confidence and a sense of accomplishment, as they develop life skills and a greater awareness of their own core values and principles. 

Working with, and listening to, the young adults on our crew, we have discovered several significant areas that contribute to their success:

1. Resources to help with time management

2. A network that is both healthy and supportive

3. Mentorship that encourages positive growth

4. Immersion in a larger community

Stepping Stones helps equip the young adults working on our team with the knowledge and tools needed to nurture their positive development. They are reminded that there is a community of people, right here, who are willing to help and support them as they set and pursue their goals. In addition to the support of the Stepping Stones team, we also aim to connect our young adults with a local church where they can explore faith in the context of a caring community.