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.
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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 identity and social engagement became especially meaningful for communities in the first few years of the initiative, as the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions made socializing difficult for youth and others to connect. CBYF initiatives sought to counter isolation by providing safe opportunities for youth to spend quality time with one another and engage in meaningful, culturally significant activities. The case study includes:
- Narration by youth leader Natalie Dapilos from CBYF Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
- In-depth descriptions of CBYF initiatives related to identity & social connection including Yellowknife’s Hazho Ełexè Łets’eèzhe (We are all Connected) initiative, the Digby and Area Youth Space, Chilliwack’s After School Hangout (Juvenile Skate), Chatham-Kent’s Youth Hub, and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation’s cultural socials
- Additional community highlights from Corner Brook, Laval, Grande Prairie, Sudbury, Prince Albert, and Saint-Léonard
- Quotes from 19 youth participants, leaders, and leadership table members about their experiences with CBYF
- Key data, learnings, outcomes, and other impacts of the initiative
