October 9 -- Students in some of Ontario's high-needs neighbourhoods will now have the chance to improve their personal health and wellness, while staying off the streets, through the province's After-School Initiative.
Programs under this initiative will be available at more than 270 sites in priority neighbourhoods across Ontario, benefiting 15,500 children and youth from grades one to 12. These programs include:
- healthy eating and nutrition education to help combat childhood obesity,
- physical activity to encourage active lifestyles,
- personal health and wellness education to promote self-esteem, and
- other activities to address specific priorities based on local community needs.
The programs align with findings of the Review of the Roots of Youth Violence Report, which recommended that after-school programs be available to promote good nutrition and positive activity, and to help keep youth off the streets.
The after-school initiative is also an important part of Breaking the Cycle: Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy, which aims to reduce the number of children living in poverty by 25 per cent over 5 years -- lifting 90,000 kids out of poverty -- by boosting benefits for low-income families and enhancing publicly-funded education.