About

mâmiskôtamâkêw (s/he/they tells people about it)

The Boyle Street Education Centre grew out of Boyle Street Community Services in September 1995. As inner-city adults coming into the co-op for support often brought youth with them, we realized something needed to be done to support them. We didn’t intend to grow a school out of the co-op, but youth showing up at our doorstep needed a learning environment where they could be given a chance. Students who come to Boyle Street Education Centre are often reluctant to return to conventional school systems in Alberta – where they have been treated unfairly and without regard to their needs.

Boyle Street Education Centre focuses on trauma-informed education. We support students from all walks of life. Our students come from diverse backgrounds and have complex needs. We strive to meet those needs in a variety of ways, from helping with housing, feeding students breakfast and lunch, counseling services, legal advice, funding, and work experience. After the human needs are fulfilled, we support students in their educational pursuits.

No fees are collected at our school. All programming such as camping, skiing, land-based learning, swimming, and skating are provided at no cost to our students. Our program gives students the chance to learn at their own pace while keeping achievable goals in sight. Students can learn in our commercial kitchen, professional music studio, woodworking studio, and gym/workout center complete with a basketball court.

Since over 90% of our students are Indigenous, our wrap-around support model is based on the teachings of the medicine wheel and aims to support students across mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional domains. Within those domains, there is much non-traditional support that our students ordinarily would not have access to such as cultural teachings, massage, acupuncture, animal therapy, yoga, meditation, and improvisational drama. We care deeply for our students and meet them where they are at while striving to lift and serve them in all capacities of life.

Many of our students do not live at home or have a family to care for them. Our school strives to become that family which our students can lean on when times are tough. We could not achieve this without our many partners, including the food bank, Children’s Services, our local police department, Boyle Street community services, the many youth shelters, and Alberta Education. Alberta Education understands the unique nature of what we do working with put-at-risk students. Without their support, we could not support these young people.

Some of our students go on to achieve their high school diploma or certificate of achievement. We are extremely proud of the work being done at Boyle Street Education Centre and could not achieve the level of success we have without the support of all our partners.

Our Program

Marginalized students in Alberta are faced with racism, cultural abuse, and feelings of abandonment. At Boyle Street Education Centre, we offer something truly different – a trauma-informed, reconciliation-first approach that accepts students for who they are – one that nourishes and heals their spirits.

Our program gives students the chance to learn at their own pace while still keeping achievable goals in sight. Students can learn in our commercial kitchen, fully-stocked music room, woodworking studio, and full-sized gym and workout centre complete with a basketball court. If students feel like they need space and time away from the classroom, we’re here to give it to them. 

 

Students at BSEC don’t have a conventional education in our school. They are given the opportunity to learn skills that are often out of reach for students in conventional classrooms. While students in other schools can pay to take extracurriculars (band class, woodwork, etc.), students at BSEC have the opportunity to take extracurriculars for free – led by inspiring, wonderful instructors.

We provide students a space free from harm – no matter your identity, ethnicity, gender or sexuality – we welcome you home.

BSEC Programs

Art

Painting, drawing, and writing in our art classes – at BSEC, our students are encouraged to express their creativity! BSEC students can learn how to create through their own cultural and ethnic identities.

Gold eye Camp

School camp

Indigenous Cultural Experiences

We want to inspire our students with new and familiar experiences that remind them of the strength and beauty of their cultures. From on land-based learning and sweat lodges, to daily smudging, we embrace your culture in every way we can.

Woodworking & Painting

Learning how to work with wood, paint, metals, and tools in our shop and woodworking studio – these valuable skills can help students transition to NAIT and other technical schools once they graduate from BSEC.

Cooking

Learning how to cook in our fully stocked commercial kitchen  – youth who have an interest in cooking or who want to provide for their families have the opportunity to learn how with hands-on experience.

Hairstyling & Cosmetology

Learn the in’s and out’s of owning a salon with skills in hair cutting, styling and colouring or esthetics like manicures and pedicures. We offer an extensive training program in hairstyling and design, with a full-service studio in the palms of your hands.

Music

Learning how to play a new instrument or master one you already know – our music program is extensive! At BSEC, we offer classes on producing, writing, and creating music with any instrument you can think of. We also provide instruction in podcasting and radio work. Our music program features an artist in residence to provide guidance to our students.

Yoga & Meditation

Students learn new ways to address feelings of anxiety and depression through connecting to their breath. Yoga teaches mind/body connections in gentle and supportive ways.

Fashion

Have your own style and a desire to make your own clothing? We have a full-size fashion studio, complete with sewing machines and instructors who will help you realize your dream of working in the fashion industry.

Improv Drama

Learn to harness the power of quick wit and creativity with unscripted theatre. Our improv program features Rapid Fire Theatre instructors to give our students a learning experience that rivals professional theatre groups.

Recreational Activities

Working out, playing sports, or just having fun – we offer a full gym, basketball court, and athletics program for BSEC students looking for an experience outside of the classroom.

Cooking

Learning how to cook in our fully stocked commercial kitchen  – youth who have an interest in cooking or who want to provide for their families have the opportunity to learn how with hands-on experience.

Hairstyling & Cosmetology

Learn the in’s and out’s of owning a salon with skills in hair cutting, styling and colouring or esthetics like manicures and pedicures. We offer an extensive training program in hairstyling and design, with a full-service studio in the palms of your hands.

Recreational Activities

Working out, playing sports, or just having fun – we offer a full gym, basketball court, and athletics program for BSEC students looking for an experience outside of the classroom.

Woodworking & Painting

Learning how to work with wood, paint, metals, and tools in our shop and woodworking studio – these valuable skills can help students transition to NAIT and other technical schools once they graduate from BSEC.

Music

Learning how to play a new instrument or master one you already know – our music program is extensive! At BSEC, we offer classes on producing, writing, and creating music with any instrument you can think of. We also provide instruction in podcasting and radio work.

Fashion

Have your own style and a desire to make your own clothing? We have a full-size fashion studio, complete with sewing machines and instructors who will help you realize your dream of working in the fashion industry.

Art

Painting, drawing, and writing in our art classes – at BSEC, our students are encouraged to express their creativity! BSEC students can learn how to create through their own cultural and ethnic identities.

Improv Drama

Learn to harness the power of quick wit and creativity with unscripted theatre. Our improv program features Rapid Fire Theatre instructors to give our students a learning experience that rivals professional theatre groups.

Indigenous Cultural Experiences

We want to inspire our students with new and familiar experiences that remind them of the strength and beauty of their cultures. From on land-based learning and sweat lodges, to daily smudging, we embrace your culture in every way we can.

Yoga & Meditation

Students learn new ways to address feelings of anxiety and depression through connecting to their breath. Yoga teaches mind/body connections in gentle and supportive ways.

Goldeneye Camp

School Camp

Our Community

We care about our community. It’s a sentence often replicated by most schools, but at Boyle Street Education Centre, our teachers have been volunteering and working alongside inner-city youth their entire lives. We’re not just here for our students’ academic highs – we’re also here right alongside them for every low they may face.

We are proud to have such a dedicated team of caring, supportive staff who want to see you succeed. Our teaching and administrative team is supported by mental health professionals and social workers.