Youth Opportunities Unlimited

About Youth Opportunities Unlimited

Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) is a community organization located on Richmond Street in downtown London that serves youth between the ages of 15 and 30 in the London and Middlesex County areas. The organization operates with the mission of helping young people build skills, confidence, and independence to reach their potential. They provide a wide range of supports, including housing, food, basic needs, and referrals through their Youth Action Centre in London and the YOU | Strathroy location. The organization offers diverse programming such as the London-Middlesex Youth Wellness Hub, which provides mental health and substance use services, primary care, and community services for those aged 16 to 24. Other specific services include a 30-bed pet-friendly Youth Shelter in East London, a Community Youth Hub at Victoria Hospital for youth living without housing, and a mobile housing team. Youth can also access employment services through dedicated counselors for individualized training, as well as enterprise services that offer hands-on work experience in social enterprise businesses. Additionally, the organization provides the YOU Store, Joan's Place, which offers safe and affordable housing for young mothers and mothers-to-be, and the YOU Made It Café. Since 1982, Youth Opportunities Unlimited has worked to lead youth toward success by providing guidance and support. The organization describes its approach as being rooted in the values of being accountable, collaborative, compassionate, courageous, innovative, and persistent. They emphasize that investing in youth is essential to building a strong community where young people are embraced and can thrive.