In Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES), youth face extraordinary challenges that threaten to derail their futures before they’ve had a chance to begin. Poverty, addiction, unstable housing, and tricky family situations significantly increases the chance of high risk behaviours as youth transition from elementary to high school. This is an especially critical period when boys are most vulnerable to falling through the cracks.
That’s where the newly established Elevate Boys Program comes in: a dynamic, year-round mentorship and leadership initiative designed to support boys in grades 7 to 9 through this formative time.
Developed and launched by a former VPD Cadet Inspector turned VPD Civilian member, Jasleen Bahia saw a gap in safe and reliable social programming for boys in this high-risk neighbourhood and decided to do something about it. She turned to the Vancouver Police Foundation for funding, gathered community partners at Britannia Community Services Society, and launched Elevate in April 2025.
Over the last three months, Elevate has hosted 15 weekly sessions. The program has grown every week, with 8 youth in attendance for week one, growing to 25 youth who are attending the current sessions.
“There is so much interest in the program that we’ve already hit capacity,” explains Jasleen. “Youth are consistently showing up, engaged, and excited. Throughout the week when I see the youth in the neighbourhood, they’re often asking me about next week’s programming. The energy and bonding in the group is already strong and we’re just getting started.”
Operated out of the Britannia Community Services Centre, Elevate is a powerful example of community-led intervention that changes lives. The program is about more than after-school activities—it’s about building trust, resilience, and purpose. Elevate is grounded in three core pillars: leadership, life skills, and community.
Each week, boys participate in hands-on, engaging sessions that include everything from cooking classes and financial literacy workshops to self-defense training, career exploration, and entrepreneurial challenges. Regular one-on-one check-ins help youth set and reach personal goals, while mentors work closely with school staff and youth workers to keep students on track academically, emotionally, and socially.
Take Mark, for example—a 14-year-old who started high school full of hope, but within months was skipping class, experimenting with drugs, and caring for younger siblings while his mother battled addiction. By age 16, he was on the brink of joining a gang. His story is heartbreakingly common in the DTES, but Elevate is working hard to ensure that it’s not inevitable for him.
Initial feedback from program stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive.
“I have parents texting me to express how grateful they are for the program and for the positive role models we provide for the boys,” says Jasleen. “I also recently spoke with a guardian who told me they’re already seeing changes in their child, specifically about them taking more leadership and accountability, and how they are stepping outside their comfort zone.”
What makes Elevate truly special is its community-driven approach. The mentors aren’t just staff—they’re neighbours, older peers, and role models who grew up in the same area, walked the same school hallways, and faced many of the same hardships. This shared experience builds deep trust and relatability that more traditional programs often lack. Jasleen is finding that many of the youth are sharing things that they’ve never told anyone before because they feel so comfortable and safe in the space.
“The group is really starting to feel like a team,” says Jasleen. “While many live in the same neighbourhood, they go to different schools. Some of them didn’t know each other before this program. Now we’re seeing friendships forming across ages, and the older boys are looking out for the younger ones.”
Female mentors are also part of the team, helping to challenge harmful gender norms and support social-emotional growth.
Elevate is also there when boys need it most—including during school breaks, when idle time can often lead to increased risk. The program offers a structured, supportive environment all year long, creating a sense of belonging and consistency that is too often missing in these young lives.
“Many programs follow the school calendar so when school is not in session, neither are after-school programs – but this is actually when programming is needed most!” says Jasleen. “This is especially the case in the Britannia neighbourhood where most youth aren’t vacationing with their families during Spring, Summer and Winter Breaks. Nor are they able to afford camps in the summer. It’s important for the boys to have a consistent touch point with friends and trusted adults in their community to keep them engaged in positive activities.”
When we invest in these boys, we don’t just change their lives—we change our community for the better. Elevate is proof that when mentorship is rooted in lived experience, and programs are built with community rather than for it, transformation is possible.
“I am so excited to continue supporting these boys as they grow into confident young men with strong leadership qualities, key life skills, and a strong sense of self and purpose. I’ve seen the need for this program for a while now, but we haven’t been able to act on it because of a lack of funding.”
Together with Jasleen, we can disrupt cycles of trauma and open up new paths forward for boys like Mark. If you’d like to donate to support Elevate, please CLICK HERE.
The Vancouver Police Foundation supports programs and initiatives that fall within three streams: community outreach and engagement (including programs for women, youth and seniors); public and personal safety; and specialized equipment and technology. You can help make Vancouver safer for all by donating to the Vancouver Police Foundation.
