SelfDesign Learning Foundation

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SelfDesign Learning Foundation

Celebrating 40 years as your global leader in personalized and lifelong learning. Our model and philosophy are what set us apart. http://selfdesign.org/

Our programs: SelfDesign Learning Community, HomeLearners Network and SelfDesign Home Learning. With personalized guidance and direct support from BC-certified educators, children and youth participate with their families in creating learning plans, customizing what will be studied according to curiosities, passions, and needs. Learning unfolds at home and within local and online communities, with supporting educators validating the learning for academic credit. As a result of this approach, young people experience integrated, relevant learning and gain lifelong skills in following their own educational paths. Our K-12 learners and our graduates are known for their confidence, creativity, resourcefulness, and passion for life—all ingredients for happiness and success.

10/08/2026

Some young people don’t see themselves as leaders, even when they’re already standing up for others or bringing people together.

Our HomeLearners Network program’s new partnership with Minerva BC gives girls and gender-diverse youth a chance to explore their strengths and become more comfortable sharing their ideas.

Through four interactive online sessions, the Learning to Lead program will help participants explore what matters to them and how they’d like to make a difference in their communities.

We’re excited to bring this opportunity to HomeLearners Network! Read our latest blog to learn more about the partnership and what participants can expect → https://www.selfdesign.org/helping-girls-and-gender-diverse-youth-discover-the-leaders-they-already-are/

10/02/2026

What does your learner feel like exploring this October? Maybe it’s building a space adventure in Minecraft, experimenting with optical illusions, learning to sew, exploring circuits, drawing nocturnal animals or settling in for some knitting and crochet.

At our HomeLearners Network program, there are activities happening Monday through Friday, giving learners plenty of ways to follow their interests and try something new!

Our latest blog gives you a day-by-day look at some of the activities happening this October, from art, music and crafting to coding, STEM, storytelling and games.

Explore our October activities here → https://www.selfdesign.org/monday-through-friday-activities-that-fit-your-schedule-interests-and-learning-goals/

10/01/2026

In 1966, 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack was trying to get home, which was more than 600 kilometres away. Chanie died while fleeing the residential school that had taken him from his family.

Today, his story is at the heart of Walk for Wenjack, an opportunity to learn the truth about residential schools, honour Chanie’s life and take action toward reconciliation.

This year, SelfDesign is walking together.

Learners, families, contractors, alumni and friends are invited to join SelfDesign’s Walk for Wenjack team and participate from wherever they live, in whatever way works for them.

In our latest blog, members of the SelfDesign community share why they’re walking, how they’re making space for reflection and learning along the way, and why taking action matters.

Read the blog to learn more about Walk for Wenjack and how you can join the SelfDesign team → https://www.selfdesign.org/walking-together-for-chanie-wenjack/

09/28/2026

Learning from home doesn’t mean learning alone. Feeling connected, building friendships and finding people who share your interests are important parts of a young person’s learning journey.

At SelfDesign, learners have opportunities to connect with others through themed group offerings, learner clubs and spaces, seasonal in-person camps, and more.

These experiences give learners opportunities to meet new people, explore shared interests and build meaningful connections along the way.

And sometimes, it’s a shared passion that makes connecting easier, whether that’s art, gaming, writing, the outdoors or something wonderfully specific to them.

Because learning is richer when we have people to share it with. 🫂

Learn more about the ways SelfDesign learners connect →
https://www.selfdesign.org/learners-have-many-ways-to-connect-with-peers-and-share-interests-at-selfdesign/

09/23/2026

For Lia Meyer, learning has never been about following just one path. 💜

Lia spent 11 years learning with Wondertree and SelfDesign, where she had the freedom to explore a wonderfully varied collection of interests from art, theatre and the outdoors to reading and math.

She briefly tried traditional schooling while living in Colorado, but found she missed the freedom she had experienced with SelfDesign.

“Wondertree and SelfDesign gave me the freedom and support to pursue my own interests and learn in a way that worked for me,” Lia says. “I had a really great learning consultant, and I wrote learning plans that were about what I wanted to do each year.”

That freedom to explore stayed with her after graduation. Lia has continued following her curiosity into areas as varied as cooking, reforestation and healthcare.

