Venture Academy

” Hello, I went to venture academy September of 2024 to October 2024, for anyone that is looking at the reviews where it says TONI AND TOM are toxic, they are legit so sweet, they treated me like i was their daughter! when u get there, they do take your phone or anything u brought that could harm yourself to provide a safe stay, usually on the first day if u dont have pens or a water bottle or a journal, toni wil most likely talk you to dollarama, due to tom working at his job, after that you come back home, usually before u go, u unpack whatever u brought, your allowed to bring trinkets and figurines, and they have tons of books there, a average school day looks like this, 1. wake up at 6 am, go to car and put venture bag into truck, 2. eat breakfast (cereal with yogurt or just ceral, or a muffin. 3. wait in your room for a bit. 4. Toni calls you out you can bring a book with you to ther car you just have to leave it there when u get out. 5. once u arrive u wait for a teacher to say u can be escorted if not, u have to be spaced from the other youth to decrease the case of drama/problems. 6. then you have to do body and bag checks u dont have to undress, just check the pants, shirt, sweater, etc. then they check the bags 7. then u have 40 mins of school work from your school, then 10 minute break, than lunch or gym either can happen first. this repeats till 3 pm (gym and lunch is once a day) somtimes gym doesnt happen. 8. somtime during the day u might get called to the office to have a parent call for 15-30 minutes 9, once the day is done u wait for toni to pick u up 10. whoevers shower day it is they shower first 11. homeowrk 12.break time 13. dinner 14. break time 15. MOVIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE 16. bed time around 8:30 17:9:30 for weekends “

” I attended Venture Academy in 2017. I was at a place in my life where I needed more support and guidance than my parents, schools, or even the provincial healthcare system was able to offer. At this point in time, my generation was on the cusp of so many new issues that adults were not familiar with, let alone able to figure out how to navigate and support me through. Venture Academy provided the support that others could not so that I did not fall through the cracks. The program itself is hard. I was in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people, and rules I was not accustomed to. It took a long time to adjust, but with the support and encouragement of the lovely staff at Venture, I was able to figure out how to move on with my life, making positive strides towards self improvement and rebuilding the relationship with my family. I entered this program unsure if I would even be able to finish high school. Nearly eight years later, I am about to complete my third (and final) university degree. I’ve chosen to pursue a career in law so that I may be able to act as an advocate for others, just as my family, friends, and support staff did here. The most important things I learned at Venture were how to be strong & resilient. These are skills I use every day. “

” We are truly grateful for the positive impact Venture Academy has had on our family. From the moment we engaged with the staff, it was clear that they are not only highly skilled professionals but also deeply committed to helping troubled teens thrive. The program has brought a sense of peace and stability to our home, and we’ve seen growth in our daughter’s confidence, skills, and overall well-being. The staff at Venture Academy are nothing short of exceptional—compassionate, patient, and dedicated to providing personalized support. They go above and beyond to create a nurturing environment where our daughter felt valued, understood, and challenged to reach her full potential. The open communication and genuine care they offered has renewed our faith and restored our trust that our child was in great hands. While we’ve seen incredible progress, we understand that growth is a continual journey, and we appreciate that Venture Academy recognizes this too. We’re all a ‘work in progress’ which has helped us embrace the process and celebrate each step forward. Also, every parent needs to know about a place like this! We are excited to see where this journey takes us next. Thank you for everything!!! “

” As a parent of a teen who has been in the program for 3 months, I can honestly say the turnaround has been nothing short of miraculous. I fully attribute this to the tireless and heroic dedication and caring of Louise and the entire team at Venture Academy, Ontario. They have given our son the tools to place himself more firmly at the center of his experience and look at life with an entirely new lense. In turn we too are owning our part –this is “we” problem, not just a “he” problem–and with the ongoing assistance of Venture and their aftercare program, are creating a plan for him to return to a new family culture: one that includes respect, connection and accountability. We are not in a high income bracket, by any means, but I can truly say without hesitation, every bit invested to get our son back on track has been 100% worth it. I have no illusions that the path will be without bumps, but with Venture’s help, we are now equipped to navigate these. We have so much more hope for the future, where at times it felt like there was none. Thank you thank you THANK YOU Venture. Words cannot express our gratitude and appreciation for all you have done. “

” During the pandemic, my daughter struggled with her mental health. It got to the point that I could no longer keep her safe(severe self-harm). She was in & out of the hospital until they would no longer accept her. After falling through the cracks of our provincial system, I found Venture online. I called & was assured that they could help. I took that chance & can’t say enough about the help that they gave. Having her away was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but also the best. She’s been back home for over a year now & is thriving socially and academically. Our trust in each other has been restored, if anything our relationship is even better. Louise & the staff gave us both the support we needed. The self-work & tools she learned at Venture have given her a solid base to build her life on. I also did the work Louise recommended I do, reading & learning about how to be a better parent, doing plenty of self reflection of my own. She was there for about a year, completing the program. There was also support for us when she returned home, which was very helpful. I think having the kids stay with a family helps them put the skills they learn into practice. When my daughter wanted to change home-stays, staff listened to her, tried to help her work things out, but were happy to move her. Approaching staff with reasonable requests was never an issue for us. Venture was the best thing for my family. My daughter now has better interpersonal skills than many adults I know and is looking forward to achieving her goals for her future. I don’t think we would be in this good a place without them. “