Agreements with Young Adults

If you’ve been in foster care or had a Youth Agreement, you may qualify for the Agreements with a Young Adult (AYA) program to help cover the cost of things like housing, child care, tuition and health care while you go to school or do job training, or attend rehabilitation, mental health, or life skills programs.

To apply for an agreement, you must be between 19 and 26 years old, and on your 19th birthday were in one of the following care arrangements:

  • The custody of a director or permanent custody of the Superintendent
  • The guardianship of a director of adoption
  • The guardianship of a director under the Family Relations Act
  • A Youth Agreement

If you believe you may be eligible for the program, please contact your local Ministry of Children and Family Development office.

You can reach your local Ministry of Children and Family Development office by calling 250-387-7027 or toll-free: 1-877-387-7027.

Or Apply Now

Money To Help

The AYA program provides up to a maximum of $1,250 per month to cover living expenses while you go to school or do job training, or attend rehabilitation, mental health, or life skills programs.

These living expenses include things like food and housing  for you and your children if you have any. 

Education and skills training programs:  An AYA can support you while you attend school or job training.  Tuition and other expenses are generally covered by the Youth Education Assistance Fund (YEAF) or the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program.  If not, an AYA may help pay for your books, uniforms, and any other expenses required by the education program.
Find out about other financial aid options for education and training:
Rehabilitation programs: An AYA can support you while you attend a rehabilitation program such as a mental health, addictions or substance use program, or a cultural healing and wellness program. If you've completed a residential treatment program for alcohol and drug use and now require support to keep from relapsing, a post-treatment support program can be part of your plan. Your worker can help you create a strategy for doing this.
 
Life skills programs:  An AYA can support you while you take a life skills program.  Life skills programs are meant to help you to gain skills and provide hands-on guidance in things like managing your money time management, decision-making and problem solving so that you can achieve your goals.  A worker can help you to understand the life skills that you want to learn and to develop a plan.
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List of available life skills Programs

Location

Program

Organization

Area

Campbell River

Aboriginal Life Skills Program

Laichwilthach Family Life
Contact Information

North Vancouver Island

Campbell River

Foundry Campbell River

The John Howard Society of North Island
Contact Information

North Vancouver Island
Courtenay The Station - Supported Independent Living The John Howard Society of North Island
Contact Information		 North Vancouver Island

New Westminster

The Link

Aunt Leah's PLace

North Fraser
Surrey Supported Youth Independent Housing Program (SYIH) Options Community Services
Contact Information		 South Fraser
North Vancouver Life Success Program Hollyburn Family Services Society
Contact Information		 Coast North Shore
Vancouver Covenant House Covenant House Vancouver
Contact Information		 Vancouver/Richmond
Vancouver Youth Housing Services Pacific Community Resources Society
Contact Information		 Vancouver/Richmond
Vancouver Strive YWCA Metro Vancouver
Contact Information		 Vancouver/Richmond

Whistler

Work 2 Live

Zero Ceiling Society of Canada

Coast/North Shore

Kelowna

The Essentials Program

New Opportunities for Women Canada Society (NOW

Okanagan

Prince George

AiMHi

Prince George Community Living Association

North Central

Prince George

Bridging to Employment Program: Life Skills to Success

Carrier Sekani Family Services

North Central
Kamloops Safe Suites A Way Home Kamloops Society
Contact Information		 Thompson, Cariboo, Shuswap
Victoria Prana Services Inc. Life Skills and Outreach Program Prana Services Inc. Vancouver Island

 

 

Length of an Agreement

Through discussion with a worker, the length of your agreement will be worked out based on your needs and the program you are on. You can have more than one agreement, for a total of up to 48 months (4 years) of support.

For example, you could:

  • Attend a life-skills or rehabilitation program for six months with AYA support
  • Work for a year without an AYA
  • Then, go back to school and enter into another AYA

AYAs do not extend past the day of your 27th birthday.

Apply for an Agreement

Step 1: Four to six weeks before the program you're interested in begins, complete an application form (PDF). In the section "Program and Support Need" describe the program you'd like to take and what kind of financial assistance or other support you may need.
 
Step 2: Mail or drop off your application form:
Step 3: Within two weeks, a social worker will contact you to prepare a written plan together that explains your goals and the support you need to reach them.
Besides outlining what the provincial government or social worker will do to help you with your plan, this meeting will also outline what's expected of you. For example, you will need to complete one of the following requirements:
  • 60% course load in an educational or skills training program (40% if you have a permanent disability)
  • A minimum of 5 hours a week participation in a rehabilitation program (i.e. mental health or substance use program including cultural healing and wellness)
  • Any combination of educational, skills training, life-skills and/or rehabilitation program time that equals at least 5 hours a week
  • An approved life skills program
  • A minimum of 5 hours a week participation in an individualized life skills program focusing one or more of the following domains: education, health and wellness, financial literacy, social skills, employment, housing, and cultural learning and connection

We know that sometimes the system requirements are too demanding for young people to meet - for example, the course load requirement can be too challenging. If young adults need additional flexibility, ministry or Delegated Aboriginal Agency (DAA) workers are ready to help.