A Job Should Be a Door, Not a Dead End
Nearly one in five young people in the GTA was unemployed last year.
At the same time, four in ten households in our region report they do not earn enough to meet basic needs, according to the Toronto Foundation’s Vital Signs report.
Those two facts together tell a bigger story.
Even when young people find work, it is often part-time, temporary, or low-wage, with no benefits and no clear path forward. In a city where rent and groceries continue to rise, “employed” does not always mean “stable.”
At For Youth Initiative (FYI), we don’t experience this as data.
We see it in the 19-year-old debating whether to drop a course to take more shifts.
We see it in the newcomer youth sending out dozens of resumes with no response.
We see it in talent waiting for a chance.
A job should open doors. Too often, it barely keeps them afloat.
The Reality Behind the Numbers
Toronto is full of young people who want to work. They are motivated. They are studying. They are applying.
But many are navigating systems without:
Professional networks
Paid internship access
Financial cushions
Employers who understand their lived experience
When most new jobs are precarious — as Vital Signs highlights — it becomes harder to move from “employed” to “established.”
You cannot build savings on unpredictable hours.
You cannot focus on long-term goals when you are covering household bills.
You cannot picture yourself in a career if you have never seen someone like you in that field.
For Black, racialized, and newcomer youth, these barriers stack quickly.
What We See at FYI
Last year, 731 youth engaged with FYI across our two west Toronto locations. The majority identify as Black, racialized, or newcomer youth.
In our employment programs:
489 individualized one-to-one employment support sessions took place
60 employment-focused workshops were delivered
Youth gained certifications, interview preparation, and workplace rights education
But here’s what those numbers really mean.
It means someone sits beside a young person and reviews their resume line by line.
It means someone explains how to navigate workplace bias, and how to speak up.
It means someone checks in after the first shift and asks how it felt.
One youth shared in our annual report:
“The support I’ve received from FYI has helped me feel more confident and hopeful about my goals. It’s motivating to know that there’s a team that believes in me and is willing to help.”
Confidence is not a small outcome. It is the foundation of mobility.
We are not just helping youth get hired. We are helping them stay, grow, and lead.
Youth employment cannot be treated as a standalone issue.
It is connected to housing. To food security. To mental health. To education. When 40% of households say their income is not enough, early career instability becomes a long-term risk.
If we want a stronger workforce, we need:
Paid internships and entry-level roles with mentorship
Employers who partner with community organizations
Investment in employment programs that combine case management, certification, and follow-up support
Talent is not scarce in Toronto. Opportunity is uneven.
The youth we work with are not asking for shortcuts. They are asking for access.
For someone to return their email.
For a supervisor who sees potential.
For a first chance that leads to a second.
At FYI, we will continue walking alongside them, preparing, encouraging, connecting, and advocating. Because meaningful employment is not a privilege.
It is a foundation.
A job should not be a dead end.
In a city as ambitious as Toronto, it should be the beginning of something bigger.
Brigitte Barikage
Interim, Executive Director
