Our Mission Statement

"We strive to empower youth facing employment challenges by offering innovative and supportive programs that initiate positive change and personal success."

Our History

Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. (GHYS), stands for Youth Seeking Employment and Resources for Change. We are a pre-employment program for at-risk youth between the ages of 15 to 30. Youth Search is supported by its parent organization, Gordon Neighbourhood House, who is a member of The Association of Neighbourhood Houses of Greater Vancouver and a member agency of the United Way.

GHYS has been providing employment services for multi-barriered youth throughout the Lower Mainland since 1981. We began as a social venture called “Lo Cost Labour”, a landscaping business designed to employ sex trade workers in the West End. This early business grew and lent many of the youth an opportunity to gain new skills and earn money in a legal and fulfilling fashion. Over the years, our methods of acquainting youth with job ready skills eventually shifted to a classroom-based learning model which we currently use, and in 1996, we became “Youth S.E.A.R.Ch.” GHYS currently runs 4 programs:

1. Skills Link (Service Canada)
2. Community Assistance Program (Ministry of Housing and Social Development)
3. JobWave
4. Housing

Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. aims at continuously providing quality programs that educate, build self-esteem, and ultimately initiate positive change and personal success in individuals aged 15 to 30. Participants gain the tools, skills and knowledge they need to overcome barriers that prevent them from finding and sustaining employment -- whether it be homelessness, alcohol and drug addiction, discrimination, and/or lack of education and training -- Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. is here to help.

Advocacy of the rights and needs of young people, combined with an intimate knowledge of community resources and professionalism in networking with employers and service providers, assures the program's credibility and a genuine response to young people.

Staff at Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. acknowledge the many individuals who have successfully completed the program, and congratulate them for their efforts in making positive life changes.

Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch.

#300, 853 Richards Street
Vancouver, BC, V6B 3B4
Phone: 604-687-8868
Fax: 604-689-9675
E-mail: danielle@youthsearch.ca

View Map

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday
9 am - 4 pm

Julio Bello  |  Director of Youth Employment/Housing Programs

Julio has over 18 years experience working with social services with a focus on at-risk youth. He started as an Employment Counselor and worked his way up to become the Director of Youth Employment/Housing Programs for Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. His favorite quote by Carl Jung is “If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.” Over his social service career, Julio has been active in various capacities with several professional organizations, including Covenant House, Open Learning Agency, Boys & Girls Clubs, and BOB.

Darrick Cutler  |  Team Leader

Darrick is the team leader at Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. and has worked in the social service sector for over 8 years. For his first 6 years, he worked in group homes teaching mentally challenged children and adults life skills. He has been involved and still works for Covenant House Vancouver doing youth work and shift supervision. Darrick has also worked for the Surrey School board as a Safe School Liaison Officer and as a Child Care Worker for a foster home. Darrick loves to play baseball (plus any other sport imaginable), draw and hang out with his wife and two kids.

Danielle Denis  |  Administration Assistant

Danielle has been working for the Association for the past 17 years. She believes that she cannot change the world but strongly believes in the ripple effect. Which is why she has chosen to focus on making a change in her own community — this gives her a sense of meaning! Her favorite quote is “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle” by Philo of Alexandria.

Nicole Nelson  |  Lifeskills Support Worker

After completing a Criminology degree, Nicole decided that she wanted to move onto Social Work. Her experience in practicum at a Surrey high school and then work in a foster home with four teenage girls has heightened her interest in working with youth and young adults. Although she has only been working as a Lifeskills Support Worker at Gordon House for a short time, she has found it to be a very rewarding experience. She enjoys supporting youth in overcoming personal challenges and helping them achieve employment and personal goals.

Jenn Gould  |  Employment Counselor

With a background in employment services, social justice and recreational leadership Jenn excels in group based settings and facilitating. Jenn has a BA in Criminology and approximately seven years of facilitation experience working primarily with youth, immigrants and individuals in conflict with the justice system. Her favourite part of working at Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. is learning about the unique experiences of the participants and seeing the amazing things they accomplish! Jenn loves bubble tea, rock climbing and travel.

Morgan Levy  |  Employment Counselor

Morgan completed her Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology in 2009. During her practicum and subsequent work experience in the Counselling Department at Vancouver Community College, she found that she most enjoyed Career and Employment Counselling, which led her to Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. Morgan also loves facilitating, and has worked with agencies such as Family Services of the North Shore and YWCA Vancouver running groups for both adults and youth. In addition to Counselling, Morgan also works as a freelance writer and copy-editor for various companies throughout the Lower Mainland as well as internationally. She is currently writing an English blog for the German Olympic Committee as they work towards the Olympic bid for Munich 2018.

Tracy Ackerman  |  Employment Counselor

Tracy is the newest member of the Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch team after being a practicum student with us. She is a recent graduate of SFU's Career Development Practitioners Certificate Program. Tracy has spent over 9 years marketing high profile organizations including Whistler Blackcomb and the Vancouver Aquarium. She also has an Honours degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. In her free time, she loves to travel, run, mountain bike and snowboard.