Nokee Kwe

What Nokee Kwe does

Nokee Kwe is an Indigenous-led Employment and Education Centre registered as a Canadian charity (Registration No. 11908 8410 RR0001) and headquartered at 1119 Jalna Blvd in London, Ontario. Established in 1978 to help Indigenous women find employment in southwestern Ontario, the organization expanded in the 1980s to serve all individuals regardless of gender or race, and now operates five core programs: Employment Services and Employment Centre (career counselling, job-search support, resume and interview preparation); Employer Services (recruitment, job matching, placement incentives); Better Jobs Ontario (government-funded skills retraining, formerly Second Career); Get SET / Indigenous Education Centre (literacy, numeracy, and educational upgrading); and the award-winning +Positive Voice program for urban Indigenous women aged 16 and older (established 2016, recognized with the 2017 Pillar Community Innovation Award and national CBC/Global News coverage). The organization delivers services in person and remotely and reported 2020 impact of 1,400+ people helped and 300+ jobs filled.

The operating model is service-delivery-only and non-commercial: all client services are provided free of charge. Revenue is not disclosed; the operating base is funded primarily through Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development contracts via the Employment Ontario network, supplemented by City of London grants (for +Positive Voice), Service Canada/Canada Summer Jobs wage subsidies, and philanthropic donations from foundations and corporate donors (e.g., London Community Foundation, Pillar Non-Profit Network, Sun-Canadian Pipeline, Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point, Starbucks Foundation). The technology footprint is minimal — a Squarespace website plus a YouTube channel distributing job-search webinars — with no public APIs, mobile apps, or proprietary digital products. Delivery is relationship-driven and community-trust-based rather than technology-mediated.

Nokee Kwe runs with a small team of approximately 7-8 staff covering program direction, career and literacy coordination, the +Positive Voice program, job development, and program support, plus a Lead Volunteer for +Positive Voice. The board is chaired by Chris Patriquin (Board President) with Joseph Neil (Vice-President), Logan Hill (Treasurer), Morgaine Griffin (Secretary), and Suzanne Hollander as members. Governance reflects the organization's Indigenous-led mandate and community-embedded mission.

Name

Nokee Kwe

Legal name

Nokee Kwe

Website

https://nokeekwe.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nokee Kwe is an Indigenous-led Employment and Education Centre in London, Ontario, established in 1978 as a registered charity. It delivers free employment, employer-recruitment, literacy/skills-upgrading, and cultural programming services to Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth and adults in southwestern Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Employment and Education Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Employment counseling services
• Job search assistance
• Literacy basic skills
• Career training programs
• Indigenous community services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funding from Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (Ontario Government) through Employment Ontario programs. The Better Jobs Ontario program is funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
2. Foundation and Corporate Donations: Donations from foundations such as London Community Foundation ($10,000 received), corporate donors like Sun-Canadian Pipeline, and community partners. All donations are eligible for charitable donation receipts.
3. Municipal Funding: The +Positive Voice program is funded through the City of London.
4. Canada Summer Jobs: Federal government program funding through Service Canada for youth employment positions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nokee Kwe is an Indigenous-led Employment and Education Centre that delivers free employment counseling, job search support, resume and interview preparation, literacy and basic skills upgrading, skills training funding administration, and recruitment assistance to employers. All services are provided at no cost to clients in London, Ontario and surrounding communities, with programs tailored for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth and adults.

Product overview

Nokee Kwe is an Indigenous-led charitable organization established in 1978 offering a suite of employment and education services as a single integrated service model. The core offerings include: Employment Services and Employment Centre (career counseling, job search support, and employer connections); Employer Services (recruitment, job matching, and placement incentives); Better Jobs Ontario (government-funded skills training program); Get SET and Indigenous Education Centre (literacy, numeracy, and educational upgrading); and +Positive Voice (award-winning program for Indigenous women focused on personal narrative development). All services are free and delivered through culturally sensitive, holistic approaches supporting Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members in London, Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• +Positive Voice: An award-winning program for Indigenous women focused on creating positive personal narratives and community connections. Established in 2016 as a professional development and bridging program supporting urban Indigenous Women 16+ years and older experiencing life transitions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,400+ people helped and 300+ jobs filled in 2020 alone

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and moderate.

• London Chamber of CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2022Joint participation in 'Shared Waters: London Listens' initiative, photography project showcasing Indigenous businesses, and collaborative donations supporting strategic planning.
• Service CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsors information sessions on Service Canada Programs and Services including Employment Insurance, Canada Pension Plan, and Old Age Security. Partnership for Canada Summer Jobs program.
• Employment OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of employment services organizations. Nokee Kwe delivers Employment Services and Employment Centre programming as part of the Employment Ontario system.
• Quinte Adult EducationmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner allowing Nokee Kwe to provide online high school credits for mature students through their Literacy and Basic Skills program.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Indspire: Indspire is a national Indigenous-led charity funding Indigenous education and employment outcomes across Canada. Like Nokee Kwe, it delivers employment bridging programs, scholarships, and skills training for Indigenous youth and adults, but at a national rather than regional scale.
• Youth Employment Services (YES): YES is an Ontario non-profit delivering free employment services, career counseling, and employer matching to youth. It is comparable to Nokee Kwe as a free, Employment Ontario-affiliated employment service provider, though it focuses on youth broadly rather than prioritizing Indigenous clients.
• Native Women's Association of Canada: NWAC is a national Indigenous women's organization advocating for and delivering programs supporting Indigenous women, including skills development and social supports. It is a natural peer to Nokee Kwe's +Positive Voice program given its shared focus on Indigenous women's empowerment and program delivery.
• Goodwill Industries Ontario: Goodwill Ontario is a registered charity delivering employment services, job placement, and skills training across Ontario. It is comparable to Nokee Kwe as a free, charity-based employment services provider, though Goodwill is non-Indigenous-led and operates at greater scale.
• Métis Nation of Ontario: Métis Nation of Ontario delivers employment, training, and education programs for Métis citizens across Ontario through its Healing and Wellness branches. It is comparable as an Indigenous-led organization providing employment readiness, literacy, and community-based support to a defined Indigenous population.
• Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment & Training: Miziwe Biik is an Indigenous-led employment and training organization serving the Greater Toronto Area, providing job placement, career counseling, and skills training to urban Indigenous clients. It is a direct functional peer to Nokee Kwe's Employment Services and Better Jobs Ontario programming, operating in a different urban Indigenous market.
• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC): OFIFC is a provincial Indigenous organization representing 29 Friendship Centres that deliver community-based programs including employment, education, and cultural supports. It is directly comparable as an Indigenous-led network delivering employment and training services through community hubs across Ontario.

Others

• London Economic Development Corporation: LEDC is the economic development agency for London, Ontario, supporting employer attraction, workforce development, and Indigenous business initiatives. It is an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, comparable to Nokee Kwe in employer-facing workforce programming within the same geography.

Emerging players

• Anishnawbe Mushkiki: Anishnawbe Mushkiki is an Indigenous-led health and community services organization in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is comparable as an Indigenous community-based organization delivering culturally grounded services, though its primary focus is health rather than employment.
• Fanshawe College Indigenous Education & Student Services: Fanshawe College delivers Indigenous education and adult upgrading pathways in London, Ontario, including literacy and skills training. It overlaps with Nokee Kwe's Get SET/literacy programming and shares the same London geography, but operates within a post-secondary institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqNMaRzGQ5YXD0rTAVa59rA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nokeekwe
• Facebookfacebook.com/Nokee-Kwe-Native-Education-Center-794984327195338

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Nokee Kwe