This summer 2025, Ifarada was honored to host ten youth and eight student placements! Our tremendous team developed a youth therapeutic program and many exciting activities.
Black youth in Durham face disproportionately high unemployment, systemic inequities, and overrepresentation in child welfare. Employment and training supports are critical to addressing these barriers and building pathways to success. Using an Africentric approach ensures that programs affirm cultural identity, provide mentorship and representation, and foster holistic growth. By centering Black youth in this way, we not only reduce unemployment but also strengthen resilience, belonging, and long-term community wellbeing.
Overview: Ifarada is a youth-service organization and dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to learn and grow. This year, Service Canada’s Summer Youth Employment Program funded 5 youth employment positions. This $27,000 funding support permitted Ifarada the opportunity to mentor and train youth throughout their career. Public Safety Canada grant funded five full-and part-time positions for youth, for a total of 10 youth positions.
Youth shared that the summer program supported them developing important professional and personal skills, including adaptability, patience, organization, and time management. They gained experience in program planning, balancing multiple tasks, and responding to children’s needs with flexibility. Working collaboratively as a team strengthened their communication and trust in one another’s judgment. Many also reflected on the value of learning to follow youth leadership while balancing structure and expectations.
Key Features of the Program
1. Advanced Training and Mentorship
The training provided at the start of the placement was described as thorough, engaging, and highly relevant to the work with children and youth. Students found the combination of facilitators and topics to be well-balanced and complementary. Drumming sessions created space to explore Africentric cultural expression and provided youth with creative outlets for self-expression. Joydeen’s facilitation focused on mental health and wellness, offering experiential exercises that encouraged reflection and provided strategies to support children’s wellbeing. Ifarada’s team leads contributed practical tools on structuring the camp, planning activities, and managing diverse needs, including how to adapt programming to support children with special needs. Students appreciated that the training emphasized both cultural grounding and practical strategies, leaving them better prepared for the camp experience. The initial two-week training period was particularly valuable in helping staff build confidence and establish positive relationships with one another before camp began.
Mentorship was also an important aspect of the summer experience, though the level of support varied among students. Those who worked closely with mentors highlighted the value of regular check-ins, encouragement, and guidance that went beyond immediate tasks. Mentors offered advice on personal and professional development, shared experiences related to the Black community, and provided constructive feedback on camp delivery. Students noted that informal mentorship, such as storytelling and open discussions, helped them feel supported and encouraged. However, some participants reported less frequent or less structured mentorship interactions, suggesting that greater consistency, intentionality, and involvement from mentors would strengthen the experience.
Overall, training and mentorship were seen as critical to the success of the placement, equipping students with cultural insight, practical skills, and personal encouragement that supported their growth and confidence throughout the summer.
2. Program Design and Development
Staff demonstrated a strong ability to design and implement a therapeutic program that balanced structure, creativity, and responsiveness to the needs of the youth. The program intentionally integrated therapeutic elements such as sharing circles, progressive discipline, and clear agreements, which created a safe and predictable environment. These strategies gave youth consistent opportunities to express themselves, build trust, and learn positive ways of managing conflict.
Cultural and wellness components were deliberately embedded into programming to strengthen identity and promote healing. For example, drumming sessions and cultural movies provided avenues for youth to engage in Africentric practices, while mental health–focused discussions and experiential activities created space to reflect on emotions and wellbeing. Staff also responded adaptively to challenges, such as working with children with special needs or managing sibling conflicts, by collaborating as a team and adjusting strategies in real time.
Therapeutic value was further reinforced through mentorship and positive role modeling. Staff encouraged youth to take part in leadership activities, guided them in self-expression through art and storytelling, and helped them understand the consequences of their actions in supportive, developmentally appropriate ways. Parents’ feedback and gestures of appreciation — such as providing meals or noting their children’s enjoyment — also reflected the program’s impact in building a community of care.
By combining cultural grounding, mental health awareness, and consistent behaviour strategies, staff effectively developed a program that was not only recreational but also therapeutic. The program promoted resilience, improved social skills, and fostered a sense of belonging for youth who may otherwise face isolation or systemic challenges.
