Youth Equity

Helping Young People Reach Their Full Potential

Become a sponsor, donor or partner of the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy  (TYES) and help Toronto’s next generation achieve its full potential. Young people today face many challenges, and for some, these challenges can be compounded by factors beyond their control, such as family income, peer pressure and other systemic barriers. TYES coordinates services to improve outcomes for vulnerable young people, focusing on:

• Safe spaces
• Education
• Employment
• Mental health

Creating Safe Youth Spaces

To help promote a sense of belonging and build positive relationships with peers and adults, we’ve created youth hubs throughout the city, as well as online youth websites, where young people can gather. Both allow youth to participate in discussion groups, share information, talk about relevant issues, and access support programs and other resources.

Supporting Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing

As young people transition into adulthood, supporting their emotional wellbeing is critical. In 2017/18, TYES will be implementing bullying awareness programs, psychosocial post-traumatic stress support and family connection programs to support families in conflict.

Creating Employment Readiness Skills

Toronto’s youth unemployment rate is double the national average. TYES offers a range of employment readiness programs that includes job fairs, mentoring, on-the-job experience, food handling certification, bicycle mechanics, skill development and arts entrepreneurship training. We will also be joining with our business partners to create a Youth Employment Opportunities initiative to provide real jobs for our young people.

Transitioning from Children to Youth Successfully

A child’s transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9 is a critical period in his or her development and has a significant impact on whether a student will graduate and go on to post-secondary education. Our Children to Youth program will combine afterschool programs and discussion groups for the whole family that will provide resources and create an environment for success.