When Nabeela arrived in Canada from Pakistan in 2001, she was in grade 11 and looking for connection in a new country. She wanted to improve her English, learn about Canadian culture, and find her footing. She found all of that through YMCA Calgary’s Youth Achievement Program (YMAP).
More than two decades later, her children Rayyan and Laiba are finding their own path through the same program, making the Asif family one of YMAP’s most enduring success stories.
YMAP supports young newcomers in building the practical and personal skills they need to thrive, from resume writing and job searching to leadership and community involvement. For Nabeela, those skills were transformative.
“I’m very thankful that I was able to learn all of these things with the help of the directors and coordinators in YMAP,” she says. “I put both of my kids in the program for that reason, so they get all of these skills.”
Rayyan and Laiba have taken that foundation and made it their own. For Laiba, still an active participant today, YMAP has opened doors to volunteering across Calgary and a deeper connection to the city she now calls home.
“YMAP never felt like just another after school program or where I was just a participant,” she says. “The coordinators really care about us. It’s a great support system if you’re new to Canada or a first-generation immigrant.”
Rayyan echoes that sentiment. “The encouragement I got during my three years at YMAP made me feel like I had the potential to do great things, to give back to my community. It really meant a lot to me.”
The Asif family’s story reflects what the Y makes possible across Canada. From newcomer support to leadership development, YMCAs nationwide are creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and equipped to contribute. Whether brand new to Canada or growing up in the community their parents once navigated as newcomers, young people at the Y are finding the same things: a place to belong, skills that last, and the confidence to make a difference.
Across Canada, the YMCA is committed to empowering the next generation of leaders.
Read the Asif family’s full story at YMCA Calgary’s website.
