Healthy Communities • Y Stories
The record-breaking history of Career Planning at the Y
27 February 2018 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
The YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Career Planning and Development Services, a pioneering program in career counselling in Canada, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year — making it the oldest continuous program in our YMCA of Greater Toronto's history. And though much has changed in three quarters of a century, we remain committed to helping people across the GTA and Canada advance in their careers and personal development.
The program started in 1943, when Frank G. Lawson, then-chair of the Toronto YMCA Counselling Service, engaged Dr. Gerald P. Cosgrave to provide guidance and career direction to soldiers returning from World War II. Immensely inspired by the work of Dr. Cosgrave, Lawson was an active and influential proponent of the importance of career counselling. He directed his personal philanthropy to what was to eventually become the Counselling Foundation of Canada, with the mandate to help promote career counselling in Canada.
In the ’50s, Career Planning moved into its own two-storey building at Yonge & Eglinton, and became known as The Centre for Counselling and Human Relations. The Centre was a programmatically vibrant facility offering adult education programs, career counselling, and career assessment training for public school guidance counsellors. In fact, York University’s Glendon College had its origin in our Centre’s adult education program.
In the socially tumultuous ’60s, the Centre identified itself with the human potential movement and offered programs reflecting the spirit of this time. In addition to career planning, there was an explosion in the menu of human relations and self-development programs, including Assertiveness Training, Gestalt Awareness, Yoga, Meditation, Empathy Training, Advanced Assertiveness Retreats, Group Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Life Planning, Art Therapy, and Making a Good Marriage Better. A few clinical assessment programs such as Child Assessment (i.e. psycho-educational assessments) and Manpower Assessment (i.e. employability assessment and referral) and career counselling were also on the menu.
The human potential movement of the ’60s waned, as did its cornucopia of programs, and was replaced by the more prosperous ’80s. People had more discretionary income, were not content to stay in an unhappy job, and were prepared to invest in developing themselves — sending the usage of career counselling to an all-time high.
Today, we continue to serve people from all walks of life, of all ages, and at any stage of their career. Thanks to our rich history, many of our clients are referred to us by grandparents, parents and relatives who came to us over these past 75 years. Others come because we were recommended by a friend, employer, colleague, neighbour, doctor, teacher, or therapist. And finally, our YMCA staff also come and get help with their career and personal developmental plans. If Dr. Cosgrave and Frank G. Lawson were here today, we’re sure our program would do them proud.
Learn more about the YMCA’s Career Planning and Development Services.
The program started in 1943, when Frank G. Lawson, then-chair of the Toronto YMCA Counselling Service, engaged Dr. Gerald P. Cosgrave to provide guidance and career direction to soldiers returning from World War II. Immensely inspired by the work of Dr. Cosgrave, Lawson was an active and influential proponent of the importance of career counselling. He directed his personal philanthropy to what was to eventually become the Counselling Foundation of Canada, with the mandate to help promote career counselling in Canada.
In the ’50s, Career Planning moved into its own two-storey building at Yonge & Eglinton, and became known as The Centre for Counselling and Human Relations. The Centre was a programmatically vibrant facility offering adult education programs, career counselling, and career assessment training for public school guidance counsellors. In fact, York University’s Glendon College had its origin in our Centre’s adult education program.
In the socially tumultuous ’60s, the Centre identified itself with the human potential movement and offered programs reflecting the spirit of this time. In addition to career planning, there was an explosion in the menu of human relations and self-development programs, including Assertiveness Training, Gestalt Awareness, Yoga, Meditation, Empathy Training, Advanced Assertiveness Retreats, Group Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Life Planning, Art Therapy, and Making a Good Marriage Better. A few clinical assessment programs such as Child Assessment (i.e. psycho-educational assessments) and Manpower Assessment (i.e. employability assessment and referral) and career counselling were also on the menu.
The human potential movement of the ’60s waned, as did its cornucopia of programs, and was replaced by the more prosperous ’80s. People had more discretionary income, were not content to stay in an unhappy job, and were prepared to invest in developing themselves — sending the usage of career counselling to an all-time high.
Today, we continue to serve people from all walks of life, of all ages, and at any stage of their career. Thanks to our rich history, many of our clients are referred to us by grandparents, parents and relatives who came to us over these past 75 years. Others come because we were recommended by a friend, employer, colleague, neighbour, doctor, teacher, or therapist. And finally, our YMCA staff also come and get help with their career and personal developmental plans. If Dr. Cosgrave and Frank G. Lawson were here today, we’re sure our program would do them proud.
Learn more about the YMCA’s Career Planning and Development Services.
