CASE STUDY | Accessible Education in CBYF – Portage la Prairie

The Tamarack Institute is a registered Canadian charity dedicated to ending poverty in all its forms, for good. We support real people and invest in real communities for long-term change.

Cette ressource est également disponible en français. Pour y accéder, veuillez cliquer sur l’icône du globe dans le coin supérieur droit de la page et choisir Français – Canada.

This case study explores the impacts and learnings from the first five years of Communities Building Youth Futures (CBYF), a multi-sectoral collaboration between youth leaders, the Tamarack Institute, and other community allies. Between 2019 and 2024, CBYF has supported almost 70,000 young people in 20 communities to re-engage in school, secure stable employment, and develop as leaders and mentors in their communities. 

The theme of accessible education, identified as an area of opportunity by CBYF communities in the early stages of the initiative, focuses on supporting young people to graduate high school and transition into employment or higher education. The case study includes: 

• Narration by youth leader Ashley Anderson from CBYF Portage la Prairie, Manitoba 

• In depth descriptions of CBYF initiatives related to accessible education including Portage la Prairie’s Roving Campus, Digby’s Alternative High School, Kahnawà:ke’s Hao’ Tewakhón:ni Project (traditional Kanien'kehá:ka food practices), Chilliwack’s Attendance Incentive Program, and Yellowknife’s YK Prep Connect 

• Quotes from 24 youth participants, leaders, and leadership table members about their experiences with CBYF 

• Key data, learnings, outcomes, and other impacts of the initiative