ABBOTSFORD YOUTH COMMISSION

The Abbotsford Youth Commission (AYC) is a small charitable organization that has been providing programs and services to youth ages 12 – 18 since 1991. Our mission is to identify promote improve increase and provide services and programs for youth. Our vision is that Abbotsford is a city where every youth feels included safe valued empowered and connected. We strive to achieve this vision by providing youth with programs that are engaging educational recreational and preventative in nature while maintaining a safe and supportive environment. The AYC has two youth centres one at ARC and the other at MRC and they are open every day after school on the weekends and the youth centre at ARC is also open every day over the summer. We provide recreational educational programs for youth. We offer free and low cost activities for youth. We provide psycho-educational and social emotional learning programs for youth. We provide health promotion programs for youth. The AYC offers more than 50 programs every year – some run for two hours a week and some run twenty hours each week. Some youth attend one or two programs and others access programming up to eight times each week. In 2023 the AYC had 19 855 youth entrances to our programs! The AYC has numerous leadership programs volunteer opportunities and events. AYC programs appeal to all youth and strive to build community increase health and instill a feeling of inclusion. Our diversity statement was written by our youth and is simply stated 'everyone belongs.' With this in mind the AYC actively works to be the voice of Abbotsford’s youth and to advocate on their behalf.