Ymca Academy

The YMCA Academy is a Ministry of Education-inspected alternative middle- and high-school located in downtown Toronto. Our charity facilitates the recruitment of students and assists with garnering financial support for the school and enrolled families. Having first opened its doors 20 years ago the YMCA Academy continues to offer wrap-around special education support to young people who have learning style differences and/or seek a smaller more supportive learning environment. It’s ideal for students with mild learning disabilities diagnoses on the autism spectrum attention issues and anxiety. We take a personal differentiated approach using specialized programs and individualized assistive technology to help every student shine their brightest. Last year 103 students in grades 6–12 attended the YMCA Academy 8 of whom graduated in the 2023-2024 school year. Along with the support of donors and community partners we relied on the leadership and guidance of 25 full-time staff. Ensuring every young person has a fair chance to ignite their full potential is a vital part of our YMCA’s work to promote equity across the GTA.