Know a Community Hero?

Nominations are now open for the Safe City Hero Awards

Recognize someone who has made an extraordinary contribution to crime prevention in Mississauga. Nominate a neighbour, a young leader, or an organization making our city safer.

Adult Hero
Youth Hero
Community Supporter
Nominate a Hero Maybe later
A Safe City Mississauga youth program

Smart choices.
Safer futures.
Stronger youth.

School Watch helps young people make smart, safe choices on their path through young adulthood. Through free in-person workshops and the #FutureGrad campaign, we educate, engage, and encourage Mississauga youth to build the skills that keep them, and their community, safe.

Free for Mississauga schools Fully customizable format Earn volunteer hours
Working with younger kids? Explore Civics 4 Kids
What it is

What is School Watch?

The School Watch program teaches youth how to make smart and safe choices on their path through young adulthood. It’s all about three things:

Educating youth on crime prevention and life skills

Educating

Youth on crime prevention and life skills.

Engaging youth in community clean-up events

Engaging

Them in community clean-up events.

Encouraging responsible and equitable reporting

Encouraging

Responsible and equitable reporting.

In-person workshops

Request a workshop for your school or organization

Mississauga high schools and community organizations can request free in-person workshops on any of the following topics.

Graduation 101

Everything from graduation requirements and volunteer options to pathways for exploring post-secondary and career opportunities like the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP).

Criminal Records

Youth vs. adult records, impacts on personal, academic and professional life, how issues like bullying can lead to charges, police record checks, and responsible reporting.

Communication Skills

Verbal vs. non-verbal communication, active listening, conflict de-escalation, reliable sources of information, and understanding informal vs. formal communication.

Critical Thinking

Evaluating information, assessing credibility, understanding biases, recognizing marketing tactics, and combating discrimination through informed decision-making.

Healthy Living

Cultural food influences, sugar intake, substance use, exercise, sleep hygiene, stress management, and strategies for improved physical and mental wellbeing.

Jobs & Careers

Career planning, navigating employment sectors, exploring the skilled trades, finding employment, avoiding job scams, and understanding compensation.

Online Safety

Social media’s benefits and drawbacks, managing screen time, privacy concerns, avoiding scams, understanding cyberbullying, and reporting incidents.

Personal Finance

Bank accounts, credit management, setting SMART financial goals, fraud and scam prevention, plus practical insights on quality choices, sustainability, and income taxes.

Personal Safety

Situational awareness, risk taking, peer pressure, identifying unhealthy relationship behaviours, and using technology for safety purposes.

The format of School Watch is fully customizable.

Contact Gerald Adad to learn more and request programming for your school or organization.

nsm@safecitymississauga.on.ca
The #FutureGrad campaign #FutureGrad

Helping more students cross the stage.

The #FutureGrad campaign encourages high school students to graduate. Our self-paced Graduation 101 course explains every requirement for graduating from secondary school in Ontario, and maps out alternative paths to graduation for students when the traditional way isn’t working, complete with a Graduation Checklist worksheet and a Did You Know fact sheet.

40,000
Canadian students drop out every year
1 in 3
of those dropouts leave before Grade 9
80%
of federal jail inmates are school dropouts

Success in school is more than academic achievement, it’s a shield against the allure of crime. That’s why staying in school matters.

Get involved

Two ways to take part

Take the course yourself, or lead the campaign at your school and earn volunteer hours.

Students working through the Graduation 101 course
For students

Take the Graduation 101 course

Self-directed, self-paced, and available 24/7 on our online platform. At the end of the course you can download a Graduation Checklist to plan your course credits and your community involvement and volunteer hours.

Student leading a #FutureGrad campaign at school
For campaign leads

Lead a #FutureGrad campaign

Are you a Mississauga high school student who wants to lead a #FutureGrad campaign at your school? Register for School Watch to unlock our Campaign Toolkit, with everything you need to run a successful campaign. Leads earn volunteer hours toward the 40 required for graduation.

Bring School Watch to your school.

Whether you’re an educator, a community organization, or a student ready to lead, we’ll help you get started. Reach out and let’s build a safer future together.

Request Programming

Questions about School Watch or the #FutureGrad campaign? Get in touch with our Neighbourhood Safety team and we’ll help you find the right programming.

Gerald Adad nsm@safecitymississauga.on.ca 905-615-4155 1055A – 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, L5B 3C9