In the late 1970s,
The Borough of York (now a municipality of
Toronto) was going through a major economic downturn with closed factories, high unemployment, and vacancies. This caused a decline in both incomes and tax revenue, deflating rent prices. As a result, the region became attractive to a wave of recent immigrants. However, without the tax revenue, the Borough was unable to provide adequate social, education, and employment services. In response to these circumstances, a group of community stakeholders formed a charitable organization which incorporated itself as the Learning Enrichment Foundation in 1978. LEF started by providing multicultural theatre for children but quickly diversified into skill training and youth counseling. Over the years, LEF has continued to initiate programs and services that reflect the needs of the local community. As a reception area for recent immigrants and as part of the Greater Toronto Area with the highest levels of poverty indicators, there was much to be accomplished. LEF now is a leader in
community economic development, particularly as it relates to human capital, and still serves the local community. However, poverty and unemployment are not unique to the former City of York, and LEF continues to attract people from across the GTA. In the early 1980s, LEF opened child care centers and launched employment services and skills training programs. Programs and services include skill training in areas where there are local jobs, job search, counselling, recruitment service for employers, self-employment training and support, training enterprises including LEF Wood Works and Cooks Training for at-risk youth, technology help desk, computer access sites, Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes and literacy classes, a training loan fund, several social enterprises, 18 child care centers and 16 Before & After School Programs and a kitchen in which LEF prepares 500 meals a day through a partnership with Second Harvest. These meals go to agencies that serve the homeless. LEF provides a hearty soup lunch to all clients in the building every Thursday and to LINC nursery children (30 to 35) every day. By 1991, LEF outgrew its facility and moved into its current location on Industry Street. LEF has developed many cooperative relationships with many different government departments as well as local organizations and networks in order to plan, improve, and develop innovative solutions to local needs. These include social service (e.g.
North York Harvest Food Bank), immigrant service (e.g. OCASI), child care (e.g. York Early Years), disadvantaged youth (e.g. The Court’s Diversionary Program), and ex-convicts (Pardons Canada). In relation to local employment, the cooperative relationships include specific skill training and recruitment for local employers, sharing job leads with 300 community partners weekly, active networking with many other organizations, umbrella groups, and individuals, through referrals, collaboration, and regular meetings. LEF is a founding member of The
Canadian Community Economic Development Network and is active on membership and Human Capital Development Committees and on the Policy Council. LEF is also a founding member of the Ontario and the Canadian CAP Networks. == Programs ==