Socio-Economic

Our Purpose

African Centre in Toronto (ACT) recognizes that across Canada, significant disparities exist in social and economic opportunities for communities that have experienced systemic discrimination or long-term disinvestment. These inequities disproportionately affect racialized communities, particularly children, youth, women, and seniors. ACT’s socio-economic initiatives focus on reducing these gaps and promoting equitable access to opportunity, stability, and community well-being.

Key Focus Areas

ACT addresses socio-economic barriers through a holistic lens that examines the following interconnected factors:

• Education: Educational attainment, including high school graduation, post-secondary participation, and the percentage of youth aged 16–19 who are neither employed nor enrolled in school.
• Employment & Income: Employment outcomes, unemployment rates, child poverty, and income inequality within communities.
• Family & Social Support: Family stability, access to social supports, prevalence of single-parent households, and availability of community engagement opportunities.
• Community Safety: Exposure to violence, injury-related deaths, and overall perceptions of safety, which directly affect quality of life and economic participation.

Program Outcomes

Through ACT’s socio-economic initiatives, communities experience improved access to education and employment resources, stronger family and social supports, increased community safety, and reduced socio-economic disparities. These outcomes contribute to greater resilience, inclusion, and long-term community prosperity.

Alignment with Public & Foundation Funders

This program aligns with City of Toronto, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and community foundation priorities focused on poverty reduction, equity, community safety, education and employment pathways, and social inclusion. ACT’s emphasis on data-informed approaches and community-driven solutions supports funder expectations for measurable impact.