What Sets Focus Apart

The Focus Foundation takes a holistic view of the challenges faced by the youth we serve. We see the interconnections between issues and the unique chemistry that is created when problems interact. In practical terms, this means we individually tailor our solutions for each youth. We work to either lower the barriers to success they face or to build skills that each young person needs to surmount their own barriers.

A Focus on Strengths and Talent
Based on their own experience, most of the youth we serve have a very clear idea of the issues they face based on what they have done and continue to “do” in the real world. They don’t need further reminders from us of their problems and shortcomings. So, instead of focusing on what is wrong with them, we focus on their great strengths.
We nurture the gifts, natural talents and particular strengths that make each one of the young people in our programs unique and very special. This approach, which focuses on success rather than failure, has a transformative effect on motivation and energy for learning.

Engaging Physiology and Emotion
Like most young people, the youth we serve are largely governed by their physiology and emotions, which they have more difficulty than most in controlling. Other programs attempt to deal with this by imposing a coercive, structured environment based on rules and regulations. Although this approach may appear to work over the short term, over a longer period underlying issues have a tendency to emerge again.

By contrast, we show kids how positive emotions can encourage psychological fitness, just as exercising their muscles can produce a healthier — and stronger — body. In fact, the connection between mind and body is critical to our programs. Kids learn how impulsive behaviours and attention deficits can be reduced through active sports and changes to respiration that increase cerebral blood-flow and active problem solving.

Inter-Dependent Living and Therapeutic Community
Most of the youth we serve have in large measure grown up alone and feel isolated and lonely. Few have the skills to cope with working in groups for successful outcomes. Not surprisingly, therefore, we regard the creation of a therapeutic community as one of the principle agents of change within our programs.

By experiencing mutual help in a high-growth environment and learning for the first time the behavioural skills, attitudes and values associated with cooperative living and working with other people, our youth develop skills that enable them to become independent adults.

Our Staff
Anyone who meets our staff remarks on their incredible commitment, both to kids and to knowledgeable practice. At Focus we care about kids and show it through active listening, noticing and responding to the needs of each young person. At the same time, we are all actively involved in research to understand issues in light of the most knowledgeable approaches to science.

We are more than nice people who care about kids. And we aren’t in it for the feelings we get by being appreciated. Our deepest satisfaction comes from helping young people learn how to heal themselves and to leap over the barriers and constraints that have held them prisoner for too long. We work to help people succeed who have seldom, if ever, experienced success before.