Start your child’s 4 Seasons, 4 Years journey

Applying to Trails is the first step toward a four-year experience that builds confidence, connection, and lifelong skills. The application is completed by a parent or guardian, with support from your child’s school.

Trails is looking for youth who would benefit from long-term mentorship, a strong peer community, and opportunities to grow, both personally and academically.

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Application Process

Students are eligible to apply during their Grade 6 year for a summer program start. Trails serves youth from underserved communities across the GTA, and no outdoor experience is required. See below for more information on our partner schools.
To apply, families will complete the following steps:
1. Parent/Guardian Application Form
  Completed by a parent or guardian to share information about your child, your family, and why Trails may be a good fit.
2. School Referral Form
  Completed by a teacher, guidance counsellor, or school administrator who knows your child well and can speak to their strengths, needs, and potential.
Once both forms are submitted to Trails, applications and referrals are reviewed.

Click here to preview the Teacher Referral form. *For reference only, the form must be completed using the link below.
- Parent Application Form
- School Referral Form
1. Selected applicants will receive conditional acceptance via email.
2. Additional paperwork, including a Medical Form, Code of Conduct and Waiver must be completed and submitted by the deadline, along with the $100 enrollment fee.
3. Once additional paperwork is received, families receive a final acceptance confirmation email, along with information for the summer session, including Intake Day, summer dates and packing list.
1. In early June, families are invited to Intake Day at Trails’ Lakeside property where you will have a chance to tour the site and meet our staff and other new participant families.
2. And finally, your child’s four-year journey at Trails begins with their first Summer Session (typically 9-10 days long in July or August).

Watch

Faye shares her family’s experience with Trails

Partner Schools

Our partner schools are located within the bottom 15% of the Toronto District School Board’s Learning Opportunities Index (LOI). The LOI ranks each school based on the measures of external challenges affecting student success which includes median income, percentage of families receiving social assistance, levels of adult educational attainment and the prevalence of single-parent households.

We have long-standing relationships with the following partner schools, which serve as our primary feeder schools:

Lawrence Heights Middle School
Pierre Laporte Middle School
Portage Trail Community School
Taylor Creek Public School
Beverley Heights Middle School
Military Trail Public School

If you believe your child or student would benefit from the program but does not attend one of the schools listed above, we welcome applications from outside our primary feeder schools for consideration and review.

For more information, please contact:
Brandon McKinley
Youth Development Director
brandon@trails.ca

Group of young people at Trails cheering

I recommend Trails to our students because of the chance to build their conflict-resolution skills and social/emotional skills and to be part of a community that will nurture them to reach their full potential.” - Mr. Hiren Patel, Teacher

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Start your child’s 4 Seasons, 4 Years journey

Application Process

Eligibility: Who Can Apply?

How to Apply

Applications and Paperwork

Intake for Selected Applicants

Faye shares her family’s experience with Trails

Partner Schools

Ways to Support

About Trails

Trails Program

For Life Program