3. Youth-focused program
Our team assisted with the development of Adinkra Fall Workshops.
Facilitation of a three-week full-time program for children and youth. This program, Amani Wellbeing Program hosting up to 16 youth each week.
Facilitation of a weekly girl mentorship program.
Testimonials
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My journey with Ifarada’s team was productive. Everyone was hardworking and dedicated to the camp, and we were always willing to assist each other. I really enjoyed seeing the youth engaged and excited to come in each week.” – Trishana
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“The training was really good. I learned how to incorporate cultural activities like drumming and sharing circles into our program. It was powerful to see the children so excited to participate.” – Mahir
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“I loved the experiential exercise on mental health. Paul’s drumming was so fun, and Tanika gave us practical insight into planning. Even when challenges came up, like working with children with special needs, our team worked together to support each other.” – Neriah
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“Curtis was a great mentor. He was laid-back but always willing to share advice and talk about the Black community. He wanted us to succeed and gave us perspective on how our work with the camp could make a difference.” – Mahir
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“It was really valuable to have regular check-ins with my mentor. They supported me not just with camp responsibilities, but also with my wellbeing and growth.” – Neriah
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“One of the most rewarding parts of the summer was seeing children change their behaviour over time. Youth who had outbursts at first began to calm down and use their voices differently. You could really see their growth.” – Trishana
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“It was powerful to be part of a space where youth could express themselves, learn about their culture, and feel proud of who they are.” – Jasmine
Why Employment and Training Supports Matter for Black Youth in Durham
Black youth represent a significant and growing portion of Durham Region’s population, with children and youth under the age of 15 making up 25% of the Black population and 18% of Durham’s total youth population. Overall, Black children and youth account for 11% of the region’s youth, yet they are disproportionately represented in child welfare, making up 10.5% of all youth involved with Durham Children’s Aid Society. These figures point to systemic inequities that continue to shape the experiences of Black families in the region.
Economic challenges compound these inequities. Black residents make up 1 in 10 of Durham’s low-income population, underscoring the connection between race and poverty. Employment barriers for youth are especially concerning: in 2016, the Black youth unemployment rate in Ontario was 25.7%, significantly higher than the 17.6% general youth unemployment rate. In Durham specifically, the overall youth unemployment rate was 20.5%, but Black youth faced even greater barriers, including fewer employment opportunities, systemic discrimination, and limited access to mentorship and training supports.
Why an Africentric Approach is Beneficial
Addressing these disparities requires more than generic employment supports — it calls for Africentric approaches that are culturally relevant, empowering, and responsive to the lived realities of Black youth. Africentric frameworks:
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Center Identity and Belonging: By affirming cultural identity, history, and pride, Africentric approaches counter the effects of systemic racism and anti-Black discrimination that often undermine confidence and aspirations.
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Provide Mentorship and Role Models: Programs rooted in Africentric values connect youth with Black mentors and professionals, offering representation, guidance, and tangible examples of success.
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Integrate Holistic Supports: Africentric training emphasizes not only employability skills but also wellness, resilience, and community connection — ensuring that youth are supported in both personal and professional development.
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Promote Equity and Justice: By embedding cultural relevance into program design, Africentric approaches ensure that Black youth are not treated as an “add-on” population but as central to the planning and delivery of supports.
In sum, employment and training supports for Black youth in Durham are essential to address high unemployment rates, systemic inequities, and barriers to economic security. Africentric approaches ensure these supports are not only accessible, but also meaningful, by affirming cultural identity, promoting resilience, and equipping youth with the tools to thrive in both their communities and the workforce.
Our Commitment
Ifarada has benefited from Canada Summer Jobs since 2019 and will continue to ensure youth have opportunities to work at the organization.
Our youth advisory council will continue to remain a critical part of our service delivery, and offer youth an honoriam for participating on the council.
Learn More:
Interested in applying? Kindly send your application for employment to Ifarada by January 31 of each year.
