What the Experts Say

"The Focus Foundation runs two Youth Futures programs, which are day programs for some of the most challenging adolescents in the Greater Vancouver area. This is a truly remarkable program run by people who fit the mould of community mental health practitioners... Their programs are part school, part emotional growth centers, part re-socialization programs for youth at risk of spending long stretches of their lives in prison and part family and community building programs.

"They are amazingly successful... getting amazing buy-in by youth and their distressed and fragmented families and they get tough kids on track to be productive in their communities. They accomplish this with a very clear set of values that breed respect, a strength-based orientation, a loving and calm learning environment, attending to all domains of a youth's life and incorporating families, or family substitutes into their building community."

- Dr. Charles Huffine, former president, American association of Community Psychiatrists..

"I have worked with organizations with similar programs in 48 states and two provinces in Canada, and Focus Foundation’s programs are the best I’ve seen. They are in a class of their own. Focus Foundation has a unique approach where the staff develops caring relationships with each student in a positive learning environment and tailors a program for each student, depending on their personal learning preferences, interests and backgrounds. Focus Foundation is a centre of excellence within North America with an excellent opportunity to upscale the approach and programs."

- Steve Schaffer, President, Schaffer Consulting, a firm specializing in behaviour health, human services and corrections

"The Focus Foundation programs reflect an exemplary model of working with at-risk youth, who face multiple challenges in their lives and have a history of dropping out or being expelled from regular schools. Independent research conducted on similar programs across Canada shows Focus Foundation’s programs to be beacons of success for high need students, and unique in their innovative, engaging and holistic approaches to learning. In my work in the Faculty of Education at SFU, I regularly acknowledge this state-of-the-art program that has successfully applied the best of what we know about educational theory to classroom practise."

- Dr. Wanda Cassidy, Professor, Faculty of Education and Director, Centre for Education, Law and Society, Simon Fraser University

"I have rarely encountered a staff so energetic and determined to be of help, and so sophisticated in their understanding of the educational and emotional and mental health needs of the young people."

- Dr. Bertram J. Cohler, University of Chicago

"The strength-based based model of service delivery consistently conveys the organization’s vision into the daily lived of the persons served. … Focus Foundation is commended for the manner in which it has implemented its program vision. This vision lives within every staff member, is understood by the youth served, and directs staff members’ decision making. … All Focus Foundation employees are firmly committed to a vision that stresses working from a strength-based position, and this commitment was evident in all the service plans. Although this is always encouraged at CARF-accredited organizations, few are able to be so single minded in their focus on positives rather than the problems of each service recipient. This vision, clearly documented in the organization’s mission statement, creates an environment that every person could identify as positive, supportive and affirming."

- CARF Survey Outcome Report, Three Year Accreditation

"There is an awareness of and commitment to the school’s vision statement which pervaded all aspects of the school’s programs and operations. The EEC was impressed by the impact of the vision statement as a working document. In virtually every meeting or discussion with staff reference was made to the vision for the school. It was evident that Whytecliff Education Centre is providing a “safe, respectful and nurturing community” giving individuals “opportunities to build their resources and develop new skills”, encouraging “self reflective behaviour” and inspiring 'hope'."

- External Evaluation Report of the Office of the Inspector of Independent Schools, 2000