Old Strathcona Youth Society

What Old Strathcona Youth Society does

Old Strathcona Youth Society (OSYS) is a registered Canadian charitable non-profit (Charitable Organization Number 818302879RR0001) founded in 1998 in Edmonton's Whyte Avenue area, operating a low-barrier drop-in center at 9912 81 Ave NW that serves youth ages 14-24 without requiring appointments, referrals, or waitlists. The organization delivers a comprehensive wraparound service portfolio that includes immediate-needs distribution (snacks, meals, winter essentials, clothing), ID replacement, income support applications, housing navigation, harm reduction education through a Street Works partnership, physical and mental health referrals (Radius STBBI van, CAPE Clinic), legal support via University of Alberta law students, employment assistance, transportation support, advocacy, and Indigenous cultural programming (daily smudging, weekly cultural activities). More than 50% of youth served self-identify as Indigenous, First Nations, Metis, or Inuit.

The underlying operational model is relationship-based and trauma-informed rather than technology-driven: OSYS has no proprietary technology systems, and its digital footprint is limited to a website and social media channels used for outreach, donor cultivation, and event promotion. Services are delivered in person at the drop-in house (Tuesday-Saturday, 12:00-7:30 pm) and through offsite staff accompaniment to appointments, housing viewings, and meetings.

Revenue is generated through a diversified non-profit funding stack rather than fees or pricing models, since all services are provided free of charge to youth. Streams include government grants (notably a CAD $1.7M+ contribution from Red Road Healing Society via the Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy used to purchase the building in 2023, plus FCSS funding for the Get Connected preventative program), foundation grants (Home Depot Canada Foundation, Edmonton Community Foundation), individual and corporate donations, in-kind gifts, and door-to-door coupon book fundraising conducted by Zenith Advertising Group across the Edmonton metropolitan area. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, employs approximately 10 staff, and operates without equity ownership or subsidiaries.

Name

Old Strathcona Youth Society

Legal name

Old Strathcona Youth Society

Website

https://osys.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Old Strathcona Youth Society is a registered Edmonton-based charity that runs a free, low-barrier drop-in center and wraparound services — including housing, health, legal, cultural, and basic-needs support — for vulnerable youth ages 14-24, with a majority of those served identifying as Indigenous.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Social Assistance (624), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Youth drop-in services
• Youth homelessness support
• Harm reduction services
• Basic needs distribution
• Indigenous youth support

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: Funding from government programs including Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy through Red Road Healing Society ($1.7M+ contribution for building purchase), FCSS (Family and Community Support Services) for Get Connected Program, and Home Depot Canada Foundation for youth homelessness prevention.
2. Individual & Corporate Donations: Charitable organization accepting monetary donations and in-kind donations of goods. Tax receipts available (Charitable Organization Number: 818302879RR0001). Donations support drop-in operations, program planning, and youth needs including snacks, meals, winter essentials, clothing, and recreation activities.
3. Door-to-Door Coupon Book Sales: Marketing company (Zenith Advertising Group) conducts door-to-door coupon book sales as fundraiser in Edmonton and surrounding areas (St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan, Stony Plain). All proceeds support staffing, recreation, and daily operating costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Old Strathcona Youth Society operates a free, low-barrier youth drop-in center in Edmonton's Whyte Avenue area serving youth ages 14-24. Its core offering is street-level information, resources, referrals, and direct support — including basic needs (snacks, meals, clothing, winter essentials), housing navigation, harm reduction, ID/income support, cultural programming, recreation, and advocacy — delivered without appointments, referrals, or waitlists.

