Young people now work to support family budget
A Meadowvale youth centre has found that more and more young people are seeking jobs to help support their family budget.
The Dam is a non-profit community and youth drop-in centre that runs mentorship, youth employment and leadership development programs. Dagmar Morgan-Sinclair, The Dam’s Executive Director, say that they have noticed a difference in what they call the real-life needs of their youth.
“We have spent a lot of time doing prevention work, mentoring, soft skill training and have noticed a very big difference in the need for youth employment,” says Morgan-Sinclair.
“They are getting jobs for their skills and future but at the core of it, they are being called on by families to help contribute to keeping a roof over their head and for food on the table because families are having a hard time financially,” says Morgan-Sinclair.
Youth unemployment has reached an all-time high in 2025 with unemployment rates reaching staggering levels. According to Statistics Canada, youth unemployment has reached an all-time high in 2025. The unemployment rate for returning students between the ages of 15 to 24 was 20.1 per cent – which is an increase of 3.2 per cent from May 2024.
Nowadays, unemployment among youth is because they are stereotyped, and a lot of places don’t have the capacity for them. “Through the program, we are trying to help the youth overcome these obstacles and also trying to get employers to acknowledge that this is our next generation,” says Deanna Vongsaly – Youth Employment and Housing Subsidy Program Staff adding that youth from grade 9 onwards are most impacted by the barriers.
“We also deal with a lot of newcomer youth who struggle with language barriers, lack experience with the systems, not knowing what services are available for them to get them job ready,” says Deanna Vongsaly, a member of the The Dam’s youth employment staff.
The Dam’s youth employment program is focused on training youth before they enter the job market by helping them send out resumes and learn how to participate in interviews.
“Additionally, we have volunteer programs at our drop-in centers that help the youth accumulate hours and also community service,” says Vongsaly, sharing that once a youth joins the program, they usually come back to further participate.
The Dam also helps young people by providing food from the pantry and gives safety equipment for their jobs. Mentors work with them for two to three months after they have secured jobs.
The program hopes to have more local businesses helping out with the program. “Long term, we want to be a resource for local businesses who require youth for their openings,” says Morgan-Sinclair. The Dam plans to have employment partnerships with the service industry, fashion, retail and the automotive industry.
“We are always looking to partner with organizations, foundations and businesses who would like to invest in young people and their future and through that the future of the city but also various industries,” says Morgan-Sinclair hoping that policymakers and the government invest and partner with grassroots organisations such as theirs.
