A new philanthropy model is helping young people from care stay in school in Ontario and Manitoba

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada and The Northpine Foundation ventures are improving high school retention and post-secondary pathways for 770 young people, offering early evidence of approaches that could reach more young people

TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2026 /CNW/ -- As students across Canada return to the classroom, young people connected to the child welfare system continue to face significant barriers to completing high school and pursuing post-secondary education.

In Ontario alone, just 46% of kids raised in the child welfare system graduate high school, compared to 83% of their peers outside of this system. Young people from care also participate in post-secondary education at roughly half the rate of the general youth population.1

To help change those outcomes, Children's Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) and The Northpine Foundation are partnering on a growing portfolio of education ventures in Ontario and Manitoba, on track to help 770 young people connected to care stay engaged in and succeed in school.

The Venture Fund is supported through a multi-year partnership between CAFC and Northpine and combines outcomes-focused investment with cross-sector expertise to identify, test, and derisk promising solutions.

The goal is to invest $8 million annually in education initiatives that start with specific outcomes and measure progress so partners can understand what is working, adapt where necessary, and identify approaches to reach more young people.

Since the Fund began in January 2025, 114 young people have graduated from high school or are on track to graduate, 105 have entered post-secondary education, and a further 21 have been re-engaged to complete high school credits.

"These young people have the talent and ambition to succeed. What they too often lack is a system designed to help them get there," says Jeffrey Schiffer, President and CEO of Children's Aid Foundation of Canada. "We're using philanthropy differently -- bringing the right partners together, investing in ideas with potential, and learning quickly about what actually changes outcomes. Our ambition is not simply to help more young people graduate. It's to help build pathways to education and employment that can fundamentally change what is possible for young people from care."

Reconnecting young people with high school in Ontario

One example is Connected Futures, an alternative education program that brings together Thames Valley District School Board, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Children's Aid Society of London and Middlesex, and municipal partners. The aim of the venture is to connect education- and community-based support specifically tailored to each young person's learning style.

After just one academic year, 18 youth have completed the venture with 24 credits, with 11 having already reached this milestone. Four students have graduated high school, and two have enrolled in a bridging program.

Building education pathways in Manitoba

The same approach is being applied in Manitoba, where CAFC and Northpine are working with University College of the North (UCN) to support more Indigenous youth through the education system in the northern community of The Pas.

As of June 2026, UCN exceeded its outcome target, with 36 graduating from high school, 20 having enrolled in and started post-secondary education, and 20 more starting a trades pathway program this September.

Building evidence for what comes next

Across its education ventures, CAFC and Northpine are trying to answer a larger question: what does it take to meaningfully close the education gap for young people connected to care?

"At Northpine, we are interested in measurable change," says Douglas Allison, CEO of The Northpine Foundation. "When young people who have faced significant barriers are reconnecting with school, graduating and moving into post-secondary education, those outcomes give us something important to learn from. The opportunity is to build the evidence, strengthen what is working and understand how successful approaches can be replicated to reach more young people."

The education initiatives form part of a broader portfolio of ventures focused on Educational Attainment, Meaningful Employment, and Strong Families and Lifelong Connections.

As of August 2026, CAFC currently has 11 active ventures representing approximately $8.43 million in investment and reaching 814 young people, with a pipeline of potential ventures representing approximately $7.5 million in additional investment opportunities.

1 Cited in "The Post-Secondary Education Program Review." Children's Aid Foundation of Canada, 2017

About Children's Aid Foundation of Canada

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is the only national foundation exclusively dedicated to addressing urgent needs and improving outcomes for children and youth in the child welfare system.

About The Northpine Foundation

The Northpine Foundation is a private family foundation focused on improving outcomes for underserved communities across Canada. Northpine works with a diverse portfolio of nonprofits, charities and socially minded businesses -- organizations with people-first principles, ambitious approaches and a genuine commitment to learning.

SOURCE Children's Aid Foundation of Canada

Media contact: Jonathan Russell, Manager, Communications, Children's Aid Foundation of Canada, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]