Toby's Place

Toby’s Place is a weekly drop-in after-school program and safe(r) space for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, ages 13-20, living in Scarborough* and the Greater Toronto Area. Question youth and allied friends are also welcome.

Toby’s Place hosts community dinners, workshops, clothing swaps,

gender-affirming haircut nights, and other events. We are open on Mondays, from 3:30pm to 8:30pm, September through July.

We are located on the basement level of 33 East Rd (near the corner of Warden Ave and Kingston Rd), down the mobility-aid-accessible ramp.

As a 2SLGBTQIA+ community, we gather in Scarborough on land covered by Treaty 13, the Rouge Tract Settlement and the Williams Treaties. Rainbow Community Places is committed to honouring the Indigenous peoples who came before us and to building a community rooted in belonging for all.

A door covered in stickers and motivational posters, one poster reads "They tried to bury us, but they don't know we were seeds". Several small rainbow flags hang on a string above the door.

A tie-dyed banner that reads "Toby's Place", hanging above a tie-dye couch covered in pillows and plush toy animals.

Hang-out Space

Participants at Toby's Place can come to the program to hang out with their friends, do their homework, read quietly, or chat loudly. We have separate spaces for loud conversations and quiet activities. We have a living-room area with a couch and beanbag chairs, as well as a dining area with tables and chairs. While we do host workshops, folks at the program are not required to participate in workshops if they do not want to. Participants at Toby's Place have the "right to pass" on activities, and still be welcome in the space.

Activities

Toby's Place has a collection of board games and jigsaw puzzles that participants can use during the program. We also have lots of arts and craft supplies. Participants often make bead bracelets, sketch, paint, and make collages during the program. We also have a library of books, zines, and comic books.

Gender-Affirming Cloth

Rainbow Community Places has a 'Clothing Swap Area' where participants in both programs (Dorothy's Place and Toby's Place) can donate clothing they no longer use, and take clothing that they will use. We wash all clothing on-site before it goes on the racks.

Two trays of nachos, with diced tomatoes, cheese, and other toppings on them

Dinner

Every week at Toby's Place, we prepare and serve dinner on site. Vegetarian options and gluten-free options are always available. We try to accommodate other dietary restrictions as well, please email us at programs@rainbowcommunityplaces.org if you require accommodations.

Gender-Affirming Haircuts

Every few months, Toby's Place hosts a Gender-Affirming Haircut Night. During Haircut Night, professional hairstylists come to the program to give free haircuts to participants who would like them. Haircut Nights at Toby's Place are first-come-first-served. For up-to-date info on when our next Gender-Affirming Haircut Night will be, check our Instagram (@tobys.place33).

A table covered in sewing supplies. A Toby's Place participant is sewing two pieces of fabric together by hand.

Workshops

Toby's Place hosts workshops and information sessions on a variety of topics. We host creative workshops (poetry, screen-printing, polymer-clay sculpting, crochet, etc), as well as practical skills workshops (cooking, self-care, basic sewing skills, AIDS prevention, etc). We've also hosted information sessions run by representatives from Service Canada, as well as the Toronto Public Library.