Program focus: Abuse, Behaviour Difficulty, LGBT, Mental Health, Nutrition, School, Sex Work, Trauma more…
The What’s Up Walk-In® Clinic is Toronto’s only free, six day a week mental health counselling walk-in service for children, youth, young adults, and families. The clinic helps with issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, sexual identity matters, bullying, behavioural concerns, addictions, and anything else that might be on one’s mind. All the information you provide is confidential.
Therapists offer single sessions up to an hour long. We don’t judge. We will support you in your concerns and work collaboratively with you. The focus is on abilities, resources, and skills that you have, or you want to develop. Together we will target a priority concern and develop a plan with you that you feel comfortable with. If you feel you need more help, you can come back to the What’s Up Walk-In. All our therapists are clinically trained.
The clinic is barrier free, and accessible. No health card or appointment is necessary, and it’s completely free! The What’s Up Walk-In network is a collection of 6 agencies operating at 8 sites across the City of Toronto.
Hours of service
Virtual
Friday, 2 PM – 8 PM Last registration: 6:30 PM
To be connected to a counsellor for a telephone or video session, call us at 416-438-3697 press 1 and then enter ext. 12230 for reception.
In-person [Summer Family Hours]
Thursday, 12 PM – 6 PM Last registration: 4:30 PM
Location: 1940 Eglinton Ave East, Suite 300, Scarborough (Free parking available)
In-person
Monday – Thursday, 12 PM – 8 PM Last registration: 6:30 PM
Friday, 12 PM – 5 PM Last registration: 3:30 PM
Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM Last registration: 2:30 PM
Location: 100 Consilium Place, Suite 102 (Ground Floor), Scarborough
- Service is offered in English, French and 238 other languages, including American Sign Language through instantaneous interpretation.
- No appointment is necessary; first come, first served.
- Registration closed 1h 30 mins prior to the end of in-person service hours.
- Capacity at times reached before last registration.
- Services closed on statutory holidays.
- Face masks are available for in-person sessions.
Supported by RBC:
In partnership with:
Program focus: Communication Skills, Community Service/Volunteer Hours, LGBT, Skill Development, Socializing
The Volunteer Readiness Program serves youth between12 to 25 years of age who are looking to complete community service hours towards high school graduation and/or probation requirements.
Youth will participate in a variety of activities including community events and packing food hampers for those experiencing food insecurity among other things. Participants are assured to gain community service hours and employability skills including communication and leadership skills through hands-on experiences with the support of Youth Outreach Workers. They will also have opportunities to develop their resume and access other programs and services based on their individual needs.
Snacks and TTC tickets are provided for the youth volunteers.
Program focus: Communication Skills, Community, Multimedia, Skill Development, Socializing, Youth, Youth Engagement more…
Studio 2 Multimedia Program supports youth in the development of multimedia skills, as well as social skills, with an emphasis on media literacy, employability skills and mental health.
Our program uses various industry standard software and hardware to help youth design a variety of media projects. Youth are engaged under the supervision and guidance of professionals and Strides Toronto staff. Projects youth can work on include film and documentaries, print, photography, portfolio development, and music/audio recording. Programming is delivered through one-on-one sessions, group workshops and facilitated workshops in the community and/or school.
In partnership with
Program focus: Immigration, Skill Development, Socializing
The Newcomer Youth Engagement Program is for youth ages 12 to 21 who are immigrants to Canada and are permanent residents or conventional refugees. The program provides free activities every month that include volunteer opportunities, sports events, workshops and trips around Toronto.
The Newcomer Program offers two types of service:
- Orientation
This program provides information on mental health services and social skills training to help newcomer youth and their families with the settlement process. The importance of positive mental health and mental health stigma are discussed and connected to the immigration experience. Information and strategies are explored through innovative and out of the box practices. The Orientation stream also provides training to service providers and/or youth in schools and other community agencies on various mental health topics. - Welcoming Communities
This program provides newcomer youth and their families with the support, skills and training they need during the settlement process. Newcomer youth receive leadership and mentorship training. They also receive homework help and educational supports to ensure they do well in school and develop employment skills. Program workers focus on providing youth with information, skills and knowledge to help them adapt, settle, and integrate into Canadian life. Workshops on topics such as communication and social skills, cross-cultural and diversity skills, and navigation on public transit are provided. The Welcoming Communities program also provides training to service providers and/or youth in schools and other community agencies on various settlement topics.
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Program Calendar
Program focus: LGBT, Multimedia, Socializing
The Zone Youth Space is a place where youth can come to create, connect, learn and inspire!
Created in partnership with Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, The Zone Youth Spaces provides a dedicated space for youth, consistent staff, and programming tailored to a variety of youth interests.
The Zone Youth Space offers free programming 6 days a week, that includes after-school youth drop in, employment and leadership workshops, homework help, multimedia programming, and more. The space is equipped with video games, board games, a pool table, foosball, computers, and free WiFi.
For more information, contact Jessica Myers at jessica.myers@stridestoronto.ca
Program Calendar
Get In Touch with The Zone on Instagram
Program focus: Communication Skills, Community Service/Volunteer Hours, LGBT, Mental Health, Skill Development, Socializing
The New Mentality group at Strides Toronto is part of a province-wide network of youth and adult allies working together to disable the label of youth mental illness and to amplify youth voice to create change in the children and youth mental health system and beyond.
The program consists of 2 to 3 projects a year that aim to destigmatize mental health in the community and bring awareness to mental health issues through art, photography, video and events and activities. All projects are created and implement by the youth with consistent supports from our adult allies. The goal of the program is to have participants engage in meaningful conversation about mental health, learning leadership and teamwork skills.
The New Mentality group at Strides Toronto is funded by the Children’s Mental Health Ontario.
Funders/Partners
Strides Toronto has been providing services for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental disabilities, and/or dual diagnoses for over 20 years. As a trusted agency in Toronto, a high degree of inter-professional partnership is in place to support information sharing and collaboration among services and the community.
We are proud of the high-quality, evidence-based practices our Autism and Developmental Services provide to the children, youth, adults, and the families we serve. Our service offerings are flexible and consider individual needs. Individualized intake assessments are completed to help determine a plan for service.
Behavioural interventions and family services are integrated and coordinated with other services (e.g., mental health) which a child or youth and their family may be receiving. The wide range of services available to children, youth and their families are frequently evaluated and monitored to be flexible and responsive to changing evidence and practice.
Developmental Services provides therapeutic programming and respite to youth and adults with an autism spectrum disorder and/or a developmental disability. The services delivered strive to promote independence, encouraging the development and maintaining of a peer network, empowering them to build their capabilities, with the goal of enhancing their social and life skills development.
Family-centered care is the fundamental basis of service delivery within Strides Toronto’s Autism and Developmental Services. This approach values parents and caregivers as experts on their child and as key decision makers in their child’s interventions. It also recognizes their lifelong commitment to their child’s learning and wellness.
We offer a variety of in-person and virtual services and resources to support families. Our virtual services are offered by phone or by video through our secure Zoom Healthcare platform.