What is the AI Pathways program?
Riipen and The Career Foundation have partnered to connect skilled, motivated youth volunteers with local nonprofits. Through this initiative, non-profits gain valuable support from volunteers eager to contribute their time and talents during 90-hour placements — helping organizations amplify their impact and advance their mission.
Why is Youth Thrive important for learners?
This program offers participants a unique opportunity to grow both personally and professionally by engaging in meaningful service projects. Through hands-on experience, the participants develop valuable leadership skills, deepen their understanding of social issues, and cultivate empathy and compassion. Participants also benefit from expanding their network by connecting with others who are passionate about creating positive change.
Am I an eligible employer?
Employers must be a Canadian registered charity or non-profit organization.
Employers may not be:
An elected official
Part of an organization that engages in partisan political activities, and/or a federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal government
You will be asked to verify your company information when joining the Youth Thrive program. You can find out more about our employer verification process here.
What is the employer registration process?
To sign up for the Youth Thrive Program you will first need to join the program that best suits your needs.
The regional program services the following areas in the GTA:
Toronto proper
Etobicoke
North York
Scarborough
Mississauga
The national program services BC, Alberta, Ontario (outside of the locations listed above), and Nova Scotia.
You cannot participate in both programs.
If you are new to Riipen, you will be prompted to create an employer account and populate your company’s portal profile. On joining the program, you will be asked to verify that you meet the AI Pathways eligibility criteria, as outlined in our Terms and Conditions here.
What does a Youth Thrive project need to include?
The Career Foundation team is in place to support employers with mapping out their project opportunities and as such we have created a simple project template that acts as a proposal for you to utilize when you submit a match request. This template will share details on your organization and its mission and goals, prior experience working with volunteers, what help you are currently seeking, and a few other small details. The TCF team will meet with you after reviewing this proposal to determine the best path forward. Please note that although the help requested should be entry level, there is flexibility to discuss all needs, and you can expect to work closely with the TCF team to get started and match with the best volunteers for your organization.
How many projects can I submit, and how many learners can I take on?
You will only submit one proposal per cohort, and you can expect to be matched with a team of 2-6 volunteers, depending on your needs. You could accomplish multiple small projects in that time, or one larger project. You are welcome to submit a match request to further cohorts as well. Each volunteer will support for approximately 90 hours over the course of 3-6 months. This means you may have up to 540 hours of volunteer support!
What if my project requires more than 90 hours of work?
Projects are assigned teams of up to 6 learners, which means your project should be able to be completed over 540 hours in total. If you think you will need more than this, we recommend discussing this with the TCF team during your intake to find the best solution.
What if my project timeline needs to change?
All Youth Thrive placements should be completed over 3 - 6 months and in line with the cohort dates, but there is room for flexibility to finish quicker or extend this timeline depending on the needs of the organization and volunteers
Cohort 1 is April 28 - Oct 30, 2025.
Cohort 2 is July 28 2025 - January 31, 2026
Further cohort dates are TBD.
Each participant is expected to contribute 90 hours during the placement
What are the Terms and Conditions for the program and what is the three strike system?
In an effort to create a good experience for all parties, we have Terms and Conditions, which can be found here. Please take a moment to read through them. You will be asked to sign the T&Cs agreement when you post your project. You will also be asked to complete paperwork directly with The Career Foundation ahead of your placement kick-offs.
How do learners get connected to projects?
Learners will be placed into a team of 2-6 and will be matched to your project by the TCF team. Learners will need a dedicated contact to answer questions and provide access to any resources they need throughout the project/placement.
What additional supports are available to learners?
The volunteers attend workshops in the following areas ahead of their placements to set them up for success in a volunteer role:
Foundations in Project Management
Networking Strategies
Mental Health Wellness
Accessibility Awareness
Presentation and Facilitation Skills
Mind Mapping and Ideating
Indigenous Journey of Reconciliation
Teamwork and Collaboration
Climate Change and Sustainability
Customer Service and Professionalism
Resilience
Foundations of Community Research
Marketing and Outreach Strategies
Are learners employees of the organization?
No. Learners are neither employees of the organization they do a project for, nor of Riipen. As such, learners do not qualify for any benefits and will not obtain any record of employment from either organization.
Still have questions? Reach out to us via chat in the blue avocado found in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen or via email at tcf@riipen.com