Delivering multifaceted solutions to intersecting issues affecting African Canadian communities.

BYJ Community Services leverages professional experience in government, corporate and non-profit to bridge equity gaps for African-Canadian youth, families and community groups.

We provide culturally reflective social support/ coaching across the Greater Toronto Area.

Approach

Social Support
Community Development
Systems Change

Service Areas

Housing
Justice
Education
Employment
Health

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Client Feedback

"I just want to say thank you. The information that you provided about the affordable housing lottery program was pivotal in securing a 3 bed apt for my 4 kids and I. The support and information that you provide to the black community on a daily basis is life changing."
“Gerard, you don’t even know….I never had anyone look out for me like this. I really appreciate everything you’re doing. For real.”
"I hope you’re getting paid properly. I really appreciate you helping on a weekend.…I didn’t know what to do and had no one else to call.”

Collaborators

Partnering with various stakeholders is integral to our service model.

“Data shows that Black Ontarians see longer delays in accessing care and are more likely to experience adverse pathways to care, such as through the emergency room or police, than people of white European descent.”

Fante-Coleman T, Jackson-Best F. Barriers and facilitators to accessing mental healthcare in Canada for black youth: A scoping review. Adolescent Research Review. 2020 Jun 5(2):115-36.
"Despite higher rates of some mental illnesses, Ontario also spends less per person on mental health services for Black communities than their white counterparts"

McKenzie K, Agic B, Tuck A, Antwi M. The case for diversity [Analysis in brief on the Internet]. The Mental Health Commission of Canada; 2016 [cited 2022 Jan 19].
"Black Canadians are less likely to have access to a family physician and are more likely to rely on drop in clinics."

Anderson KK, Flora N, Ferrari M, Tuck A, Archie S, Kidd S, Tang T, Kirmayer LJ, McKenzie K. Pathways to first-episode care for psychosis in African-, Caribbean-, and European-origin groups in Ontario. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2015 May 60(5):223-31.
"In a study of access to mental health services, Canadians of Black-Caribbean descent waited an average of 16 months for care, compared to half that for white patients."

Anderson KK, Cheng J, Susser E, McKenzie KJ, Kurdyak P. Incidence of psychotic disorders among first-generation immigrants and refugees in Ontario. Cmaj. 2015 Jun 16 187(9):E279-86
"With Black teachers representing less than 2% of all Canadian elementary and high school teachers, Black youth often lack advocates in the school system and are rarely exposed to curriculum that is relevant to their experiences and communities."

James CE, Turner T. Towards race equity in education: The schooling of Black students in the Greater Toronto Area. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: York University. 2017
"Data collected by the city shows that Black people in Toronto are more than twice as likely to live in low-income households compared to residents who are not visible minorities. Meanwhile, 44 per cent of Black children live in poverty, compared to 15 per cent of non-racialized children."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/board-of-health-anti-black-racism-1.5603383
"According to the most recent statistics, the unemployment rate is 12.5% for Black Canadians and 6.9% for white Canadians. In Ontario, racialized women are 43% more likely to be unemployed than non-racialized men. Racialized men are 24% more likely to be unemployed than non- racialized men."

BLAC Guide on the 2022 Ontario Provincial Election. https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/provincial-election/
“Racialized people are over-represented in part-time and precarious employment that is characterized by lower wages, lack of benefits, and job insecurity.”

BLAC Guide on the 2022 Ontario Provincial Election. https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/provincial-election/
“24% of Black Ontarians qualify as “low income”, as compared to 14.4% of the general racialized Ontario population.”

https://blackhealthalliance.ca/home/social-determinants-health
"Black households are 3.56 times more likely to be food insecure than white households."

https://foodshare.net/custom/uploads/2019/11/PROOF_factsheet_press_FINAL.6.pdf

Delivering multifaceted solutions to intersecting issues affecting African Canadian communities.

BYJ Community Services leverages professional experience in government, corporate and non-profit to bridge equity gaps for African-Canadian youth, families and community groups.

We provide culturally reflective social support/ coaching across the Greater Toronto Area.

Social Support

Community Development

Systems Change

Housing

Justice

Education

Employment

Health

"I just want to say thank you. The information that you provided about the affordable housing lottery program was pivotal in securing a 3 bed apt for my 4 kids and I. The support and information that you provide to the black community on a daily basis is life changing."

“Gerard, you don’t even know….I never had anyone look out for me like this. I really appreciate everything you’re doing. For real.”

"I hope you’re getting paid properly. I really appreciate you helping on a weekend.…I didn’t know what to do and had no one else to call.”

Collaborators

“Data shows that Black Ontarians see longer delays in accessing care and are more likely to experience adverse pathways to care, such as through the emergency room or police, than people of white European descent.”

"Despite higher rates of some mental illnesses, Ontario also spends less per person on mental health services for Black communities than their white counterparts"

"Black Canadians are less likely to have access to a family physician and are more likely to rely on drop in clinics."

"In a study of access to mental health services, Canadians of Black-Caribbean descent waited an average of 16 months for care, compared to half that for white patients."

"With Black teachers representing less than 2% of all Canadian elementary and high school teachers, Black youth often lack advocates in the school system and are rarely exposed to curriculum that is relevant to their experiences and communities."

"Data collected by the city shows that Black people in Toronto are more than twice as likely to live in low-income households compared to residents who are not visible minorities. Meanwhile, 44 per cent of Black children live in poverty, compared to 15 per cent of non-racialized children."

"According to the most recent statistics, the unemployment rate is 12.5% for Black Canadians and 6.9% for white Canadians. In Ontario, racialized women are 43% more likely to be unemployed than non-racialized men. Racialized men are 24% more likely to be unemployed than non- racialized men."

“Racialized people are over-represented in part-time and precarious employment that is characterized by lower wages, lack of benefits, and job insecurity.”

“24% of Black Ontarians qualify as “low income”, as compared to 14.4% of the general racialized Ontario population.”

"Black households are 3.56 times more likely to be food insecure than white households."

BYJ Community Services