Frequently Asked Questions
What is Peterborough Youth Services?
What kind of help is available?
What can counselling do for me?
Why should I come to PYS?
How do I get started or referred to PYS?
Is it for me?
What is Peterborough Youth Services?
Peterborough Youth Services (PYS for short) is a non-profit social service agency which has been providing counselling and support to young people 10-18 and their families in Peterborough and surrounding areas for over twenty-five years. The professional staff of PYS specialize in working with youth.
What kind of help is available?
A range of services are available including individual, family, and group counselling, and Outreach/Crisis service. PYS is a child and youth focused agency. Family therapy is available in support of goals for the child or adolescent, however it is not a requirement for service.
What can counselling do for me?
Counselling provides help for youth dealing with many different situations and problems such as:
- Conflict with the law
- Pregnancy/teen parenthood
- Physical and/or sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Family violence and/or family breakdown
- Difficulties at school
- Poor self-image
- Difficulties coping with life in general
- Learning life and independent living skills
- Making transitions to adulthood
- Bullying
- Sadness, depression, anger
- The loss of someone close to you
Individual counselling gives young people an opportunity to meet privately with a counsellor to talk about problems they may be having and explore possible solutions. Your counsellor will talk with you and gather some information from you and answer any questions you might have. Counselling often includes using role plays, art or drama and games. You and your counsellor will decide what works best for you.
Family counselling is an opportunity for you and members of your family to meet with a counsellor to work out problems that you haven't managed to solve on your own. It can mean coming in with your whole family or just you and your mom or dad. We usually start by meeting with the young person on their own before moving to family counselling. This can help you to figure out what the problem is and decide on the best way to solve it.
Group Counselling at PYS is an opportunity for a small group of young people who have experienced similar problems to get together with a group counsellor to talk about their experiences, get emotional support and work toward making changes in their lives. Group counselling, like individual counselling is private and confidential.
Regular groups offered by PYS include a young adults group, a preadolescent social skills group, and in-school groups. Other groups addressing specific issues may be formed according to needs.
Our groups offer young people a place to participate in discussions and activities that provide peer support and an open and understanding environment to talk about youth issues and concerns.
Outreach/Crisis services are available for youth of all ages. This may include helping young people and families in crisis, youth who are not able, for a variety of reasons, to get to PYS, youth who need help finding employment, assistance with life skills, housing, education and applying for financial assistance.
Why should I come to PYS?
Research has shown us that certain factors help youth cope with life’s stresses and among them are:
- Friendship/belonging
- Participating in activities
- Feeling good about yourself
- Feeling good about how others see you
- Having adults in your life whom you admire
- Having an adult with whom you can talk
How do I get started or referred to PYS?
You can call Peterborough Youth Services and talk with the receptionist and ask for an intake appointment. Though we encourage family involvement, in accordance with the Child and Family Services Act any child 12 and over may refer themselves with or without the knowledge or consent of their parents.
PYS also accepts referrals from community resources (with the support of the youth and family) such as schools, probation officers, children’s aid workers, the courts, doctors, public health nurses, and many other people who are involved with young people.
You can call from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (except holidays). Since PYS is funded through provincial and municipal governments, the United Way, foundation grants and private donations, services are offered to you and your family at no cost.
Is it for me?
If after having read this you're still not sure whether PYS is right for you, why not call and arrange to meet with a counsellor to find out more about how PYS might be able to help you? Our Staff will be more than happy to arrange a time for you to come in to meet with a counsellor. You can e-mail us at or you can phone 743-1681 and talk with the receptionist or leave a message and we will return your call.