Passages is a truly alternative approach to education for young people ages 10-18.
We know that when they feel good, they do good. Many of our youth haven't felt "good" for much of their school life — but now that they're able to be in community with others they connect with, true learning and healing begins.
This naturally leads to curiosity and a willingness to engage in their education.
Passages is a self-directed, democratic school where young people have autonomy and choice to:
Join offerings like classes and workshops
Receive guidance through 1:1 mentoring and coaching
Follow passions and dive deep into personal interests
Join a safe community that cares for one another
Work on committees and other initiatives
Work on credit-earning classes with support through ILC or VLC
Young people don’t already need to be self-directed learners to join us.
Our 1:1 mentoring and community culture guides them.
Community
Being part of the Passages Community means joining a group of young people who want a place to come every day where they are allowed to be themselves. We operate democratically, where all decisions are discussed and agreed upon by the youth and staff at our Weekly Community Meeting.
Safety
If one doesn’t feel safe, one can’t learn. This is why we hold psychological safety a top priority at Passages. Our Community Agreements, created by the Learners at the beginning of each year and revisited every few months, guide everyone in the space.
Using our Passages Restoration Circle (PRC), peer conflicts can be resolved with peer facilitators and staff to support them.
Respect
Self-Directed Learning is all about respecting one’s interests and believing they will learn, what they need to learn, when they need it. This is a life-long attitude to embrace! There is no “behind" or “catching up.”
We respect all learners’ ability to direct their days and to create a meaningful education. Weekly one-on-one mentoring support helps guide learners towards their personal goals.
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Testimonials
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We are a Proud member of Liberated Learners and the Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO)
Ministry of Education BSID #882007