Support Services include:
Click on each link below to see more information about each program.
Support services focus on
- Mental health and wellness.
- School re-integration and success at learning. Supporting parents and children with developmental difficulties or are at risk of developing them.
- Prevention and early intervention supports.
- Restorative practices.
- Social engagement and responsibility.
- Strengthening children, youth and families.
- Flexible supports to children and youth who may be at increased risk because of complex social and personal problems.
- Mentoring, leadership and engaging youth in the community as advisors and leaders.
- Empowering youth as valuable partners in addressing and making decisions.
Clients have the right
- To a safe and secure environment.
- To be treated with dignity and respect, and without discrimination.
- To be informed of your rights and responsibilities.
- To be made aware of our privacy and confidentiality policies.
- To be informed on procedures for making a complaint.
- To receive an orientation at the start of the service.
- To actively participate in service (e. assessments, service plans).
- To have service, benefits, risks and other options explained in order to be able to provide informed consent

Take it EASY program
Empowerment And Self-Esteem for Youth
Take It EASY (Empowerment And Self-Esteem for Youth) is a targeted prevention program that addresses the complex issues facing young people. This program is designed for children in grades 5 and 6 and is facilitated at the local schools.
Take It EASY is a BGC National program. National programs assist to build the capacity for future success of children and youth by:
– tackling youth issues that are at the heart of every community;
– believing in the potential of Canadian children and youth;
– making our communities better places to live and grow up.
More Details
The objective of Take It Easy is to create strategies to help foster the self-esteem and confidence of preteen participants and enable them to make more informed decisions about the challenges they face in life.
Candidates for the school programs will be selected by school staff.
Topics: Self-Esteem, Body Image, Gender Stereotypes, Healthy Relationships, Bullying and Online Safety.
Ongoing skills and themes throughout the session are leadership, conflict resolution, problem-solving, respect and social skills.
This program is set up in a group atmosphere. The content of this program is delivered through discussion and activities. Certain topic material may be sensitive to some participants. Age-appropriate information will be delivered to the program participants.
Registration & Contact
To request the Take It Easy Program for your child, please talk to your child’s school. If you would like more information or if you have any questions, please contact Carly Veitch at 324-4493 ext.221 or cveitch@bgckawarthas.com.

Community Support
The Club works collaboratively with partners to implement innovative community support programs and services that meet the communities needs.
The Club also hosts and participates in various events throughout the year to raise awareness about issues impacting our children, youth, and families. Thank you to all of our partners or their support.
Some of these partnerships include:
- Canadian Tire Jumpstart Chapter partnership
- Coats for Kids
- Family workshops, special events, activities, trips and outings
- Youth leadership initiatives
- Club events for families i.e. Christmas dinner
- Coordination of Enhanced Support
- Cop Shop Christmas support program
- Financial assistance for families -No child will be denied access due to lack of means
- Referrals to & from other agencies
- Telephone Santa
- Tim Horton’s camp partnership
- Some of the Club staff assist on designated, and meaningful networks & committee’s.
Contact Us
Please Contact Us if you would like more information.

Adventure Quest
Adventure Quest is a government approved CTCC program. This day tratment program is voluntary and represents a collaboration between BGC Kawarthas (BGCKL), Chimo Youth and Family Services and the Trillium Lakelands District School Board. The program meets the needs of children and youth who require mental health services and support. Children and youth referred to the program often struggle with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in conjunction with mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders and oppositional defience disorder. They may also have identified or suspected learning disabilities.
The program takes place in the facility owned and operated by BGCKL. The space for the program will include two classrooms and a common area. Additionally, the program will be able to access the gym and other BGCKL facilities under the supervision of Adventure Quest staff.
More Details
The profile for students participating in Adventure Quest will be:
- struggling significantly at school and has exhausted the school board’s available resources;
- there is a known or highly suspected mental health issue;
- there may be the presence of a learning disability / delay;
- may be struggling emotionally and socially;
- is not actively suicidal;
- does not have a serious addiction requiring specialized treatment;
- is not physically aggressive or assaultive so as to jeopardizing the emotional, mental and physical safety of others (staff and other students).
Additionally, students and their families / caregivers must be committed to actively participating in all aspects of the program.
Some of these profile indicators may be known at the time of pre-screening, however, a thorough assessment, including a psychiatric consultation, would also help in their determination.
Referrals to the program are intiated two ways:
- School Board staff have a conversation with a student and their caregivers(s) about exploring the program and if interested the student and their caregiver(s) will contact Chimo directly to start the pre-screening and assessment process.
- A student who is already accessing Chimo supports and for whom it is felt that Day Treatment may be of benefit. Chimo staff would talk with the child/youth and their caregiver(s) about exploring this option. With appropriate consent, Chimo staff would connect with the student’s home school to work collaboratively on the referral.
Treatment goals are developed collaboratively with the child or youth, their family and other community partners as appropriate within 30 days of admission to the program. This is referred to as the Plan of Service. The goals will relate to the presenting concerns and utilize the strengths and the abilities of the child or youth and their families where possible to help achieve these goals. The Plan of Service should be considered a living document that can be changed/updated as the child or youth and the family progress throughout treatment. The plan of service is reviewed twice yearly in December and May. The evaluation of the plan of service is conducted in collaboration with the youth, their family and members of the multidisciplinary team, which may or may not include the consulting child psychiatrist (as determined by the team).
Re-Integration and discharge planning begins at the time of admission to the program. It is important that all those participating and supporting the student are preparing for the return of the student to their home school right from the start. Re-integration planning should be a continuous process carried out by the staff of the Adventure Quest program in collaboration with School Board personnel.
Contact Us
Adventure Quest contact: Bruce Scott (705) 324-4493 ext. 210 or bscott@bgckl.com

