 |
||
 |
|
|
 |
||
 |
News Release: Toronto Program Major Success In Preventing Pathways to Education Program in Regent Park has Reduced Drop-Out Rate from 56% to 10 % - Now Being Expanded in Toronto and Nationally Toronto, July 16, 2007 - Pathways to Education released today a pro bono evaluation study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) which demonstrates that the six year old program has had a dramatic result in reducing the high school drop-out rate in Regent Park from 56% to 10% and increasing the proportion of young people attending post-secondary education from 20% to 80%. The Pathways Program, founded by the Regent Park Community Health Centre in 2001, is now serving 830 students in a community-based program that delivers academic tutoring, group mentoring, student and parent advocacy and support, and scholarships for all students who complete high school and get into post-secondary programs. "The Pathways to Education Program is one of the most successful programs we have found anywhere in North America in enabling youth from low income neighbourhoods to graduate high school and attend college and university", said David Pecaut, Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group and leader of the study. "The results are dramatic for the students and their families. The payback to society as a whole is also tremendous. Our study calculated the total payback to society from the Pathways Program is a net present value of about $50,000 per student in the program. Based on our analysis, each charitable dollar invested in Pathways will return $25 in future benefits to society." The BCG study also looked at other social indicators in Regent Park that were affected by the program. Teenage birth rates in Regent Park fell 75% during the life of the program and violent crime and property crime rates in Police Division 51 which includes Regent Park and other adjacent neighbourhoods fell significantly over the last six years. While these results cannot be attributed solely to Pathways, anecdotal evidence from many sources suggests Pathways played an important role. The BCG study also found that Pathways contributed to social cohesion and helping to integrate immigrants into the community. Regent Park is a community where the immigrant population is 60%, and visible minorities make up 79% of the population. The neighbourhood was cited in the United Way of Greater Toronto's Poverty by Postal Code study as having one of the highest concentrations of low income households in the city. The Pathways program is now being expanded through community partnerships to five new neighbourhoods including two in Toronto, one in Kitchener, one in Ottawa, and one in Montreal. "The Pathways approach requires strong local support and leadership of the program", said Carolyn Acker, the Executive Director of Pathways Canada and founder of the program. "We are most pleased to have found partners in five Canadian communities who are ready, able and willing to take local ownership and provide local leadership in launching the program with their students in the fall of 2007. We hope to see the program grow to over 40 locations and over 20,000 students in the coming years." ************************************************************************************************* Pathways to Education Canada is a charitable foundation created to reduce poverty and its effects by lowering the dropout rate and increasing access to post-secondary education among disadvantaged youth in Canada. Pathways launched its initial program in Regent Park in Toronto in 2001 and is now expanding with local partners to five additional locations in Canada. The Boston Consulting Group helps the world's best organizations achieve competitive advantage and make decisive improvements in their direction and performance. This mission applies equally to relationships with non profit organizations and partners in social impact including the firm's pro bono work. BCG has 64 offices in 38 countries and serves companies in all industries and markets. For further information, contact: Dorenda McNeil at the Boston Consulting Group at 416-955-4200 or Carolyn Acker, Executive Director, Pathways to Education Canada at 416-860-3706 For copies of the Executive Summary of the BCG Pro Bono Study Visit the Pathways to Education website at http://pathwaystoeducation.ca/home.html |