And perhaps that’s one of the most meaningful things she took from her SelfDesign experience:

“I have the ability to love what I’m learning, to be curious, and the ambition to try new things.”

Read more about Lia’s SelfDesign journey →
https://www.selfdesign.org/selfdesign-made-learning-fun-and-engaging-in-every-aspect/

09/15/2026

Learning isn’t only about what your child knows...understanding how they learn can be just as powerful. 🧠

During his time at SelfDesign, Pedar was able to pursue his passions for mountain biking and photography while also developing greater awareness of how he thinks, processes information and engages with the world.

“The weekly challenges and discussions with my learning consultants and other kids in my grade really made me think about how I think, how I process and interact with information, and how I learn, and take ownership of that,” he shares.

That sense of ownership is an important part of SelfDesign’s learner-centred approach.

Because when young people better understand themselves as learners, they begin making choices, asking questions and approaching challenges with greater confidence and independence.

Read Pedar’s story here → https://www.selfdesign.org/a-passion-for-mountain-biking-selfdesign-learner-competes-in-high-school-championships/

09/10/2026

Imagine having an educator who truly cares about knowing your child. ❤️

At SelfDesign Learning Community, families choose a B.C.-certified Learning Consultant who helps guide and support their child’s learning.

And sometimes, that relationship lasts for years.

Some families stay with the same Learning Consultant from Kindergarten through to Grade 12. Over time, that educator can come to deeply understand a learner’s interests, strengths, challenges, goals and unique way of approaching the world.

Of course, children change, and families always have flexibility to find another match as their needs evolve. But the possibility of building a long-term relationship with an educator is something pretty special.

At SelfDesign, relationship is part of the learning.

Learn more about working with a Learning Consultant →
https://www.selfdesign.org/our-school/being-a-selfdesign-parent/ -you-and-your-child-work-with-an-educator

09/08/2026

Welcome to a new learning year at SelfDesign Learning Community! 🎉

Of course, at SelfDesign, we know learning didn't stop just because it was summer.

It happened on road trips and camping trips. In books read under the sun. In new hobbies, questions, conversations and adventures. It happened while exploring outside, spending time with family and following interests simply because they were interesting.

Because learning doesn't belong to a particular season or schedule. It happens everywhere and in every moment.

There is something exciting about the beginning of a new learning year. It's a chance to reconnect with your Learning Consultant, explore new interests, dive deeper into old ones and imagine where your learner's curiosity might take them next.

💜 Welcome back, SelfDesign learners and families. We can't wait to see where your learning takes you this year.

09/03/2026

During his final years at SelfDesign Learning Community, Gabe weaved his interest in graphic design and visual communication into his learning.

His projects weren’t hypothetical. He created a portfolio website, connected with a branding strategist and used his Grade 12 capstone to design a map of downtown Victoria for cruise ship visitors.

That freedom to explore helped him discover more than a subject he enjoyed, it helped him see a possible future for himself. He went on to study graphic design and interactive media after graduation.

At SelfDesign, a learner’s interests aren’t something they have to put aside to “get through” their education. They can become part of the learning itself.

Read Gabe’s story here → https://www.selfdesign.org/interest-based-learning-set-this-learner-on-his-career-path/

09/02/2026

What can happen when a child’s curiosity is taken seriously? 🔬⚙️

For Owain,a SelfDesign Learning community alum, a lifelong fascination with how things work became the foundation for some pretty incredible learning.

From building with LEGO and Mindstorms to experimenting with household materials, designing machines and exploring science and mathematics, Owain learned by doing, questioning and investigating.

SelfDesign gave him the space to take those interests seriously and dive deeply into them. He went on to achieve 100% in Physics 11, Pre-calculus 12 and Chemistry 12, and received the Governor General’s Academic Medal after graduating in 2023.

His story is a powerful reminder that personalized, curiosity-led learning and academic excellence don’t have to exist on opposite sides of education.

Sometimes, giving a learner room to explore is exactly what helps them thrive. 💚

Learn more about Owain’s journey here → https://www.selfdesign.org/selfdesign-learner-excels-in-science-and-math-achieves-prestigious-academic-award/

Address

SelfDesign Learning Foundation PO Box 74560 RPO Kitsilano
Vancouver, BC
V6K4P4

Website

http://selfdesign.org/

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