The Co-operators has pledged a multi-year grant to the Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op (CNYC) in Saskatoon, offering a total of $90,000 to the community group.
The insurer will provide the community organization $30,000 each year over the next three years, through the Co-operators Community Funds. The Co-operators has been providing support to CNYC since 2004, and this latest grant brings the total amount of grants to the non-profit to $165,000.
CNYC is a skill-building and alternative education program for vulnerable Saskatoon youth. Through the organization, youth aged 15-20 years old can earn academic credits and learn life skills. More than 90% of the participants are Metis or Indigenous, 80% have interacted with the criminal justice system, and 100% have not been successful in a regular school program.
“As a co-operative, it’s in our DNA to engage in and support community resilience, mental wellbeing and employability, especially among young marginalized Canadians. Now during this unprecedented time, we feel this is more important than ever as so many are navigating uncertainty,” said The Co-operators president and CEO Rob Wesseling.
The Co-operators has been stepping up its community support in recent days. This week alone, the insurer increased its investment in other youth-focused community groups by $205,000, and the company also created a pandemic assistance fund to help business co-operatives whose finances have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