Community Capacity Building
Community Capacity Building is a Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services funded program offered by BGC Kawarthas in partnership with Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society.
Community Capacity Building is a support service designed to assist children, youth from ages 10-18 at risk of coming into care without immediate intervention. The risk may include conflict/risk of abuse and or behaviours presenting as challenging to parents. In the event that the worker is operating at capacity a wait list will be developed and service needs prioritized.
The Community Capacity Building Program Support Worker provides guidance and support to children, youth and their families referred through Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society.
Contact Us
Community Capacity Building Program contact: Ashley Bourguignon (705) 324-4493 ext. 239 or abourguignon@bgckl.com.
Testimonial
My 14 year-old-son and I were having a few problems that turned into more than I would have ever expected.
I also have two older daughters and never went through this before, so we went to Children’s Aid Society for help. My son thought foster care would be better than our house but when the CAS worker came to our house, he said he would not take my son out of a perfectly good home, that’s not what they are for. So he suggested that we seek help from BGC Clubs. He was so right. We met with a wonderful girl Michelle, who took us under her helpful wing and taught both my son and myself a lot about how we treated each other and in our tone of voice.
We would light each other’s wick so the word “bear,” which means one of us was talking way too loud and it sure made me stop and think, my son also. Michelle was such a great help to us. We started looking forward to coming each week to see what we could change in our lives to always make life better.
So after we were finished the program with Michelle, we always used what she taught us. As a mother, I couldn’t thank Michelle enough for what she did to help us. We have been out of Michelle’s program for seven months and my son’s and my life has changed so much we still use a lot of what we learned at BGC Clubs program with Michelle.
As a mother who loves her children so much, I would want any other parents that are having problems with their children to seek out this program at BGC Clubs. Thank you so very much to Michelle and the clubs.
Letter to the Editor Lindsay post

Infant & Child Development
Infant and Child Development is a Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services funded program offered by BGC Kawarthas. This program is both voluntary and confidential, and is provided at no cost.
Who do we serve?
Infant and Child Development is a family centered program that provides support for infants and children from birth to school entry and their families. The Infant and Child Development Program is available to all families living in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Any parent, caregiver, doctor, public health nurse, community agency or concerned individual can make a referral with proper consent.
More Details
Purpose: Home-based Program
- Provide in-home supports to families with children from birth to school entry who are potentially at risk of developmental delay through a routines-based service model.
- Build a strong rapport with families to ensure consistent and continued program engagement.
- Complete age appropriate screening tools to identify children that require further investigation and/or referrals beyond Infant Child Development Program supports.
- Inform and educate families regarding community partners available to provide additional supports.
- Support families through a referral process, attend appointments and maintain open communication with community partners, therapists and medical practitioners.
- Establish collaborative working partnerships with community agencies that provide services to families with children from birth to school entry.
- Participate in public awareness and parent education initiative that support children from birth to school entry.
How to make a referral?
To make a referral to the Infant and Child Development Program, simply call, email, fax, or complete the ICDP referral to the contact information listed below.
Contact Info
Infant & Child Development Program
BGC Kawarthas
107 Lindsay Street South
Lindsay, Ontario K9V 2M5
Fax 705-878-8605
Kareem Burgess
Phone 705-324-4493, ext 212
Email: kburgess@bgckawarthas.com
Maddie Tucker
Phone 705-324-4493, ext 213
Email: mtucker@bgckawarthas.com
What’s Next?
An Infant and Child Development consultant will contact you and arrange a home visit to meet you. A simple discussion about your child’s development will help you to identify early goals. Through a family centered routines-based service model, the program will focus on building the capacity of the parent/caregiver to nurture and enhance the child’s well-being and development. The focus is on developing motor, language, social and problem solving skills. Children may be followed by Infant and Child Development from birth until school entry. At that time, discussions around the need for ongoing supports will take place.
Early Childhood Resource Program offered by Community Living Trent Highlands.

Reach Youth Support
The Reach Youth Support Program is a Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services funded program offered by BGC Kawarthas. The service is made available at the local schools for children and youth that are experiencing some sort of problem or stress in their lives. The program is structured and activity oriented. It is confidential and provided to youth and their families at no cost.
The Reach Youth Support Program is designed to be a preventative service. The intention is not therapy but rather a less restrictive intervention. The focus of the program is to aid youth in developing skills to deal with day to day life. This is facilitated through the client/worker relationship.
Reach groups take place at designated Trillium Lakelands District Schools, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic Schools.
Registration & Contact
To request for your child to participate in Reach, please connect with your child’s school. For all other questions, please contact: Carly Veitch, at (705) 324-4493 ext. 239 or abourguignon@bgckl.com.