Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

What Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa does

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) is a registered nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1960 and headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. It delivers a comprehensive suite of free, bilingual (English/French) programs for at-risk and vulnerable youth aged 12-24+ across five integrated service areas: Mental Health Services (including a 24/7 crisis line, online crisis chat, walk-in clinic, counselling, intensive family support, Wraparound Ottawa, and Suicide Prevention Ottawa); Community and Housing Services (Downtown Drop-In Centre, Young Women's and Young Men's emergency shelters, transitional and long-term housing, housing trusteeship, youth shelter diversion, and a Youth Health Clinic); Employment Services (career exploration, resume and interview preparation, and job placement, with a 79% success rate); Youth Justice Services (William E. Hay Centre, Sherwood Youth Centre, Tamarack Trades Training Centre, mental health court worker, anger management, and community reintegration); and Youth Engagement (advisory committees, leadership development, and youth events). Approximately 350 professionals operate from 20-21 locations across Ottawa, serving 2,500-3,000 youth and families per month and providing 20,000+ shelter nights annually. YSB is an accredited child and youth mental health agency, member of Children's Mental Health Ontario, and the lead youth mental health agency in Ottawa, with formal research collaboration with the University of Ottawa.

Name

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

Legal name

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

Website

https://ysb.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) is a registered nonprofit, founded 1960, delivering free bilingual mental health, housing, employment, youth justice, and engagement services through 350 professionals across 20+ Ottawa locations, serving 2,500-3,000 at-risk youth and families monthly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Temporary Shelters (624221), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Court/Community School Programs (Diversion, Probation-Linked, Community Day Schools) (EDAJAEAI)

Keywords

• Youth mental health services
• Youth housing shelters
• Youth employment programs
• Youth justice services
• Community social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government funding and grants: YSB is primarily funded through government grants and funding agreements with municipal, provincial, and federal levels. The organization operates as a contracted service provider for social services, mental health, housing, employment, and youth justice programs.
2. Donations and charitable giving: Individual donations, monthly donor programs, in-honour/in-memory donations, gift in will/bequests, corporate donations, and PC Optimum point donations. The YSB Foundation manages fundraising activities and events.
3. Event fundraising: Annual Rise & Thrive breakfast event, third-party organized events, sponsorships, and gala events. Revenue from table purchases and ticket sales supplemented by additional tax-deductible donations.
4. Donated goods and securities: Accepts donations of new items (clothing, toiletries, bedding, gift cards), donated securities, and vehicle donations through partner organization Donate A Car Canada.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa is a nonprofit social services organization that provides free, bilingual (English/French) programs to at-risk youth aged 12-24+ in Ottawa across five integrated service areas: mental health, community and housing, employment, youth justice, and youth engagement. With 350 professionals across 21 locations, YSB delivers crisis intervention, counselling, emergency shelter, transitional housing, job placement, detention and reintegration programs, and youth leadership opportunities, serving 2,500-3,000 youth and families monthly.

Product overview

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) is a non-profit social services organization offering a comprehensive suite of interconnected programs for at-risk youth and families. The organization operates as a multi-service platform across five core service areas: Mental Health Services (including 24/7 crisis support, walk-in clinics, counselling, and suicide prevention), Community and Housing Services (drop-in centres, shelters, transitional and long-term housing, trusteeship), Employment Services (job placement, training, and career support), Youth Justice Services (detention facilities, reintegration programs, and court support), and Youth Engagement (leadership development and advisory committees). Additional offerings include a food pantry program and scholarship programs. With 350 professionals operating from approximately 20-21 locations across Ottawa, YSB serves 2,500-3,000 youth and families monthly, providing essential supports from crisis intervention to long-term housing and employment assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YSB Charitable Foundation: The charitable arm of the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa, responsible for fundraising, donor relations, scholarships, and events such as the Rise & Thrive breakfast. Registered charity number 84053 4853 RR0001.

Products and services

• YSB Mental Health Services
• 24/7 Crisis Line and Online Crisis Chat
• Youth Mental Health Walk-In Clinic
• Wraparound Ottawa
• Intensive Family Support
• Coordinated Access
• Community and Housing Services
• Drop-In Centre
• Youth Health Clinic
• School Program
• Housing and Shelter Programs
• Housing Services and Trusteeship
• Youth Shelter Diversion Program
• YSB Employment Services
• Youth Justice Services
• William E. Hay Centre
• Sherwood Youth Centre
• Tamarack Trades Training Centre
• Youth Engagement
• YSB Pantry Program
• Ethan Birman Memorial Trades Scholarship
• Jamie Hubley Memorial Scholarship

