COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
/JUMP-STARTING CAREERS IN THE WEST END
A Youth Employment Bootcamp At The YMCA
by Carlos Daez
(click images to enlarge)
The YMCA on Burrard provides much-needed programming to help young people get jobs. “Young people come to us frustrated, sometimes a little defeated,” explained Yasmine Grewal, the supervisor of employment services for YMCA BC, who helps oversee youth employment programs.
Youth unemployment is becoming a growing issue in the province. Earlier this year in June, the Business Council of British Columbia reported that B.C. had seen the largest increase in the youth unemployment rate of any province over the previous year. B.C. also has the second highest youth unemployment rate in the country, behind Alberta.
Youth 15 to 30 learn the skills to help find jobs in a challenging employment environment. (Photo Courtesy of YMCA BC)
The YMCA BC’s Youth Employment Bootcamp (YEB) is aimed at improving the situation for young people looking for work. YEB operates out of the Robert Lee YMCA centre on 955 Burrard Street, a familiar West End facility used for aquatics, fitness, and children, youth, and family programs.
Having YEB in that facility means young people can access support in a place they already know and use, which makes training and coaching more approachable. It’s also within walking distance for most West Enders.
Grewal explained how YEB participants struggle to get a foothold in the job market by themselves. “They’ve sent out dozens of resumés and never hear back. A lot of them don’t know what employers are really looking for — or they don’t have the networks to get a first shot. That’s where Bootcamp steps in,” Grewal said.
What is YEB?
YEB combines training opportunities with work experience. Youth aged 15 to 30 who are unemployed or under-employed (fewer than 20 hours a week) participate in workshops, earn industry credentials (like FoodSafe and First Aid), receive one-on-one coaching, and get access to a three-month wage-subsidized placement with an employer.
The placement is a time-limited arrangement where YEB reimburses participating employers in the West End and Downtown Vancouver for a portion of a participant’s wages during the first three months, in an effort to offset the risks of hiring potentially inexperienced staff. The program is free to eligible participants, with intakes running year-round as of 2025. Coaching continues during placements, so participants have support when questions arise on site.
“That wage subsidy is huge,” Grewal emphasized. “It lowers the risk for employers and gives the young person time to prove themselves.”
YEB enrolls an average of 85 participants per intake and 85 percent find employment afterward, while others return to school or start small ventures.
YEB outcomes
Grewal recounted a particular story of one participant who arrived at Robert Lee YMCA with severe anxiety and little belief they could work. Staff leaned into their interest in animation, set small goals, and arranged a studio placement through the subsidy. Case managers checked in daily, building confidence step-by-step, and recognizing progress along the way. “They completed the placement, and the studio kept them on… That’s the moment we work for. When someone goes from ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘I’m doing this,’” Grewal said.
Similar programs at Robert Lee YMCA
YEB is part of a broader web of YMCA BC youth employment services, including Youth Breakthrough to Employment and Training (YBEAT) and Early Childhood Education Assistant Training (ECEA).
The burrard ymca is a popular west end community hub.
(Kathy Morgan Photo / Vancouver Heritage Foundation)
In the first quarter of 2025, these employment programs served 160 youths. But how can young people figure out which program is the right fit for them?
“YEB is fast-paced and intensive,” Grewal explained. “YBEAT is creative and digital, a softer landing for youth who need a different pace. ECEA is sector-specific, preparing young people for childcare, where demand is constant.”
On the YMCA website, YBEAT is described as achieving an 84 percent job-opportunity rate for graduates. Combined with YEB and ECEA, these programs offer multiple routes depending on how ready a young person is and what barriers they may be facing.
Local Setting, Local Benefit
For a number of young residents in the West End, initial jobs are likely in restaurants, cafés, and retail; work tied to tourism, which remains one of B.C.’s largest youth-employing sectors. The West End Business Improvement Association membership covers about 21 blocks of storefronts along Davie, Denman, and Robson, underscoring how much commercial activity and service work concentrate there.
Looking Ahead
Like many employment programs, YEB depends on public funding. Even with that backing, long-term stability is not guaranteed. “The challenge is always sustainability,” Grewal acknowledged. “Funding comes and goes, but the young people keep coming. So we adapt — update workshops, add certifications, and keep building employer relationships.”
YEB is confirmed to continue for three more years, with the next intake set for this month. For youth in the West End, that continuity means the opportunity to participate in something steady: training, a placement, and a clearer path to lasting employment.
