Youth Stars Foundation

What Youth Stars Foundation does

Youth Stars Foundation is a Montreal-based non-profit organization founded approximately in 2008 by Executive Director Malik Shaheed, delivering youth programming in the Greater Montreal area with a mission centered on youth empowerment, anti-racism education, and community advocacy for Quebec's Black community. The organization's core revenue engine is a multi-disciplinary summer day camp (Youth Stars Summer Camp) held at École du Grand-Chêne in Pierrefonds-Roxboro for children ages 5-12, running June 22 to August 14 in the 2026 season and offering activities in arts, sports, music, dance, science, swimming, and nature, with wraparound daycare from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The product portfolio extends beyond the summer camp into a year-round set of programs: a Basketball Kids Program for ages 6-12 delivered in 10-week, 90-minute coached sessions; a Counselor in Training (CIT) leadership program for ages 12-18 delivered virtually in eight one-hour weekly sessions; and an advocacy and education stack covering anti-bullying, cyberbullying, Black history (including a Black History School Tour delivered into Montreal schools), anti-Black racism, stop racism, diversity and inclusivity, and inspirational talks. Basketball Camp and March Break Camp were cancelled for the 2026 season. There is no proprietary technology platform; infrastructure is built on Google Sites, Canva for digital content, the Qidigo registration platform for enrollment, and social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn) for outreach.

The business model is a non-profit donation- and fee-based model. Revenue is generated through modest program fees collected via Qidigo, community donations and GoFundMe campaigns, corporate sponsorships (e.g., Restaurant Le Richmond, Du Majess for the annual holiday luncheon serving 75+ children), and government recognition including formal acknowledgment in the 2021 Canadian Federal Budget for work addressing systemic racism. The foundation has 1-10 permanent employees plus seasonal camp staff, is led by a single high-profile executive director, and operates with concentrated exposure to a single Montreal geography.

Name

Youth Stars Foundation

Legal name

Youth Stars Foundation

Website

https://youthstars.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Youth Stars Foundation is a Montreal-based non-profit that runs a multi-disciplinary summer day camp (ages 5-12), basketball and leadership programs for local youth, and educational workshops on anti-bullying, Black history, and anti-racism, serving families and schools in Quebec's Black community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates as a nonprofit receiving donations through Go Fund Me campaigns, community sponsorships, and recognition in government budgets. The 2021 Federal Budget recognized Youth Stars Foundation as part of its initiatives addressing systemic racism.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Youth Stars Foundation runs a multi-disciplinary Summer Day Camp for children ages 5–12 at École du Grand-Chêne in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Montreal, offering arts, sports, music, dance, science, swimming, and nature activities, along with before/after daycare. It supplements the summer camp with a Basketball Camp and Basketball Kids Program (ages 6–12), a virtual Counselor in Training (CIT) leadership and certification program for ages 12–18, and educational/advocacy programs on anti-bullying, cyberbullying, Black history, anti-Black racism, stop racism, inspirational talks, and diversity & inclusivity.

Product overview

Youth Stars Foundation is a Montreal-based non-profit youth organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs centered around a multi-disciplinary summer day camp. The core offering is the Summer Camp (ages 5-12) held at École du Grand-Chêne in Pierrefonds, supplemented by specialized programs including Basketball Camp and Basketball Kids Program (ages 6-12), and the Counselor in Training (CIT) leadership program (ages 12-18). The organization also runs educational and advocacy programs addressing bullying, cyberbullying, Black history, anti-racism, and diversity & inclusivity. The programs operate year-round with summer being the primary season, and include wraparound services such as before/after daycare and volunteer opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camp Multi-disciplinary summer day camp for children ages 5–12 at École du Grand-Chêne in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Montreal, offering arts, sports, music, dance, science, swimming, and nature activities, with before/after daycare from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Basketball Camp Basketball-focused camp program serving youth in the Montreal area.
• March Break Camp March break camp program for children during school holidays.
• Counselor in Training (CIT) Program Virtual leadership development program for youth ages 12–18 offering eight one-hour weekly sessions on conflict resolution, behavior management, professionalism, and leadership, leading to a CIT certification that prepares participants to serve as assistant camp counselors, including with special-needs campers.
• Basketball Kids Program Junior basketball program for beginner and intermediate players ages 6–12, with 10-week sessions of 90 minutes each (45 minutes practice, 45 minutes games), maximum 10 players per team, including jersey, coached by professional trainers.
• Anti-Bullying Program Educational and advocacy program aimed at preventing and addressing bullying among youth.
• Cyberbullying Program Educational program focused on preventing and addressing cyberbullying among youth.
• Black History Program Educational program including the Black History School Tour, delivering learning experiences about Black history and contributions beyond textbooks to Montreal schools and youth audiences.
• Anti-Black Racism Program Educational program addressing and preventing anti-Black racism among youth.
• Stop Racism Program Educational program aimed at combating racism among youth.
• Inspirational Talk 101 Motivational presentation program for youth audiences.
• Diversity & Inclusivity Program Educational program promoting diversity and inclusivity among youth.

