Partners Assisting Local Schools (PALS)

The PALS initiative invites local businesses, their employees, and community groups to partner with neighbourhood schools to make a difference in the lives of our youth.

About

PALS (Partners Assisting Local Schools) is a program that creates and facilitates beneficial partnerships between neighbourhood schools and local businesses, community groups, and service agencies to provide an enhanced and enriched school experience for our youth. 

PALS combines initiatives that focus on academic achievement, enrichment, experiential learning, and a positive school environment. By working together, the school and its partners make a positive impact on the life of a child and the future of the community. Contributions of partners take the form of time – for the participating employee volunteers; financial support – for such things as uniforms, band instruments, transportation, books, etc.; and exposure to new experiences – for students to have opportunities to broaden their general knowledge base and to provide exposure to the world outside of their neighbourhood. PALS partnerships have opened new doors for students, helped support school staff as they work with students to shape new standards of behaviour and encouraged students to think and explore the broad spectrum of possibilities available upon completion of high school. 

PALS was developed to help address the needs of students living in poverty. Partnership initiatives vary from school to school providing many innovative opportunities. These opportunities support literacy and numeracy and offer exciting experiences that enrich children’s lives​.

Employees of the various businesses and community groups are the volunteer PALS who, working in partnership with the school staff, contribute to significant positive changes in the students, as well as measurable academic improvements.

Some of their volunteer activities include:

• mentoring through the Big Brothers Big Sisters In-School Mentoring Program​
• supporting early literacy by volunteering for the Elf program
• coaching after-school sports
• participating as reading or math buddies
• overseeing extracurricular activities
• serving breakfast
• organizing after-school clubs
• encouraging social skills
• providing cultural enrichment
• offering career guidance/job-specific expertise
• engaging high school students in work experiences
• delivering career-focused lectures
• assisting with post-secondary student placements

​Financial resources

Some companies/agencies may not be able to spare employee time during the work week, but assisting a school financially may be an option. Many schools do not have the means to provide additional enriching educational experiences for their students. Financially, partners may help by:

• Augmenting or creating opportunities for children to access events or activities associated with going to school. 
• Assisting in efforts to provide such extras as library enhancements, development of playgrounds, team uniforms, etc.
• Creating opportunities for schools to provide field trip experiences beyond what the school budget ​accommodates. ​​

Benefits

For students and schools

PALS partnerships (the schools and their partners) have a positive impact on virtually every facet of school life – academic achievement, enrolment, school spirit, student behaviour and social skills, student motivation, sports activities, cultural awareness, and pride in being part of the school community.​

Students see significant positive changes, including:

• Improved literacy rates
• Improved attendance
• Overall rise in academic achievement
• Exposure to possibilities beyond what they knew pre-partnership
• Increased pride in school, school spirit
• Sense of ownership and involvement
• Increase in feelings of self-esteem
• Sense of belonging in the community 

For community partners

For community and business leaders, a PALS partnership can be one of the most efficient and effective ways to contribute to real community change.

These partnerships are making a significant and direct impact on poverty, and they have engaged the community to be part of that change.

Volunteers return to work feeling like they have made a difference. Volunteers enjoy sharing in children’s lives and celebrating their successes.

The PALS initiative is proving that a dedicated school staff and parent group, together with community volunteers and financial support, can make a significant impact on the future of our children.

Contact

For more information, and to find out how you can make a difference in the future of our ​​young people, please contact:

PALSinfo@jdirving.com