What's Working: Streetfront with Trevor Stokes

A remarkable alternative schooling program in East Vancouver is transforming the lives of youth through the sport of running. Streetfront began as an idea nearly 50 years ago, and has blossomed into a program that turns at-risk youth who are struggling with conventional education into high school graduates who run half marathons, full marathons and beyond.

In this episode of What's Working, Streetfront's Program Lead, Trevor Stokes, describes how removing barriers to entry empowers students, why running every step with the students matters so much, and how life-changing the program has been for children who often live "in the shadows". He also reveals that Streetfront has evolved from the humblest of beginnings into a program that has seen its students run more marathons than any other high school in the world.

For more information on Streetfront, visit ⁠Streetfront's website⁠ and email Trevor at tstokes@vsb.bc.ca.

Chapters:

0:00 Opening

0:41 What is Streetfront?

2:17 Running as a tool for self-worth and determination

3:51 Turning "running the other way" into buy-in

4:46 Why staff run every stride with the students

5:21 How the program started in 1977

6:54 Why running is cheap, local and effective

7:52 Removing every barrier to entry

8:52 The marathon doesn't care who you are

9:54 Earning trust before earning results

11:21 Alumni who come back to run with current students

12:23 Navigating school and school board politics

14:40 The metaphor behind the mission

15:15 How kids and families find Streetfront

16:59 What success looks like for a Street Front student

18:06 300+ half and full marathons in one year

20:23 How the funding and finances come together

22:04 High expectations, not sympathy

23:31 How peers view students after the program

25:11 "When somebody wins, we all win"

26:24 Advice for communities who want to start their own program