Our Purpose
The Drayton Youth Centre was established to provide a secure Christian-based environment for the youth of Drayton and the surrounding area where they can be encouraged to excel socially, personally, and spiritually.
We schedule our volunteers to work in pairs usually about one night every month. Volunteers are given guildelines and a schedule and must provide a police check to be eligible to work with the youth. In addition to our full-time volunteers, we also have a substitute list of people who are willing to fill-in whenever someone cannot keep their commitment. We try to keep the centre open for our youth three nights a week as it is important to show them through our reliability that we care. The centre is usually open Wednesdays 7-9pm and Fridays 7-10pm. For youth not in high school the centre is open to them until 9pm. Find out if the centre is currently open.
Attendance – On average, about ten youth visit the centre each night. On some busy nights we have had almost 40! They are usually well-behaved and very appreciative of having the centre and its facilities to come to and volunteers to listen to their stories.
The centre is a registered charity and is insured. It is certainly a tribute to its founders for the centre to have come this far, achieving as much as it has, for this long and still be going strong!
Board of Directors
Brian Kamm, Chair and Volunteer Coordinator
Dahl Atin, Chair and Treasurer
Cori Claus, Secretary and Event Coordinator
Quotes From Youth Participants
“The Centre is a getaway safe place from bullying. We respect each other here.”
“The DYC is my second home!”
“It’s a nice place to come after a week of being bored at home.”
“I hang out with my friends here. It’s better than wandering the streets.”
Past Photos
At least one volunteer at the centre was able to save a child from an abusive family situation. Another volunteer was able to convince a participant to not become involved in an altercation.
The Centre provides resources for struggling youth such as brochures and information regarding unwanted pregnancy and drug abuse. It allows volunteers to be positive role models, provide guidance, and be caring listeners.
The DYC provides youth with a sense of security and an opportunity to meet other youth who relate to their experiences. Isolation can lead youth to involvement with a negative peer group.
The DYC provides a sense of belonging.
Research illustrates that a socially marginalized or isolated person will eventually seek out community. If a positive community is not available, they are at-risk to create a negative community, which may include gang involvement, drugs, and criminal activity.
When these things occur, a young person is less likely to graduate from high school, has reduced wage-earning potential and a higher likelihood of continued involvement in crime, in drugs and in other anti-social behaviour.
Drayton Youth Centre 