Press Release: New Canada-wide Program Addresses the Issue of Youth Unemployment and Mental Health
For Immediate Release
Youth Employment Services
August 1st, 2018
Mental Health & Youth Unemployment Get Help with New Canada-wide Program
Youth Employment Services & the Citi Foundation Create National Program to Improve Youth Employability
Toronto – Youth Employment Services (YES), Canada’s leader at reducing youth unemployment over the past 50 years, has expanded its partnership with the Citi Foundation to create a new youth employment program called “YES on Demand”.
With youth unemployment rates at double the national average in Canada, the YES on Demand program addresses barriers to employment by providing youth with free specialized online skills training and mentorship that lead to employment. Through the support of the Citi Foundation, and by partnering with local community agencies, YES is able to reach multi-barriered youth across the country to enhance their employability skills, create lasting mentoring relationships, and improve their networks.
YES on Demand launched in the Greater Toronto Area, Winnipeg and Vancouver in year one, and with continued investment from the Citi Foundation, YES will work to expand the program in year two to Calgary and Ottawa to help reduce youth unemployment and create safer, stronger, healthier communities.
“YES is excited to help lower youth unemployment further through our proven approach and we are so pleased that the Citi Foundation is making this a reality though its funding,” said YES President and CEO Timothy Lang.
The partnership between YES and Citi is part of Citi and the Citi Foundation’s global Pathways to Progress initiative, which aims to invest US$100 million to connect 500,000 young people around the world, ages 16-24, to training and jobs by 2020.
“This is a natural extension of the work we do as a financial institution and our commitment to improving financial literacy, employment readiness and entrepreneurship for youth in the communities we serve,” said John Hastings, CEO of Citibank Canada. “It is our goal to create more opportunities for young people with the help of our community partners, which strengthens our economy, and we are excited to be part of this initiative.”
Pathways to Progress originally launched in 2014, with a US$50 million effort that helped more than 100,000 young people across ten cities become career-ready through first jobs, internships, and leadership and entrepreneurship training. In Canada, Citi has invested $700,000CAD in the first year of the global expansion of the Pathways to Progress, as it works to provide scale and impact for youth employment programs across the country.
For more information about YES on Demand, please visit https://www.yes.on.ca/new-yes-on-demand-program/. For more information about Pathways to Progress, please visit https://www.citigroup.com/citi/foundation/programs/pathways-to-progress.htm.
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Youth Employment Services
Over the past 50 years, YES has led the Canadian youth sector and helped hundreds of thousands of youth with innovative programs that have empowered disadvantaged and vulnerable youth to become self-sufficient contributing members of society through employment. YES believes that employment is empowerment and the cornerstone of safe and healthy communities. YES changes lives forever.
Additional information may be found at:
Website: www.yes.on.ca | Twitter: @yestoronto | Instagram: @yes.to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YouthEmploymentServices/
The Citi Foundation The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.
Contact
Youth Employment Services
Karlie Fisher, Manager
555 Richmond St. W Suite 711, Toronto, ON M5V 3B1
416.504.5516 x247
Citi
Jeanette Emery
Assistant Vice President, Global Public Affairs
416-947-5596
