iHuman’s Career Hub, a new program designed to bridge the gap between stabilization and sustainable independence. Grounded in our trauma-informed and youth-centered model of care, Career Hub is an extension of our belief that wraparound support must evolve as our youth evolve. iHuman walks with youth as they step forward into a world of work, self-advocacy and long-term stability.
True healing doesn’t end when crisis support ends. Healing begins when young people can imagine and pursue a future that is their own. Many of the youth we walk alongside face systemic barriers, intergenerational trauma, and economic and housing instability, the path to empowerment must include more than safety and self expression. It must include opportunities.
From Surviving to Thriving: The Role of Economic Empowerment
Many of the youth who engage in our programs come to us having experienced housing insecurity, mental health crises, or systemic discrimination. Through programs like LiNKS Mental Health, iSucceed, and our Art Studios, they begin to stabilize, express themselves, and form trusting relationships. But what comes next?
For too long, the answer has been unclear. While healing is critical, it must lead to something.
To choices, growth and a sense of agency.
Economic empowerment is not separate from healing, it is a continuation of it. Career Hub offers just that: a clear next step.
Career Hub is a direct response to the significant overrepresentation of young adults within Edmonton’s unhoused population. As of April, 2024, Edmonton’s “By Name List” included just over 3000 individuals experiencing homelessness; 16% were age 24 or younger.
A recent study across Canadian shelters, published by Cornell University, demonstrates that the vast majority of homeless individuals were unemployed, even though most expressed a willingness to work.
Research consistently shows that access to employment opportunities can dramatically reduce the length of time individuals remain unhoused. By equipping youth with job readiness tools, mentorship, and meaningful connections, Career Hub addresses not just unemployment, but the root causes of prolonged instability, offering a tangible path forward lasting change
What Career Hub Offers
Career Hub equips youth with both the practical skills and the personal confidence to explore their goals.
- Resume and cover letter building
- Job readiness and interview prep
- Financial literacy and budgeting
- Career exploration
- Mentorship and networking opportunities
- Connections to local employers and training programs
This is not a one-size-fits-all model, it is personalized, responsive, and built on relationships. We meet youth where they are at, whether they are ready to apply for jobs today or just beginning to imagine what is possible.
Why Workforce Readiness is a Social Justice Issue
Challenges around finding and keeping employment are not about a “lack of motivation.” Our youth are navigating structural inequities—underfunded education systems, a lack of affordable housing, discrimination in hiring, and generational cycles of poverty. These are not personal failures; they are systemic barriers that require understanding, compassion, and support to overcome.
Preparing youth for the workforce is not charity, it is justice. It is about leveling the playing field so that every young person, regardless of their background, has the chance to participate in and contribute to their community.
Building Futures, One Relationship at a Time
Through Career Hub, iHuman is not just preparing resumes, we are preparing people to
- Speak with confidence in interviews
- Set realistic and exciting goals
- Provide tools to help youth navigate the adult world
- Dream of more than just “getting by”
With support from community partners and mentors, Career Hub offers a network of possibility that extends beyond our walls where youth aren’t defined by what they have been through, but by what they choose to become.
How Can You Help
iHuman Youth Society is looking to local employers, business leaders, and mentors to be part of this vision Whether you can offer job shadows, interview practice, or your time, your involvement can make a lasting impact.
We invite supporters and donors to invest in this crucial next step. Your contributions help us provide individualized coaching, tools and guidance necessary for our youth to succeed.