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YMCA Youth Leadership Programs

It's your future. Make it better and brighter.

Do you want to expand your horizons, develop yourself, or get things back on track? We’re here for you. The YMCA’s youth engagement programs are all about young people to be the best they can be regardless of circumstance. 

YMCA Youth Leadership programs help you tap into your potential — one step at a time. 

  • Receive training and mentorship to help become a community leader
  • Build self-esteem and gain confidence
  • Gain leadership skills and discover new opportunities
  • Connect to a positive group of friends and mentors 
  • Exchange programs to help you experience more of Canada
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Explore Youth Leadership Programs

YMCA Summer Work Student Exchange

The YMCA Summer Work Student Exchange (SWSE) program is a national exchange program for 16 and 17-year-olds living in Canada.
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Youth Leadership Advancement Program (LEAP)

LEAP is a six-month paid employment program. Youths ages 15 – 30 years will participate in four weeks of paid pre-employment training, followed by a six-month paid employment placement.
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Y Mind

The Y Mind program is an innovative, youth informed, early intervention program that helps teens and young adults manage stress and anxiety. Y Mind helps young people cope with anxiety and improve their sense of well-being by introducing them to evidence-based tools and connecting them with others. 
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YMCA Head Start

Student's looking for part-time or summer employment are welcome to our Job Search Camp.
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Youth Exchanges Canada Program

The YMCA Youth Exchanges Canada (YEC) Program offers your youth group, aged 12 to 17, the opportunity to travel to another part of Canada for a life-changing experience. 
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Youth Transitions Program

YMCA Youth Transitions Program (YTP) is a free service focused on providing support to youth aged 13–19 who are facing barriers in their lives. These barriers could be related to school, employment, peers, family, housing or addictions. 
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YMCA Scholarships

YMCA Scholarships recognizes the contributions students make in building our community and helps them financially to reach their potential in post-secondary education. 
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YMCA Community Action Network

The YMCA Community Action Network (YCAN) is one of Canada’s national youth service initiatives, part of the Canada Service Corps. This is for young adults aged 15 to 30.
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Registration is ongoing. Please contact the YCAN Coordinator for more information: [email protected]

YMCA Community Action Network

The YMCA Community Action Network (YCAN) is one of Canada’s national youth service initiatives, part of the Canada Service Corps. The program is for young adults aged 15 to 30, and is led completely by the participants! Groups identify needs in their community and create service projects to address them, gaining employable skills throughout their journey.

In partnership with other YMCAs across Canada, youth from regional communities are recruited, trained, and mentored to successfully select, lead, deliver, and evaluate service initiatives in their own communities.

YCAN is a good fit for you if:

✓   You are between the ages of 15-30.

✓   You are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada.

✓   You are passionate about learning new skills, building community connections, and making a difference in your community.

Check what the previous community changers said about the program:

YMCA Head Start

Student’s looking for part-time or summer employment are welcomed to our Job Search Camp. 

Workshops include: 
 
✓   Resume Development
✓   Career Planning
✓   Job Search 
✓   Interview Preparation
✓   Access to online career tool for students 
✓   Community Project
✓   Volunteer Opportunities 
✓   Training allowance 

To register please contact: [email protected]

Financial Assistance

We are committed to eliminating financial barriers and providing everyone the opportunity to participate in YMCA programs and services. A YMCA financially assisted membership offers access to the same facilities, programs, and services at a reduced rate.

YMCA Financial Assistance Program

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If you wish to leave a comment or have a question, please contact us through:

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Located in Mi’kma’ki, the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth acknowledges and respects the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people.

Coming Soon

Leadership Team

The YMCA leadership team supports all areas of the organization in serving our community. We provide quality programs and services that are reflective of the evolving communities we serve.

Brian Posavad

President & CEO
He/ Him
[email protected]
p. (902) 222-1177

Julie-Ann Vincent

Chief Operating Officer
She / Her
[email protected]
p. (902) 222-7533

Maureen L. Hayward

Chief Financial Officer
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. (902) 423-4907 Ext. 225

Heather MacDonald

Chief Development Officer
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. (902) 456-0583

Sahra MacNeill

Director, People & Culture
She / Her
[email protected]
p. (902) 225-2790

Anna Barnes

Vice President, YMCA Atlantic Regional Development Centre (RDC)
She / Her
[email protected]
p. (902) 221-8974

Victoria Collins

General Manager, Child Engagement & Operations
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. 902-223-0015

