The classroom was buzzing with activity despite the fact that it was 5:30 p.m. The youth in the after-school program, a partnership between the school and the settlement program, had just had a guest speaker from the paramedic service and they were excited about the career opportunities they had heard about even as they were teasing each other about who actually had the marks to meet the prerequisites. Everyone was starting to think about course choices for the next school year and thinking about life after high school. “I love this program because I can be with my friends instead of being home alone when my parents are working,” said one young man. “Plus, the teachers really care about how we’re doing. They help us with homework and we find out how to get a job here in Canada.”