YouthLink is a 4-star, financially transparent charity with an above-average B+ results reporting grade. For every dollar donated, 78 cents are available to go towards the cause. Its reserve funds can cover almost six months of annual program costs.

Founded in 1914, YouthLink aims to develop the strengths and encourage the wellbeing of youths in Scarborough and Toronto Communities. YouthLink runs five programs, each focusing on a different aspect of community improvement. The programs are Community Outreach, Parenting and Family Support, Housing and Shelter, Education, and Counselling and Psychotherapy. In fiscal 2025 (year ended March), YouthLink spent $6.3m on these programs. In F2024, the charity reports making over 60,501 contacts with 1,639 youths.

Community Outreach includes the Spark Music and Visual Media Arts, Youth Outreach Workers, Youth Advocating Anti-Homophobia Awareness (YAAHA), and Youth Advisory Committee programs. In F2024, YouthLink made 1,046 connections with vulnerable youths. The charity also hopes to have a Black Mental Health Matters conference in 2025.

Parenting and Family Support includes Family Therapy, Journey to Zero, Wraparound, and Positive Parenting Program. The charity did not report any quantitative data for this program in F2024 at the time of this profile update.

Housing and Shelter includes YouthLink Diversion Program, Transitional Housing Program, and YouthLink Shelter. In F2024, the charity provided 3,575 nights of shelter at its 10-bed emergency shelter and 13,090 nights of housing at its 42-bed transitional housing facility. YouthLink also served youths 26,880 meals at its shelter in F2024.

Education includes Scarborough Village Pathways to Education and Financial Aid for Education. YouthLink provided 474 hours of tutoring and enrolled 310 youths in this program in F2024.

Counselling and Psychotherapy includes Live-In Treatment at Constant House, Ongoing Counselling, and What’s Up Walk-In (WUWI). In F2024, YouthLink carried out 4,177 counselling sessions provided to 607 youths and families.

YouthLink’s audited financial statements follow line-item costing, meaning it does not disclose which expenses relate to programming, administrative, and fundraising activities. This is not a best practice.

In F2025, YouthLink received $2.8m in donations and $5.6m in government funding representing 33% and 65% of total revenues, respectively. Administrative costs are 21% of total revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 0.5% of total donations. For every dollar donated, 78 cents are available to go towards the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. In F2025, YouthLink spent $6.3m on its programs which represents 73% of total revenues.

Since YouthLink follows line-item costing, Ci has to use the charity’s T3010 filings with the CRA to determine administrative and fundraising costs. At the time of this report, the F2025 filings were not yet available. Therefore, administrative costs are likely overstated, and fundraising costs are likely understated. Changes are forthcoming once the F2025 information is released.

In F2025, YouthLink had $3.0m in its reserve funds. This is enough to cover almost six months of annual program costs.

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on September 2, 2025. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.

Questions? Contact jdranitsaris@charityintelligence.ca