Skills For Life Inc

What Skills For Life Inc does

Skills For Life Inc is a registered Canadian charity (Charitable Number: 753516723RR0001) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Brampton, Ontario. The organization delivers youth development programming designed to bridge the gap between traditional classroom learning and real-world skills, serving youth at no cost through three core programs: Discover Your Path (life skills curriculum delivered in-school, after-school, and online), New Age Mentorship (one-on-one and group mentorship matching), and Skills At Work (a workforce readiness and employment incubator that includes a customer-facing landscaping social enterprise providing paid work opportunities). Service delivery is conducted through partnerships with school boards (including the Peel District School Board), the FBC delivery partner for the YES Mentorship cohort, and a network of volunteer mentors and program facilitators.

The organization's revenue model is dominated by donations, charitable contributions, and corporate sponsorships (RBC Foundation, Mansha, Advance Brampton Fund, BBI, Tropicana), supplemented by earned revenue from the landscaping social enterprise and proceeds from signature fundraising events — the Annual Impact Gala, Charity Golf Tournament, AGM, and the scheduled 10 Year Anniversary Event in May 2026. There is no pricing for services; all programming, mentorship, and educational bursaries are provided free to youth participants. Distribution mixes in-school, after-school, online, and workshop formats, with awareness driven by social media, email newsletter (via Zeffy), website content, events, and school/community referrals.

Operationally, Skills For Life runs with a small full-time staff of approximately 10 (Founder/ED Christopher Thompson, Operations, People & Culture, Donor Engagement, Finance, Marketing, Landscaping Consultant, Site Lead) supported by a 10-member Board of Directors. The technology stack is light: there is no proprietary software product, no mobile app, no API, no integrations, and no AI/ML component — service delivery depends on direct human instruction, mentorship relationships, and event-based community engagement. The organization is preparing to mark its 10-year anniversary in 2026 with audited financials and impact reports published back to 2021-22.

Name

Skills For Life Inc

Legal name

Skills For Life Inc

Website

https://theskills4life.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Skills For Life Inc is a Brampton, Ontario-based registered charity delivering free youth development programming — life skills training, mentorship, and employment readiness — through in-school, after-school, and online channels, funded by donations, corporate sponsorships, and a small landscaping social enterprise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Life Transitions & Independence Skills (Middle/High School Readiness) (EDAMAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Career Services & Career Readiness (EDALABAB), Growth Mindset, Motivation & Goal-Setting Programs (EDAMAIAE), Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Youth mentorship programs
• Life skills education
• Nonprofit youth services
• Workforce readiness training
• Community youth development

Headquarters

HQ city

Brampton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary revenue stream through individual donations, corporate matching, and workplace giving programs. Donors contribute through one-time or monthly giving options. The organization is a registered Canadian charity (757516723RR0001).
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Revenue from corporate sponsors for programs such as Skills At Work, including cash sponsorships and in-kind support from companies like Mansha, Advance Brampton Fund, BBI, and Tropicana.
3. Social Enterprise - Landscaping Services: Skills At Work program includes a landscaping services component where youth participants gain hands-on experience while generating revenue through customer contracts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Skills For Life Inc is a youth-focused Canadian charity that delivers free life skills training, one-on-one and group mentorship, and workforce readiness programs to young people. Its three core offerings—Discover Your Path, New Age Mentorship, and Skills At Work—are delivered in schools, after school, and online to help youth build confidence, set goals, and prepare for employment.

Product overview

Skills For Life Inc is a youth-focused charity offering a portfolio of three core programs: Discover Your Path (life skills and wellness), New Age Mentorship (one-on-one and group mentorship), and Skills At Work (employment readiness and incubator). These programs are delivered through in-school, after-school, online, and workshop formats, supported by mentorship, bursaries, and community events. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather a suite of in-person and virtual youth development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Discover Your Path (DYP): A life skills program designed to help youth build confidence, set meaningful goals, and develop tools needed to thrive in school, work, and everyday life through interactive workshops, mentorship, and guided goal setting.
• New Age Mentorship
• Skills At Work (SAW)

Products and services

• Discover Your Path Life skills program that helps youth build confidence, set meaningful goals, and develop tools for success in school, work, and everyday life through interactive workshops, mentorship, and guided goal setting. Delivered in three categories: In School Program, After School Program, and Digital Discovery Program. Provided free to youth participants.
• New Age Mentorship Mentorship program connecting youth with experienced mentors for guidance, support, and real-world insight through one-on-one mentorship, group sessions, and goal-focused programming. Includes a 12-week structured mentorship with S.M.A.R.T. action plans. Delivered in two categories: Year Long General Stream and YES Cohort (in partnership with FBC). Provided free to youth participants.
• Skills At Work Workforce readiness and employment incubator program supporting youth in developing practical job skills, work habits, and real-world experience through hands-on training, life skills education, and paid work opportunities. Delivered in two categories: Workshops and Employment Incubator (including customer-facing landscaping services). Provided free to youth participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of youth served annually with measurable improvements in life skills, confidence, and academic pathways
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FBC (Friends of the Bridge Crossing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on YESS Mentorship (Youth Employment Skills Program) delivered in partnership with FBC. The program supports youth through building workplace skills, confidence, and career readiness. Mentorship is delivered through structured cohorts as part of the YES (Youth Employment Skills) initiative.
• Peel District School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChantal Madray serves as a teacher representative on the board. The organization delivers in-school programming in collaboration with school boards, integrating life skills, wellness, and mentorship into classroom experiences.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Peel Children's Centre: Regional children's mental health and development charity serving Peel Region (including Brampton). Comparable target geography, youth focus, and community-based program model, with deeper specialization in mental health.

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: Canada's largest youth mentoring organization, providing one-on-one and group mentorship to youth. Directly comparable to Skills For Life's New Age Mentorship program and shares the same target population, school-based delivery model, and volunteer mentor ecosystem.
• Junior Achievement Canada: National nonprofit delivering financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs to youth. Overlaps directly with Skills For Life's Skills At Work employment incubator and Discover Your Path life skills content, with a similar school-delivery model.
• Pathways to Education: Canadian charity providing youth with academic support, mentoring, and financial incentives to graduate high school. Highly comparable in mission (bridging education to real-world outcomes), target population (at-risk high school students), and school-based delivery model.
• Frontier College: Canadian literacy and learning charity running youth programs including homework clubs, mentorship, and life skills. Comparable nonprofit operating model, youth focus, and school/community-based delivery.
• Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth: Toronto-based charity providing housing, employment, and life skills programming to at-risk youth. Comparable employment-incubator model (similar to Skills At Work) and life skills curriculum delivery, though focused on homeless youth specifically.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Greater Toronto: Regional YMCA serving the GTA including Brampton with youth development, employment, and life skills programs. Directly competes in the same geography with overlapping program offerings (employment services, mentorship, after-school care) and similar funding model.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: National federation of youth-serving clubs offering after-school programs, mentorship, and life skills development across Canada. Direct overlap in target demographic (youth) and program mix (mentorship, life skills, workforce readiness), but operates at much larger national scale with a broader portfolio.
• Children's Aid Foundation of Canada: National foundation funding programs for youth in and from care, including education, mentorship, and life skills. Comparable target population segments (vulnerable youth), programming mix, and Canadian charitable funding ecosystem.

Others

• United Way Greater Toronto: Regional funder and convener of youth-serving nonprofits in the GTA, including Brampton. Operates as a potential funder/partner and competes for the same corporate donors (RBC, TD, etc.) that back Skills For Life.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SLifeinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/skills4lifeinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skills-for-life-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/skills4lifeinc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Skills For Life Inc