What we do
The Youth Services Bureau (YSB) is one of the largest and longest serving youth agencies in Ottawa, serving more than 3,000 youth each month in support of their well-being. YSB runs two emergency youth shelters and four apartment buildings, offers a range of free youth mental health services, provides youth employment support, as well as programs for youth in conflict with the law. Central to YSB’s work has been ensuring we have youth voices advising us, allowing us to continually adapt to serving the needs of young people and their families.
YSB staff – a group of more than 325 full and part-time professionals working from 22 locations – live the ethos of supporting youth regardless of where they live, what they look like, or whom they love. With services ranging from housing for vulnerable or previously homeless youth, to a crisis line and mental health walk-in clinics, to employment support, YSB’s work is broad and deep, serving youth of all ethnicities, faiths, and genders.
TOP FUNDING SOURCES
government funding: 91%
individual donations: 3%
corporate donations: 3%
other charities: 1%
Other sources: 2%
How you can help
Our community is experiencing an unprecedented increase in mental health crises among youth. They need compassionate and practical support now more than ever before. Donations ensure YSB’s mental health services are available free of charge, and that young people do not have to endure long wait lists while they are suffering.
One of the major stressors for young people is safe, stable housing. Each year, more than 1400 youth find themselves homeless often due to conflict at home with upwards of 40% of those youth being part of the LGBTQ2S+ community. At YSB, they are welcomed into a supportive environment at its two shelters and four housing buildings, where housing, health, and a sense of community are top priorities.
Support from our corporate and community partners is not only life changing, it’s often life saving. Every young person deserves to feel seen, heard and cared for and that’s the commitment YSB staff make each and every day, with each and every youth that turns to us for support.
Funding Priorities
The YSB Foundation’s fundraising priorities are focused on two major challenges for youth in our community: mental wellness and affordable housing. YSB is the lead agency for youth mental health in the Ottawa region and provides services for youth struggling with mental health challenges as well as support for their families. We are raising much-needed funds to ensure young people can access our Youth Mental Health Walk-In & Virtual Clinics, our 24/7 Crisis Phone Line & 24/7 Crisis Chat Service, our short-term live-in mental health centre, our mobile crisis team, as well as our two dedicated youth shelters, four housing buildings, and Youth Drop-In Centre.
Events + Fundraising
Stay Up Ottawa
YSB welcomes workplace, family, and community teams to participate in its 10th annual Stay Up Ottawa virtual event. This bilingual event – complete with an online evening program on November 25th – brings together workplace teams, families, and neighbourhoods in an effort to raise awareness about homelessness, learn about YSB’s services and generate upwards of $200K in funds to ensure homeless youth can be housed and cared for at YSB’s two shelters and four housing buildings. While participants are creative about how they carry out the event, it is not intended to emulate the experiences of those who are unfortunately homeless in our city.
Mind Matters
YSB’s Mind Matters youth mental health event series provides practical information and guidance to parents, family members, educators, and the community. The series features youth, parents and YSB counsellors sharing their experiences, learnings and expertise. Mind Matters is about sharing strategies to best support young people in our lives who are experiencing mental health issues, and highlights YSB’s range of youth mental health services available – at no cost – to youth 12 and older and their families.
Biggest success
YSB is a story of a community coming together and an organization adapting through the years to the needs of youth. Our work is successful when our clients get the support they need, when they need it. It’s about youth in our community learning life skills, finding shelter, getting jobs, returning to school, choosing a better path, and feeling hopeful about their future and their role in their community.
Contact info
Patti Murphy, Executive Director, YSB Charitable Foundation
pmurphy@ysb.ca and 613-729-0577 ext. 50262
YSB’s Stay Up Ottawa virtual event rallies the community with a goal to raise $200K to support previously homeless youth residing at its 2 shelters and 4 housing buildings
2675 Queensview Drive
Ottawa, ON
K2B 8K2
www.ysb.ca
pmurphy@ysb.ca
Year founded: 1960
Total revenue for last fiscal year: $$32,381,189
Twitter: @ysb_bsj
Facebook: @ysb.bsj
Instagram : ysb.bsj
LinkedIn: /youth-services-bureau-of-ottawa/about/
STAFF
Patti Murphy – Executive Director, YSB Charitable Foundation
Isabelle Perreault – Chair, President & Founder, Differly
BOARD MEMBERS
Rebecca Murray – Carleton University
Scott Lawrence – HealthCraft Products Inc.
Martin Sampson – Canadian Parks and Recreation Association
Christopher Rheaume – Ottawa Police Service
Chris White – Canadian Meat Council
Maria McRae – Community Advocate, Lawyer
Balwinderjit Singh Kapoor – MDS Aero Support Corporation
Justin Veale – Forest Products Association of Canada
Erika Falconer – RBC
Shawn Hamilton- Canderel
Christine Leadman- Bank St. BIA
Jennifer Stewart – Syntax Strategic
Geoff Publow – Myers Automotive Group
Kate Dalgleish – Centre for Israel & Jewish Affairs