Nicole O'Connor

Interim Director of Communications
She / Her
[email protected]
p. (902) 399-5180

TL Johannesson

General Manager, Youth and Leadership Development
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. 902-

John Meagher

General Manager, Asset & Development
He / Him
[email protected]
p. (902) 223-3986

InHae Park

General Manager Of YMCA Immigrant Services
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. 902-457-6871

Michelle Rivoire

Vice President, Health, Fitness, and Aquatics
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. 902-717-8060

Alexandria Samson

Director, Donor Relations
She / Her
[email protected]
p. (902) 229-4311

Rebekah Skeete

Director, Employment Services Centre
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. 902-461-2513 ext. 228

Lynda Thomas

Director, Employment Services Centre
She/ Her
[email protected]
p. 902-499-7560

Meet our Current Directors

As a leading charity, the YMCA is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. This group of community volunteers provides vision, strategic leadership and stewardship for the Association. The YMCA Board of Directors meets regularly with an Annual General Meeting held every spring. We are extremely grateful to every member, past or present, of the YMCA’s Board of Directors.

Stephen MacDonald

Chair

Stephen MacDonald is the President and Chief Executive Officer of EfficiencyOne, the not-for-profit operator of Canada’s first electricity efficiency utility, Efficiency Nova Scotia.

Lora MacEachern

Vice Chair

Lora MacEachern is a Senior Government Executive and Lawyer, with extensive experience in leadership, law, human resources, public policy, advocacy

Ashley Hill

Ashley Hill is the Founder and Executive Director of the PREP Academy, a community based non-profit organization that inspires and prepares African Nova Scotian students for college, university and beyond.

Jacob Woods

Jacob Woods is a Research Associate at the Nova Scotia Community College. Jacob is skilled in energy system analysis

Kevin Stoddart

Kevin is a Managing Partner at KBRS, Atlantic Canada’s largest talent management and recruitment organization with over 75 staff and offices throughout Atlantic Canada and Ontario.

Krista Jangaard

Dr. Krista Jangaard is the IWK Health Centre’s President & CEO. She first joined the IWK in 1996 in the division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and

Mary Navas

With three years of marketing agency experience at NATIONAL Public Relations working with clients across Atlantic Canada, Mary brings a fresh perspective to communication strategies,

Michelle Bussey

Michelle Bussey is the CEO of the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (NSAA). Through NSAA, Michelle is working with industry, Government and communities to address the

Safia Rahemtulla

Safia is an Associate Partner in the Consulting practice of EY and holds a CPA, CA designation, a Certified Internal Auditor designation and a Certified Third Party Risk

Samantha Nixon

Samantha is a Coordinator with the Canadian Red Cross, supporting International Emergency Response through collaboration with the Government of Canada.

Sanjay Khanna

With over 25 years of experience, Sanjay has worked as part of the private and public sector focused on Information/Knowledge Management, ...

Sarah McInnes

Sarah is a Partner at McInnes Cooper, specializing in Immigration & Employment law.

Shelly Martin

Shelly Martin is a Mì’kmaq lawyer from Millbrook First Nation, is the Director of Governance for the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, a tribal Council providing programming and advisory services to eight Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq communities.

Sian Wren

Sian Wren is Vice President of Business Transformation at Emera. In this role, she led a large team of internal employees and external

Sonia Beattie

Sonia Beattie is the Vice-Provost, Planning & Analytics at Dalhousie University. With a strong passion for education, she completed degrees at both Dalhousie University and Memorial University before starting her career in postsecondary education.

YMCA Honourary Trustees​

The YMCA Honourary Trustees are former Directors who continue to support and provide strategic counsel to the YMCA.

Gregory (Greg) D. Auld,

Jennifer Berry,

Lydia Bugden,

Daniel M. Campbell &

Wesley G. Campbell,

Peter M. Conrod,

Paul J. Dyer,

Peter Doig

Peter G. Fardy,

Lou Gannon,

Mary Ellen Gurnham,

R.F. (Bob) Healy,

Fred Honsberger,

Wilfred Jackson,

John W. Lindsay Jr.

Brian Jessop

Cliff Langin,

Carole McDougall,

James MacGowan,

Stuart MacLean,

R.A. (Rod) McCulloch,

Kirk D. McIntyre,

Don C. Mills,

Robert Richardson,

L. Robert (Robbie) Shaw,

George Waye,

Sarah Young

Honourary Life Members

Audrey Manzer & Lou Gannon

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