On August 22, 144 students graduated from the Youth Futures program, marking its 17th successful year. Youth Futures is a six-month bilingual program that equips youth aged 16-21 with the tools they need to succeed in post-secondary education and employment. Participants receive advanced leadership training, mentorship, work experience, and post-secondary orientation. Since its launch in 2008, the program has supported more than 1,500 youth in Ottawa, many from OCH communities. The Youth Futures program is sustained and delivered collaboratively by the OCH Foundation, the City of Ottawa and BGC Ottawa.
Among this year’s graduates is Joakim. Joakim is a newcomer to Canada and has a passion for technology. Encouraged by a friend to apply, Joakim joined the program to build leadership and discover new opportunities. Stepping into the program with initial feelings of nervousness, he feels the program has had a transformative impact.
“Youth Futures allowed me to develop my interview skills, my leadership, and my communication skills. There were indeed moments during the program when I surprised myself. Meeting many people, getting to know them, and then becoming friends with them was a wonderful experience.”
Joakim was also thankful that his placement was in recruitment and marketing at the post-secondary institution he will be studying at this Fall. “My placement was exactly where I will be spending the next three years,” he added. “It allowed me to get to know more and more people on campus, and I am grateful to Youth Futures for that.”
While participants like Joakim gain valuable skills and confidence, the program’s success also depends on dedicated mentors. This year, Almokhtar returned for his second year as a mentor. In addition to this, Almokhtar is an alumni of the program and has a personal connection with OCH- he lived in an OCH community for several years.
“I wanted to give back to a program that helped me grow personally and professionally,” Almokhtar explained. “Having been in the same position as the youths two years ago, I was motivated to guide them through challenges and share the different strategies that worked for me.”
For him, the most rewarding part was watching youth grow into leaders: “Seeing youth begin to build confidence and take initiative was really rewarding.” He recalls a moment during a workshop at the University of Ottawa when a usually quiet participant volunteered to speak about their career interests: “It showed me how much confidence they had gained, and the whole group cheered them on.”
Almokhtar believes Youth Futures creates vital opportunities that ripple across the community. “Youth Futures provides crucial opportunities for skill-building, mentorship, and career development that many young people may not otherwise access. It creates pathways to post-secondary, employment, and leadership that strengthen both the youth and the community. I highly recommend this program for any youth across the city!”
As Youth Futures continues to grow, stories like Joakim’s and Almokhtar’s highlight its lasting impact – opening doors, building confidence and inspiring young people to reach for the stars. Here are some of the highlights from Graduation Night!
Want to learn more or apply for next year? Visit www.youth-futures.com for deadlines and program details.