Product overview

Old Strathcona Youth Society operates as a single, unified youth services organization offering a comprehensive range of low-barrier, trauma-informed social services. The core offering is the Youth Drop-In Program, which provides direct access to staff support without appointments, referrals, or waitlists. This central service connects youth to essential support including ID replacement, income support applications, groceries, housing referrals, harm reduction education, health support, legal services, and advocacy. The organization also runs specialized programs including the Get Connected preventative social services program funded by FCSS, and practicum placements for post-secondary students. The portfolio includes direct service delivery, volunteer and practicum student programs, and fundraising initiatives such as the door-to-door coupon book sales fundraiser. Services operate Tuesday through Saturday from the drop-in house at 9912 81 Ave NW in Edmonton.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Drop-In Program Low-barrier drop-in services for youth ages 14-24 providing immediate needs such as snacks, meals, winter essentials, and access to staff support without requiring appointments, referrals, or waitlists. Operates Tuesday-Saturday 12:00-7:30 pm at the Edmonton drop-in center.
• Get Connected Program A preventative social services program funded by Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) that supports youth with proactive, non-crisis social services.
• Practicum Placements Educational placement opportunities for students in Child and Youth Care, Social Work, Nursing, Addictions, and Counselling programs from post-secondary institutions.
• Donations Program Accepts both monetary donations and material donations including non-perishable food, clothing, hygiene products, and winter essentials to support youth and operations. Tax receipts available.
• Door-to-Door Coupon Book Sales Fundraiser Marketing campaign through Zenith Advertising Group selling coupon books door-to-door in Edmonton and surrounding areas (St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan, Stony Plain) to raise funds for staffing, recreation, and operating costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves youth ages 14-24 with no wait list
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Giving FriendscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer group that provides fresh meals and snacks twice a week. Contributions include interior design, gardening, furniture donation, painting, and fundraising support. Their countless hours of work helped make OSYS space beautiful and welcoming.
• Kiwanis InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKiwanis Club provides time, energy, and generous donations of resources that make a positive impact on youth.
• Edmonton Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing community partnership with the Strathcona Branch. Encourages youth to get library cards and access library resources.
• Game Con CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonation of tickets to Game Con Canada event, providing opportunity for youth to attend community events and make lasting memories.
• Padmanadi Vegan Restaurant & EateryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing support including delicious, healthy meals and holiday gift funds for youth.
• Street WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides harm reduction education and resources through OSYS staff. Supports non-judgmental, trauma-informed harm reduction approach.
• Radius STBBI Van & CAPE ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides in-house STBBI testing services and resources on sexual and reproductive health for youth.
• Homeward TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough Supported Referral housing program, provides one-time financial support for youth with consistent income and ability to sign a lease.
• University of Alberta Law StudentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw students visit weekly to answer questions and provide legal resources. Supports youth with legal trouble, Legal Aid connections, court accompaniment, and other legal resources.
• City of EdmontonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides off-site recreation programming on Thursday afternoons for youth.
• Steven Hope (Zebra Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotographer who created stunning photos of staff and youth, and designed the banner for the main website page.
• Edmonton Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides food support enabling OSYS to offer grocery bags/hampers to clients once per month.
• Old Strathcona Farmers MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatered the Annual Holiday Dinner for unhoused and vulnerable youth.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Covenant House Vancouver: Covenant House Vancouver provides shelter, housing, and wraparound services to youth experiencing homelessness in BC. Highly comparable in target demographic (youth 16-24), trauma-informed approach, and broad wraparound service portfolio, though serving a different province than OSYS.
• Mustard Seed: Mustard Seed is a major Alberta-based nonprofit operating shelter, housing, and support services for people experiencing homelessness across Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton. Comparable in service breadth and vulnerable-population focus, with a broader geographic footprint than OSYS.
• Calgary Alpha House Society: Calgary Alpha House provides shelter, housing, and outreach services for people experiencing homelessness and substance use challenges. Comparable in low-barrier harm reduction philosophy and Alberta operating context, though serving a broader population than OSYS.
• Dans la rue: Dans la rue (Old Brewery Mission youth program) provides shelter, drop-in, and support services to homeless and at-risk youth in Montreal. Comparable in low-barrier drop-in model, target demographic, and trauma-informed approach, but operating in Quebec.
• Covenant House Toronto: Covenant House Toronto is Canada's largest youth homelessness agency, providing shelter, housing, healthcare, and education services to youth ages 16-24. Comparable in mission and wraparound service model to OSYS, but at substantially larger scale and operating in Ontario.

Direct peers

• iHuman Youth Society: iHuman is an Edmonton-based nonprofit providing trauma-informed, relationship-based services to youth experiencing homelessness and those involved in the justice system. Highly comparable to OSYS in mission, geography, low-barrier access model, and Indigenous-youth inclusion.
• Boyle Street Community Services: Boyle Street Community Services is a large Edmonton-based nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness and poverty, including youth. It is the most directly comparable peer to OSYS in terms of geography (Edmonton), population (vulnerable/homeless), and low-barrier drop-in service model.
• Youth Empowerment & Support Services (YESS): YESS provides shelter, housing, and wraparound support for youth ages 15-24 in Edmonton. Directly comparable to OSYS in target demographic, geography, and trauma-informed wraparound service philosophy, with a larger facility-based shelter component.

Others

• A Way Home Canada: A Way Home Canada is a national coalition working to prevent and end youth homelessness, serving as a coordinating and funding body. Comparable to OSYS in mission alignment and funder-network overlap, though operating as an umbrella organization rather than direct service provider.
• Homeward Trust Edmonton: Homeward Trust is Edmonton's homelessness-serving planning and funding body and a direct OSYS funder/partner via the Supported Referral housing program. Comparable as a sector ecosystem participant and funding channel that shapes OSYS's operating environment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/old-strathcona-youth-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Old Strathcona Youth Society