Looking to gain valuable working experience and prepare for your future? Registration is now open for the City’s Youth Futures program. The deadline to apply is Friday, December 20.
Youth Futures is a seven-month, bilingual program designed to help youth acquire the knowledge, skills and support they need to succeed in post-secondary education and in their careers. The program is for high school students aged 16 to 21, from low-income families and communities. There is no cost to participate.
In its 12th year, the program has helped close to 800 students prepare for life in college or university, or for the start of their careers.
The program focuses on six areas:
- Advanced leadership training
- Paid summer employment
- Post-secondary orientation
- Mentorship
- Community engagement
- Parental engagement
In 2019, the program celebrated 137 youth graduates.

Mouna Barkad, one of 137 graduates in 2019, accepting her graduation certificate from (starting from the left) Stéphane Giguère, CEO of Ottawa Community Housing, Wayne French, Director of Public Affairs for Waste Management Ottawa and Michel Gagnon, Supervisor of Recruitment and Marketing at La Cité collégiale.