A non-profit organization supporting inner-city youth is under threat of a dozen layoffs and program cuts due to a delay in funding from the federal government.
Resource Assistance for Youth in West Broadway is at risk of cutting 12 positions from its 53-member workforce and folding its Level Up! Employment and Training program running.
“Youth having access to learning more about life skills is essential,” interim executive director Caryn Birch told a news conference Wednesday.
Funding for the program, which it gets from a federal Youth Employment and Skills Strategy grant, ended March 31. Since then RaY has had to borrow money from other arms of the organization to keep Level Up! employees on the payroll, Birch said.
Caryn Birch, Director of Education and Training, Resource Assistance for Youth (RAY).
The non-profit has received millions in YESS funding since 2018 and feds say the delay in funding is due to high levels of applicants in the last intake, Birch said.
“Youth that come to RaY for stability are now in a position where their sense of stability is being impacted because of a failure of the federal government to provide timely responses about funding for these critical programs,” Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan said at the news conference.
Level Up! works with young people looking to get into the workforce. The program’s two streams, Level Up! Launch Pad and Level Up! Lift Off, are seven-week, paid training programs to teach skills suitable for the workforce, followed by a supported 16-week work placement.
“Youth that come to RaY for stability are now in a position where their sense of stability is being impacted because of a failure of the federal government to provide timely responses about funding for these critical programs.”–Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan
The program has connected about 775 youth to the workforce or post-secondary programming, Birch said. The next round of Level Up! programming is set to begin June 1.
“This potential loss will have a significant impact on the youth we serve as many of their next steps in their own personal goals (are) financial independence and being a part of the Winnipeg labour market,” Birch said.
The YESS program provides funding to organizations for programs that help people between the ages of 15 and 30 overcome barriers to employment. The 2023 intake allocated $300 million over four years, with a maximum funding per agreement of $5 million per year, program guidelines say.
nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca
Nicole Buffie
Multimedia producer
Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the Free Press city desk.
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