We recognize that people are unique in many ways. Each youth is influenced by many factors and experiences, such as race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, family background or learning style, and we value these differences. Partnerships with others in the community help us provide support to all youth. We consider the strengths that individuals have in many areas of their life such as family, school, work, and recreational activities. We try to meet the specific needs of each youth by offering a variety of programs, such as groups or individual counselling, at different locations and different times of the day. Counsellors and youth work together as partners to work on goals that are chosen by the youth, for as long as it is helpful.

People's goals will be different, and may change over time. Goals may include reduced use of some or all substances, not using at all, doing better at school or building relationships. No matter what the goals are, AY is always looking for ways to help youth keep themselves safe. Harm reduction is a term that means increasing health/safety in a person's life by reducing harm. Some examples of harm reduction are going out with friends and making arrangements to have a safe way home or having a friend around who is sober during a party. An important part of harm reduction is understanding the consequences that can come from drug and alcohol use.