Youth Employment Services

What Youth Employment Services does

Youth Employment Services (YES) is a registered Canadian charitable non-profit (CRA registration #83275 6720 RR0001) founded in 1968 by The Rotary Club of Toronto and headquartered at 555 Richmond Street West, Toronto. YES delivers free employment counselling, skills training, and job-placement services primarily to disadvantaged and vulnerable youth aged roughly 15-30 across the Greater Toronto Area, operating three GTA service locations and an online platform comprising a job board, client dashboard, employer dashboard, YES Online Employment Training portal, and YESNet Mentorship Hub. Its portfolio spans more than 25 specialized programs, including Youth Job Connection, Job Central, BizStart (entrepreneurship), YES Career Accelerator, YES-Lighthouse (mental health, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), WorkAbility (disability inclusion), YES2Tech Learn & Earn (AWS re/Start cloud certification), SAS analytics training, a Green Skills Passport, a Cyber Security Training Program, a Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Trades program, and financial-literacy microcredentials co-developed with the University of Toronto.

YES is funded through a hybrid model combining individual and corporate donations (Visionary tier $250K+ down to Ambassador tier $20-999), recurring grants from Bell Let's Talk and the Ontario Trillium Foundation (e.g., a $192,700 grant in December 2023), government program contracts from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and the Skills Development Fund, and in-kind corporate support. Donors include Northbridge, CIBC, RBC Foundation, BMO, Scotiabank, HSBC, IBM, State Street, Unifor, Accenture, Ontario Power Generation, and Manulife. Strategic co-development partners include AWS (first Canadian charity partner for AWS re/Start), SAS (first Canadian charity partner for SAS training), HSBC (Career Accelerator Future Skills 2.0), Ryerson University / Toronto Metropolitan University ($225M Future Skills Canada Launch), University of Toronto, and DIVERSEcity B.C.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organization reports an 83% success rate in jobs, training or education outcomes, claims $24 in social return for every dollar invested, and has cumulatively served more than 100,000 youth. The CEO is Timothy Lang (Queen's Jubilee Medal, 2012); the Board Chair is Rami El Jurdi (Senior VP, Brookfield Renewable Group), and the organization holds a 4-star Charity Intelligence rating along with multiple provincial and national service-delivery awards.

Name

Youth Employment Services

Legal name

Youth Employment Services YES

Website

https://yes.on.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Youth Employment Services (YES) is a Toronto-based charitable non-profit, founded in 1968, that delivers free employment counselling, skills training, mentorship and job-placement services to disadvantaged and vulnerable youth aged 15-30 in the Greater Toronto Area through 25+ specialized programs including AWS cloud certification, mental-health support, entrepreneurship training and trades preparation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Employment Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Transition Programs (Reentry, Workforce Readiness & Life Skills for At-Risk Youth) (EDAJAEAF)

Keywords

• Youth employment services
• Workforce development
• Career counselling
• Job placement programs
• Employment training

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: YES operates as a registered charitable organization (Charitable #: 83275 6720 RR0001). The organization receives donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations including Visionary donors ($250,000+), Champions ($100,000-$249,999), Leaders ($10,000-$29,999), Partners ($5,000-$9,999), Builders ($1,000-$4,999), and Ambassadors ($20-$999).
2. Government Funding and Grants: YES receives funding from government programs including the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Ontario Trillium Foundation ($192,700 grant), Skills Development Fund, and various federal and provincial youth employment initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Youth Employment Services (YES) is a not-for-profit charitable organization that delivers free employment counselling, training, and job placement services to youth aged 15-30 in the Greater Toronto Area. Core offerings include an online job board connecting youth with employers, virtual employment training and certification programs, specialized workforce development programs (entrepreneurship, mental health employment, cloud computing, cyber security, green skills, financial literacy), and mentorship. Services are delivered through three physical locations, an online platform, and recurring hiring events.

Product overview

Youth Employment Services (YES) is a nonprofit youth employment service provider offering a comprehensive suite of programs delivered through an integrated platform model. The core offerings include the YES Job Board (online job marketplace), Client Dashboard (candidate portal), and Employer Dashboard (employer portal), which together enable job matching between youth seekers and employers. Supporting these platforms are specialized programs including BizStart (entrepreneurship training), YES2Tech/AWS re/Start (cloud computing certification), Career Accelerator (future skills), Lighthouse (mental health employment support), WorkAbility (disability inclusion), Mentorship Hub, and various government-funded employment programs (Youth Job Connection, Job Central, Youth Collaboration, Toronto Youth Job Corps, Summer Company). YES also provides digital upskilling through YESNet, financial literacy training with University of Toronto partnership, green skills courses, and pre-apprenticeship construction trades programs. The organization serves tens of thousands of youth annually across the Greater Toronto Area with an 83% success rate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YESNet: Digital upskilling and online employment training programs for youth including mentoring hub, financial literacy, entrepreneurial training curriculum, and workshop attendance tracking.
• BizStart
• YES-Lighthouse Program
• YES Career Accelerator Program

