Mapping the Experiences and Struggles of Un(der)employed Afro-Caribbean “Black” (ACB) Young Men in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

Abstract

This dissertation investigates how first- and second-generation Afro-Caribbean Black (ACB) male youth utilize youth employment training programs (YETPs) in three Canadian cities. ACB male youth are often marginalized through their encounters with racial discrimination, their lack of social capital, and their lived experiences which are significantly different than those of white, middle class young men in mainstream Canada. My study found that these young people are consistently met with racism, sexism and classism from employers who partner with YETPs, who presume ACB male youth are 'not good for business.' The study also found that YETP counsellors unintentionally reinforce class, race, and gender-based exclusions for ACB young men, which lowers their likelihood of finding success in the job market. Young ACB men both recognize the social exclusions they experience in these settings, and also take responsibility, as neoliberal subjects, for their own so-called 'failures' to find meaningful paid employment. I suggest that this reinforcing constellation of experiences leaves young ACB men in marginalized positions that are strikingly similar to those that ACB men have been forced to inhabit historically in Canada - that is, low-paying and menial labour that ultimately degrades their humanity and sense of self. This study considers the lived experiences of marginalized ACB young men and the perspectives of YETP counsellors, employers, and funders of YETPs. The research approach allows me to understand how better to support young ACB men and their socio-economic development while challenging misconceptions about Black masculinity in Canada.