Thank you to Ben Carr and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for helping RaY fill the youth unemployment gap over 2025/2026!

Level Up! corrects for low graduation rates and the subsequent earning potential that Indigenous and low-income youth experience in Winnipeg.

A good job is a critical factor in achieving stable housing. Yet, youth are chronically underemployed. July’s Manitoba Labour Force Survey indicated that youth unemployment for Manitoba was 10.3%.

A number of groups are overrepresented in unemployment data. In 2024, ESDC indicated that unemployment rates were high for racialized (16.2%), Black (21.5%), and Indigenous youth (17.7%). Additionally, the most recent data (2023) indicates that youth with disabilities had a 15.8% unemployment rate.

A contributing factor is education. In 2024, the Manitoba high school graduation rate for Indigenous students was 54% compared to 91% for non Indigenous students. Yet, a high school diploma determines future earning potential for individuals and their families!

Level Up! narrows the gap! Since 2020, more than 95% percent of participants moved from the program into an educational program or paid employment. All participants were successfully housed. Level Up! participants also access RaY’s wrap around supports for mental health, basic needs, and ongoing personal development; as well as services through the Link.

Level Up! is a Winnipeg success story. Over 100 local small, medium and large businesses have hosted Level Up! placements to gain work experience, and/or hired participants long term beyond the program.

Thanks to our current placements including Food Fare, Feast, and Graffiti Art Programming for providing essential work experience opportunities!

Learn more about how Level Up!, the Link, and our partners are filling the gap in youth unemployment. Support Level Up! by donating here or by contacting info@rayinca.ca via email.