Our community investments are focused and strategic to allow for maximum impact for the organizations and projects we support. Through our Uplift Fund, we look to support projects that will provide job seeker support, enhance employer engagement practices, and provide holistic employment programming.
By supporting such projects, we aim to:
- Help create meaningful job and career growth opportunities
- Facilitate effective employment supports and services to our local residents
- Enhance the capacity and sustainability of our community partners
- Support training and programming to tackle the systemic barriers that contribute to inequalities in the regional economy
Announcing our 2023 Uplift fund recipients
We are pleased to announce $770,000 in funding for nine organizations through the 2023 Uplift Fund. While the recipients and projects range in size and scope they are all delivering compelling projects that advance workforce development in our surrounding communities. These organizations are presenting creative and impactful ways to create more opportunities for a diverse range of job seekers to find meaningful employment and for employers to attract and retain local talent.
Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services
The Thrive Under the Rainbow (TURN) project aims to facilitate workforce entry through pre-employment programs at the West Toronto community hub by offering employment services for primarily African refugees who identify as 2SLGBTQI.
Achēv
The Job Action Club (JAC) is a job search support program for Ontario Works recipients that offers access to an online learning portal and a two-week in-person training program that covers job searching, interview preparation, and job coaching.
Rexdale Women's Centre
The Women's Employment and Labour Integration Training Program (WELITP) provides pre-employment services and job-search supports for Immigrant and Newcomer women to secure employment in Sales and Service occupations in Etobicoke. Participants will complete a 6 week in-person training and a 4-week work placement.
YWCA Toronto
The DARE (Digital Awareness – Ready for Employment) project is dedicated to enhancing digital skills and employability for women and gender diverse people, with a primary focus on newcomers residing in Etobicoke, Mississauga and Brampton. Through foundational digital literacy training and comprehensive pre-employment support, participants develop proficiency in using workplace digital tools and essential job readiness skills, boosting their confidence and leading them to greater economic stability.
Windmill Microlending
The Empowering New Canadians: Tailored Career Coaching and Coaching Supports program will offer additional services such as career coaching, financial literacy training, mentorship, personalized loan management, and access to job opportunities to newcomers receiving micro-loans to advance their careers in the communities surrounding Toronto Pearson.
Blk Owned
The Black Youth Entrepreneurship Hub (BYEH) Community Platform will serve as an online learning portal with training modules to support Black youth in pursuing entrepreneurship as an alternative career path. The program will be delivered through two cohorts that incorporate online and in-person learning.
Brampton Venture Zone by TMU
The BReady Talent Program will grow in Peel Region to include Mississauga. This platform supports Small Medium Sized businesses (SMEs) in identifying and hiring local professionals. This platform will support Newcomers and other professionals from racialized and underrepresented groups in finding their first full-time job in Canada.
MABELLEarts
This funding will support the MABELLEworks employment support program that targets youth, women and newcomer residents in the Mabelle Avenue area of Etobicoke and provides one-on-one support, group training and experiential work placements.
Black Physicians Association of Ontario
The HELP- Health Equity Leadership Professionals Project is a new program to support internationally trained Black physicians to enter the medical field in Canada. The project will focus on offering mentorship and exam preparation to participants.
The funded projects will support over 1,100 job seekers including many from marginalized communities who identify as newcomers, women, Black, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, and racialized. In addition, we continue to support ACCES Employment’s Speed Mentoring in Peel. This successful program will host over 100 Speed Mentoring sessions in Peel over three years supporting over 1,000 beneficiaries. Email propeller.project@gtaa.com to be added to our mailing list and be the first to find out about new funding opportunities
Our 2022 impact
