Before attending Humber’s Bachelor of Child and Youth Care degree program, Francis was no stranger to helping youth turn their lives around. As an outdoor educator working with disadvantaged teens, Francis says that he was “inspired by the feeling of helping change someone’s life.” He says that coming to Humber was his next logical step. “I chose Humber because the program offers small class sizes and the teachers are approachable and well-versed in their field.”
He loves the program because it focuses on the knowledge, skills and abilities required for in-depth work with children and youth, and in community development. “The degree program provides a nice balance between practical and theoretical courses. Learning how and why things happen will help make me a better practitioner.”Francis’ favorite course is Child and Youth Care Intervention which he says allowed him to learn the key skills required to become an effective child and youth care professional - one who promotes and fosters positive therapeutic relationships with clients. “Like many other courses, this one in particular implements various learning styles such as interactive lectures, self-reflection, small-group activities, research, discussion, debate and case studies.”
Now in his second year of the program, Francis already has a clear vision of what he wants to do when he graduates. “I used to be a DJ and was heavily involved in the music business. I would like to open up a walk-in centre where kids can use music as a creative outlet. Mixing art and music has a therapeutic component which can offer a vital outlet for youth who are struggling."