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% employment success rate for youth accessing services and finding work
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Ottawa Senators Community FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2025Ottawa Senators Community Foundation is the Hero for Youth presenting sponsor of the Rise & Thrive 2025 fundraising breakfast event. As a major sponsor, they provide high-profile community visibility and financial support for YSB's youth mental health programs.
• Mental Health Heroes / Nourishment for the Mind sponsormajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2025Rise & Thrive 2025 presenting sponsor providing support for the youth mental health breakfast event.
• CLV Group / CGI / Future Leaders sponsors (Rise & Thrive)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2025CLV Group, CGI, and other sponsors at the Chefs de file de l'avenir (Future Leaders) level of the Rise & Thrive 2025 event.
• Bell Let's TalkminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2025Bell Let's Talk is a Youth Ally sponsor of the Rise & Thrive 2025 event, supporting youth mental health awareness.
• University of OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB partners with the University of Ottawa to learn from collected data and conduct joint research projects, enabling data-driven service improvement and mixed-methods research that strengthens the organization's expertise and evidence base.
• Children's Mental Health OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB is a member and accredited agency of Children's Mental Health Ontario, the provincial body representing child and youth mental health agencies. This membership provides access to provincial standards, best practices, and collective advocacy.
• Ottawa Youth Justice NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB is a founding member of the Ottawa Youth Justice Network, a collaborative of organizations working on youth justice issues in Ottawa.
• Alliance to End HomelessnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB chairs the Alliance to End Homelessness in Ottawa, a key coordinating body for homelessness prevention and response efforts in the city.
• Inner City HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB serves on the board of Inner City Health, contributing to integrated health services for vulnerable populations in Ottawa.
• Social Housing Registry (Ottawa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB serves on the board of the Social Housing Registry in Ottawa, supporting coordinated access to affordable housing for youth.
• United Way / Centraide OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB is a member of the Centraide Ottawa campaign cabinet and receives support from the local United Way for various programs.
• Mental Health Court Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB participates in the Mental Health Court Working Group, coordinating responses for youth with mental health challenges in the court system.
• Suicide Prevention OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB is an active member of Suicide Prevention Ottawa, contributing to community-wide suicide prevention efforts.
• Somali Youth NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB partners with the Somali Youth Network to provide culturally responsive services to Somali youth in Ottawa.
• LGBTQ2S Youth Service ProvidersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB collaborates with LGBTQ2S youth service providers, including its own Spectrum group for LGBTQ+ youth, to ensure inclusive services.
• Ottawa Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOttawa Food Bank provides food support to YSB's Pantry Program, which serves over 14,000 youth visits annually at the Drop-In Centre.
• Ottawa Coalition on HIV/AIDSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSB is a member of the Ottawa Coalition on HIV/AIDS, contributing to HIV prevention and education for at-risk youth.
• Wabano and Minwaashin LodgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Wabano and Minwaashin Lodge for Le Cercle, an Indigenous youth cultural program held Wednesdays at the Drop-In Centre.
• Addiction Solutions / CAMHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcurrent Disorders group programming with Addiction Solutions / CAMH, providing active treatment for youth dealing with substance use issues.
• Donate A Car CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonate A Car Canada facilitates vehicle donations to YSB, accepting cars for recycling or auction with free towing provided to donors who receive tax receipts.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Covenant House Toronto: Multi-site nonprofit operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and wraparound services for youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking. Comparable to YSB's housing and shelter pillar across shelter nights served and case-management model.
• YWCA Ottawa: Ottawa-based women's and youth-serving nonprofit operating shelters, housing, and employment programs. Regionally overlaps with YSB across housing, employment, and crisis services for vulnerable populations.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: Federation of local clubs delivering after-school, recreation, and youth-development programming for at-risk youth. Comparable to YSB on multi-site youth-development delivery, government + donor funding mix, and outcomes orientation.
• Kids Help Phone: Canada's national 24/7 e-mental-health service for young people offering crisis line, text, and chat support. Most directly comparable to YSB's crisis line and online chat within its Mental Health service pillar.
• YMCA Ottawa (National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA): Local YMCA delivering youth employment, mental-wellness, housing, and immigrant-services programs across Ottawa, with deep municipal-government ties. Comparable to YSB on multi-service youth delivery in the same Ottawa catchment and shared donor pool.
• Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth: Toronto-based nonprofit operating shelters, transitional housing, and the Job Skills Training program for at-risk youth. Closely mirrors YSB's combined housing-plus-employment programming and outcome reporting.
• Stella's Place (Toronto): Toronto-based nonprofit offering mental-health, employment, and peer-support services for youth aged 16-29. Closely comparable to YSB's Mental Health Hub and employment programming for transition-age youth.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: National youth-mentoring nonprofit delivering one-to-one and group mentoring across Canadian cities. Comparable to YSB on community-based youth engagement, volunteer-driven delivery, and donor-funded revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Mental Health Ontario: Provincial association representing accredited child and youth mental-health agencies, of which YSB is a member and lead agency. Sets the accreditation and contracting standards YSB operates under, making it the most relevant industry-body peer.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (Ontario): Province-wide nonprofit delivering mental-health programs, housing support, and advocacy across Ontario. Comparable to YSB on the mental-health service pillar and the mix of government grants plus donations, though operating at much broader geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/140687546265
• Xx.com/ysb_bsj
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youth-services-bureau-of-ottawa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles36 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa