Rogers Youth Grants enhancing opportunities for youth in Calgary

Rogers is awarding $215,000 in youth grants to 10 charitable and non-profit organizations across the Prairies.

The Rogers Youth Grants aims to help youth facing barriers seek employment, as well as access opportunities in education and job training, while also providing mentorship.

“Investing in Canada’s youth is an investment in our country’s future,” said Navdeep Bains, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Rogers. “Our national partners were chosen for their longstanding commitment to making an indelible impact in the lives of young people facing barriers.

“All the grant recipients across Canada, no matter their size, will provide critical jobs and skills training, education, and mentorship programs to ensure young people can realize their dreams.”

Prospect Human Services Society, an Alberta organization receiving the youth grant, says the $25,000 in funding will help amplify resources that youth need.

“Being able to work with that group and being able to marry the Rogers Youth Grant, which will allow us to tie AI-supported job placement services and tools together so that they can do this virtually online in real time,” says Kevin McNichol, Prospect Human Services CEO.

“Those tools incrementally help and fast track their ability to find work. Ultimately, that’s where we want to help these kids launch and get that first job.”

Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, an organization that teaches foundational coding to immigrant girls, is also receiving $25,000. The group says the grant allows the organization to help break down barriers for girls pursuing a career in the coding industry.

“The grant that Rogers has provided is a really good opportunity for us to enhance our youth programming,” says Paula Calderon, CEO of Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association. “Offering digital skills to girls and breaking down barriers to access to this type of training and education.”

With a $3 million investment in organizations across Canada, Rogers is also aiming to support 100,000 youth over the next year.

In addition to regional recipients, four national Rogers Youth Grant partners – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, BGC Canada, NPower Canada, and YMCAs across Canada - will support programming in local communities.

Each national partner is receiving $450,000 combined cash and in-kind media.

Rogers is the parent company of CityNews