The TDSB continues to build on collaboration efforts with the City of Toronto and multi-sector, community-based partners through its ongoing support to deliver SafeTO –the City of Toronto’s Community Safety & Well-being Plan that was adopted by the Board of Trustees in June of 2022.
SafeTO is focused on mobilizing holistic violence prevention, intervention, response, and recovery efforts that promote safer schools and student well-being. Planning across sectors has led to all of the SafeTO initiatives described here.
Jays Care Expansion
SafeTO advanced its partnership with the Jays Care Foundation and TDSB by expanding its programming at TDSB Summer School sites. This summer, the TDSB ran the Jays Care Foundation Summer RBI Program across 44 of these sites.
Through the initiative, TDSB supported 2,321 youth participants from 1,645 Toronto households and programming also provided employment opportunities to 554 youth who gained a combined 101,389 hours of paid employment.
Each site also had Inclusion staff dedicated to supporting up to 15 children with physical disabilities to participate in the program. The Jays Care Summer RBI Program was an important part of our district-wide efforts to provide enhanced recreation, mentoring and employment opportunities for youth to promote community safety and well-being.
The TDSB Joint School Safety and Well-Being Symposium
This August, this symposium brought over 700 participants together as a result of multi-sector partnerships created between the TDSB, various City of Toronto divisions, Toronto Police Services, Toronto Community Housing, and Toronto Transit Commission. Everyone came together to focus on important work, including giving administrators from both the TDSB and Toronto Catholic District School Board an opportunity to build relationships with community groups to developing Caring and Safe School action plans.
Engaging and connecting youth outreach workers
Through October 2024, SafeTO partnered with the TDSB Social Work Department and TDSB Caring and Safe School Team to bring together approximately 350 people from across the sector. This included youth outreach workers from the City of Toronto, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and TDSB social workers and Caring and Safe Schools staff, who developed joint work plans to increase opportunities for youth programming for this school year.
The Toronto Transit Commission Pilot
Three schools came together for a 13-week pilot program to address youth unrest on the TTC by fostering respect, care, and safety. The program was co-designed by the TTC, PEERs, and TDSB Social Work and aimed at exploring students' roles in creating safer transit environments.
Youth from 12 to 15 years of age participated in the pilot, thanks to support from the City of Toronto PEER leaders and co-facilitation efforts from TDSB Social Workers in partnership with TPS Neighbourhood Community Officers and TTC Special Constables. All students gained volunteer hours for participating and received TTC Presto cards for the project's duration, in addition to a $498 honorarium.
The Business Improvement Area Pilot
SafeTO developed another pilot for four schools, which brings together the City of Toronto, local Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), TPS Neighbourhood Community Officers, and the TDSB.
The partnership was aimed at engaging youth in local employment opportunities and mentoring. It was also focussed on skill building through work with community partners to make real change through new youth hub spaces created in select Business Improvement Area locations and offering more community-based support for students.