Steps to join us
Finding the right learning environment for a young person is an important decision.
Families find Passages for all kinds of reasons. For some, school has become a place of stress, anxiety or disconnection, and they are looking for somewhere their child can feel safe, rebuild confidence and find their way back to learning.
Other families come because they are looking for a different way of thinking about education altogether. They want their child to have more say in their own life, time to figure out who they are and what they care about, and space for friends, interests, work, rest and all the other things that make up a life.
And for many families, it's a bit of both.
At Passages, we don't see life and learning as separate things. Young people are learning all the time: through their interests, relationships, mistakes, questions, responsibilities, experiences and the things they choose to pursue. They don't need to put life on hold in order to get an education.
The best way to know if Passages might be right for your family is to learn about how we work and see the community for yourself.
Passages is a place to be experienced!
Attend an Information Session
Our virtual information sessions are a great first step.
You will hear about:
• self-directed learning and democratic education
• how Passages works day to day
• who thrives in this environment
• mentoring and community support
Be sure to bring your questions.
Visit the Centre (Tour)
Families are welcome to visit Passages and see the space in person.
A tour allows you to:
• see the learning environment
• meet staff and learners
• get a feel for the community
• ask questions about daily life at Passages
Tours are relaxed and informal and offer time and space at the end for you to share more about your child’s needs.
The first step, though, is having a call or zoom with Kristina.
Discovery Weeks
Young people interested in joining Passages attend a Discovery Week to experience the centre firsthand.
During Discovery Week, learners may:
• join classes and workshops
• work on personal projects and esplore interests
• take part in daily community life
Discovery Weeks help see if Passages feels like a good fit. Reach out to set up an initial call to move forward with Passages.
Deciding Together
After Discovery Week, we reach out to the family to reflect on the experience and answer any questions or concerns, in order to make next step decisions.