Quantifiable outcome

• Youth Stars Foundation recognized in the 2021 Federal Budget as part of initiatives addressing systemic racism
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered notable, minor and core.

• MusiCountsnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Malik Shaheed, Executive Director of Youth Stars Foundation, was named to the MusiCounts National Advisory Committee. MusiCounts is a music education charity associated with CARAS and the JUNO Awards. Shaheed will leverage his network to promote MusiCounts and ensure marginalized, diverse, and BIPOC communities are aware of funding opportunities for music education.
• Restaurant Le RichmondminorOthersRestaurant Le Richmond sponsored the Youth Stars annual holiday luncheon for kids, providing a 5-star restaurant experience for over 75 children from the Montreal community.
• Du MajessminorOthersDu Majess sponsored the Youth Stars annual holiday luncheon for kids, contributing to the community gift program for less fortunate children.
• QidigocoreTechnology or IntegrationQidigo is the registration platform used by Youth Stars Foundation for program enrollment, including summer camp sessions, CIT program registration, and daycare services. Registration links are redirected through Qidigo for all camp activities.
• Joel AnthonynotableOthersJoel Anthony, NBA player who played with LeBron James for the Miami Heat, served as a guest at Youth Stars Basketball Camp, providing mentorship and inspiration to young campers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Girls Inc. of Canada: National nonprofit providing youth development programs including leadership, sports, and educational workshops. Comparable as a youth-empowerment nonprofit with structured programs and advocacy focus, though gender-specific.
• Tyndale St-Georges Community Centre: Montreal community organization providing after-school programs, summer camps, sports, and youth leadership development. Directly comparable as a community-based youth-services nonprofit operating in Montreal with similar program mix.
• DESTA Black Youth Network: Montreal-based nonprofit serving Black youth through leadership, mentorship, and educational programming. Directly comparable on mission, target demographic, and focus on anti-racism and youth empowerment in the same city.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: National nonprofit providing youth programs including camps, sports, arts, and leadership development across Canada. Directly comparable as a multi-site youth-development organization with similar age cohorts (5-18) and program pillars.
• Sun Youth Organization: Long-standing Montreal community nonprofit offering youth sports programs, summer camps, and educational services. Comparable as a Montreal-based youth-services nonprofit with similar program breadth and community-funding model.
• Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC): Montreal nonprofit serving the Black community with youth programming, educational workshops, and anti-racism initiatives. Directly comparable on mission, Montreal geography, and BIPOC youth focus.
• Camp Amy Molson: Montreal-based summer day camp offering arts, sports, and recreation programming for youth. Directly comparable as a Montreal multi-activity day camp for children in similar age ranges.

Regional players

• Kandalore: Established Ontario summer camp offering multi-activity programming including sports, arts, and leadership. Comparable as a multi-activity youth camp operator with leadership development, though primarily serving an Ontario market.

Others

• MusiCounts: Canadian music-education charity (associated with CARAS/JUNO Awards) that Youth Stars' Executive Director now advises. Included as an ecosystem partner with overlapping music-education mission and BIPOC community focus.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA Quebec: Major Montreal-area nonprofit offering day camps, sports instruction, swim programs, and youth leadership programming. Comparable as an established multi-activity youth camp operator with daycare wraparound services, though at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYiJ88vT7edeDx1DDOxlMHw
• Facebookfacebook.com/YouthStarsFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youthstars-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/youthstarsfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Youth Stars Foundation