Boreal Institute (University of Toronto Munk Centre)

Background

The mission of the Boreal Institute, established in 2005 at the University of Toronto’s Munk Centre for International Studies, is to advance human development in Canada and worldwide by helping civil society organizations increase the impact of their efforts.

The Institute’s core competency is its ability to engage community members and organizations to address critical problems both at the local and policy levels. Its first initiative will be with at risk youth in Toronto, but the goal over three years is to disseminate its work and approach country-wide.

Grant Description

This project is one of the Applied Dissemination projects supported by the Foundation.

Boreal is initiating its work in Canada with a Youth Project to identify the needs of disadvantaged youth in select Toronto neighbourhoods and to determine with them ways to increase their opportunities for civic engagement and employment. This entails working closely with community groups and city-wide civic bodies (including neighbourhood associations as well as United Way, the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, the City of Toronto and others).

In a second phase, particular initiatives that have demonstrable outcomes will be launched, evaluated, and then shared across Toronto. The third phase will focus on scaling up, based on thorough evaluation so that changes in youth participation and the social learning achieved can be institutionalized and applied in other interested cities.