Products and services

• YES Job Board Online job board offering free job postings for full-time, part-time, seasonal, and contract positions in the Greater Toronto Area, connecting youth job seekers with employers.
• YES Online Employment Training Virtual employment training workshops and online certificate programs enabling youth to develop job search skills, resume writing, interview preparation, and career development competencies remotely.
• BizStart Program Part-time 14-week entrepreneurship training program for youth aged 16-30 in the GTA that helps participants develop business plans, entrepreneurial skills, and launch their own businesses with mentorship support.
• YES Lighthouse Program Specialized program providing training and employment support specifically for youth with mental health issues, working with qualified psychotherapists including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy services.
• YESNet Mentorship Hub Online platform connecting youth with industry leaders virtually via email and telephone, designed to eliminate feelings of isolation and keep youth connected to their industries.
• Youth Job Connection Government-funded employment program helping youth aged 15-29 find jobs through personalized counseling, training, and job placement services with part-time and summer employment options.
• YES Career Accelerator Program Program developing critical skills for the Future of Work, featuring HSBC Career Accelerator Future Skills 2.0 Curriculum covering Growth Mindset, Motivation and Goal Setting, Fostering Collaboration and Connection, and Cultivating Metacognition.
• YES2Tech Learn & Earn (AWS re/Start) Technology skills program offering Amazon Web Services Cloud certification training, digital literacy, and cloud computing skills for disadvantaged youth with paid work experience components.
• Cyber Security Training Program Program training Ukrainians and Canadian youth in cybersecurity skills to address workforce needs in this sector.
• Green Skills Passport Course Environmental sustainability course empowering youth with green skills for the emerging green economy.
• Financial Literacy Curriculum Comprehensive financial education program developed in collaboration with University of Toronto offering microcredentials in personal finance, covering budgeting, banking, credit, and financial planning.
• WorkAbility Program National program creating psychologically healthy workplaces and supporting youth with mental health challenges, including Mental Health Works training and best practices for disability inclusion.
• Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Trades Program Trades training program preparing youth for careers in construction and skilled trades.
• Job Central Intensive employment program providing group-based job search training, career counseling, and placement support for unemployed or underemployed youth.
• Youth Collaboration Employment support program helping youth develop collaborative skills and workplace readiness through group training and employer connections.
• Toronto Youth Job Corps Intensive employment program serving youth in Toronto with comprehensive job training, placement, and follow-up support services.
• Summer Company Government-funded summer entrepreneurship program enabling eligible students aged 15-29 to start and run their own summer businesses with training and mentorship.
• YES on Demand Flexible, on-demand employment services allowing youth to access training, counseling, and job resources based on their schedule and needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% success rate in jobs, training, or education outcomes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, hero, partner and minor.

• The Rotary Club of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded YES in 1968 and remains a strong supporter with financial support and board members. In 2012, RCT celebrated their 100th Anniversary and made a million dollar investment into six charities across the GTA, with YES receiving $100,000 for YES' Job Camp program.
• IBMheroStrategic or Co-development PartnerYES partners with IBM to help Canadian young job seekers get back to work through technology skills training and career development programs.
• HSBCpartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSBC Career Accelerator Future Skills 2.0 Curriculum developed in partnership. HSBC supports YES mentorship and business consultant programs through Ask a Business Consultant sessions.
• AccenturepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor donor at the Partner level ($5,000-$9,999) supporting YES programs.
• TRIEC (Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council)heroStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRIEC supports YES programs to help immigrant youth succeed in the Canadian job market.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYES became the first Canadian charitable partner to deliver AWS re/Start and runs the YES2Tech Learn & Earn AWS re/Start program, providing cloud computing certification and training to disadvantaged youth.
• University of TorontopartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with U of T to support recruitment of participants for the inaugural cohort of the Introduction to Personal Finance course, offering FREE online classes with microcredential in Personal Finance.
• Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYES Partners with Ryerson in $225 million Future Skills Launch, contributing curriculum development and program expertise.
• DIVERSEcity B.C.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBC collaboration to extend YES programs and best practices across Canada, supporting youth employment beyond Ontario.
• SageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer JumpStart participants visited Sage for a day of learning and inspiration, providing youth with industry exposure and mentorship opportunities.
• SAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYES became the first Canadian charitable partner to run SAS' training platform, providing advanced analytics and technology training to youth.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• JVS Toronto: Toronto-based employment services nonprofit serving job seekers (including youth, newcomers, and persons with disabilities) with counselling, training, and placement - directly comparable to YES on geography, funding model, and service mix.
• Achēv (formerly ACCES Employment): Toronto-headquartered nonprofit delivering employment services, mentoring, and settlement support to newcomers and youth across the GTA; competes with YES for the same Ontario government contracts and corporate hiring partnerships.
• COSTI Immigrant Services: Toronto nonprofit providing employment, language training, and settlement services to immigrants and refugees; overlaps with YES on training delivery, employer engagement, and reliance on government employment program funding.
• Skills for Change: Greater Toronto Area nonprofit offering employment, language, mental health, and digital skills services to newcomers, women, and youth; comparable service portfolio and funding structure to YES.
• Career Foundation: Toronto employment services provider offering job counselling, training, and employer connections; competitor for Ontario Employment Services contracts and corporate employer accounts.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: National youth-services organization providing after-school programs, employment prep, and mentoring to youth across Canada; broader mandate than YES but a comparable nationwide nonprofit serving disadvantaged youth.
• United Way Greater Toronto: Regional funding umbrella that funnels corporate donations into social-service agencies including youth employment programs; a key donor-relationship counterpart for both YES and similar workforce nonprofits in the GTA.
• Goodwill Industries of Ontario: Mission-driven nonprofit operating employment, training, and retail programs across Ontario for people facing barriers to work, including youth; comparable social-enterprise employment-services model and footprint.
• Toronto Employment & Social Services (TESS): City of Toronto's municipal employment services division delivering employment assistance to Ontario Works recipients and other city residents; a public-sector counterpart that refers and overlaps with YES's programming.
• YMCA of Greater Toronto: Large regional nonprofit delivering youth employment programs (YPROP, YRI), newcomer services, and skills training across the GTA; comparable youth-focused employment programming and corporate funder base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/yestoronto
• Instagraminstagram.com/17841402172800111
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youth-employment-services

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Employment Services