Our Vision

The School of CYC is dedicated to the training of child and youth care practitioners and students in the undergraduate, MA and PhD programs through a combination of distance, on-campus and land- and community-based learning options. Graduates of our undergraduate and graduate programs work in a range of practice settings, attending to the social, physical, cultural, spiritual and emotional needs of children, youth, and families and communities.

Faculty Members at the School of CYC contribute to cutting-edge knowledge in the field of child and youth care and are a resource to community, government, and the scholarly community. CYC Faculty Members come from varied disciplinary backgrounds but with a common/shared commitment to applied research that will make a difference in the lives of children, youth, families, and communities. The School of CYC is committed to fostering a strong research culture that supports innovative knowledge mobilization and translation strategies that engage with students, practitioners, policy-makers and other stakeholders. Our research culture values collaboration and mentorship for the mutual benefit of all members of our community.

The School of CYC values engaged citizenship and recognizes that participation, service and community outreach are integral to the activities of Faculty Members.

We recognize that Faculty Members are responsible for the academic governance of the School. We aim to govern in ways that do not confer advantage on any one or group of individuals, that are respectful of the diversity of opinions and values held by CYC Faculty Members, and that ensure inclusivity, so that all who have a right to participate have the opportunity to do so.

We value decision-making processes that rest on open and transparent consultation and on opportunities for democratic participation.

We value equitable and inclusive decision-making and communication. CYC staff and sessional instructors are valued members of the CYC community and have the right to meaningful consultation on academic governance matters that will impact them. Wherever possible, CYC undergraduate and graduate students will be included through consultation and/or elected representation in academic governance decisions.

We recognize that our mission as educators, researchers, and practitioners is integrally connected to the children, youth, families, and communities that we serve and to the sovereign Coast Salish communities and homelands which the University and Greater Victoria occupy.

We are committed to engaging with each other, with staff, students, and community members in ways that are consistent with the values of academic integrity – honesty, accountability for actions, and respect for others.

We are committed to enacting in our policies, practices and actions, a concrete commitment to reparation and decolonization in support of Indigenous sovereignty, ecological justice, and anti-racism.

The School of CYC is an interdisciplinary program. Our community values diverse perspectives, including theoretical, pedagogical and epistemological diversity, and recognizes the value that this adds to the educational experience of our undergraduate and graduate students and to advancing issues of social justice and equity for children, youth, and their families and communities.