By Dr. Gervan Fearon

In 1984, only four years after it was established, Tropicana Community Services (TCS) became the first Black and Caribbean community organization to be funded by the United Way.

Thirty years later, having served more than 200,000 people, TCS continues to contribute to many communities through various programs and services, including the facilitation of summer employment for more than 3,000 youth, as well as family counselling and settlement services. And with more than 25 languages spoken by employees, TCS serves many cultures.

So it’s no surprise that TCS is recognized by youth, families and government alike as a leader in contributing to the betterment of Toronto.

Statistics Canada reports that more than 50 per cent of Toronto’s population could be comprised of visible minorities by 2017. So the prosperity of the city and, indeed, Canada will be significantly dependent on the ability of visible minority groups to find their place as contributors and productive participants.

These demographic trends make it even more important for TCS to continue to build strong communities and empower individuals.

But challenges still exist that cannot be ignored. There is a persistent gap between the number of jobs requiring post-secondary education and those possessing these credentials; between income levels required to maintain a reasonable standard of living and those earned by many in our community; and between the potential capacities of our community and the results attained.

Research shows that the greatest predictor of the completion of college or university is whether one’s parent attended university and the greatest predictor of an individual’s income level and employability is educational attainment.

As such, TCS and its volunteers continue to strive to promote the educational attainment of youth and adults in many communities, recognizing that only by working together, community and city meet to become a better place for all.