Seeing a different side of her school was a real eye-opener for Liz Chan.

Chan was curious when she saw some adults 鈥� not the usual teachers 鈥� were in the hallway at R.E. Mountain Secondary.

The group, the 91原创 chapter of Youth Unlimited (YFC), was at the school working with at-risk students.

Chan, a Grade 8 student at the time, was curious, so she met with some of the Youth Unlimited staff and her classmates who were being mentored.

Impressed by what she saw and heard and wanting to get involved, she joined Youth Unlimited鈥檚 momentum student leadership program.

Chan鈥檚 family had always stressed education, and she obliged, concentrating on her grades. And while education continued to be a central focus in her life, getting involved with Youth Unlimited also became an important aspect.

鈥淚t was a different group than I usually hung out with,鈥� said the 18-year-old Chan, now a second-year student at Simon Fraser University.

As she was growing up, Chan鈥檚 parents had always stressed the value of education, and she took her schooling seriously.

鈥淚 knew drugs, drinking existed, but didn鈥檛 really know too much about them, and was never exposed to them in any way,鈥� she said.

But once she heard some of the stories of her fellow classmates, Chan knew she had to get involved.

鈥淚 got to hear some of the stories through YFC and found my heart hurting ... for people who are usually silent on a daily basis because they don鈥檛 get anywhere to vent, anywhere to talk about what they are going through,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is not OK for people to carry around these burdens silently.鈥�

The program changed her.

鈥淚 see people differently, I interact with people differently,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love them just because they are breathing and living.

鈥淭hat is probably the biggest impact it had on me, just because it changed my heart.鈥�

鈥淚t makes you aware that we don鈥檛 all live in our own little bubbles,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are interconnected to people in every single way, whether we choose to realize it or not.鈥�

The momentum student leadership program is just one program offered by 91原创 Youth Unlimited.

And the organization is introducing Illuminate, which will help youth make themselves more attractive to employers.

The program is a result of slimmer job prospects for many youth.

鈥淲e are calling this program 鈥榠lluminate鈥� precisely because we want to shed some light on the lives of young people when things look dark to them,鈥� said Laura Manca, who helped develop the program for Youth Unlimited.

The six-week program has students spending Wednesday afternoons working on developing leadership, listening and problem-solving skills, as well as volunteer work on Friday evenings.

鈥淚t is a way of giving kids an opportunity to get a little bit more on their resume,鈥� said Derian Julihn, a community youth worker with Youth Unlimited.

The aim is to also attract some of the youth who may show signs of leadership, but may need a push in that direction.

鈥淲e want to make this available to students who have the potential but lack the encouragement,鈥� Julihn said. 鈥淎 lot of leadership programs are geared around the up-and-coming, star students.鈥�

The program begins Feb. 2 and runs until March 16, with another one this spring.