Level Justice to Develop National Legal Learning Hub for Youth Through Rideau Hall Foundation’s Catapult Canada Initiative
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, ON – January 26, 2026 – Level Justice today announced the development of the Legal Learning Hub for Youth, a new online platform designed to expand access to justice education for youth across Canada. This initiative is supported by a $146,300 grant from the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Catapult Canada Initiative.
Set to launch in Fall 2026, the Legal Learning Hub is currently in development, with youth co-design, curriculum planning, and platform testing already underway. The project will provide free, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed legal education to young people who face systemic barriers, with a focus on youth in Indigenous and Black communities and youth in rural and remote areas.
“This project builds on years of work with young people and communities, and is shaped by youth feedback,” says Shelan Markus, Executive Director of Level Justice. “Youth have told us they want legal education that reflects their realities, delivered in formats that are flexible and accessible. With support from the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Catapult Canada Initiative, we’re creating a space where young people can learn their rights, see themselves in the justice sector, and shape the future of justice in Canada.”
“The Rideau Hall Foundation is delighted to welcome Level Justice as a Catapult Canada grantee. Their important work to expand accessible, youth-centered legal education is making a meaningful and life changing contribution to young people across Canada. We are proud to support the development of the Legal Learning Hub and look forward to seeing the impact it will have for youth who face barriers to accessing justice education.”
“This project represents an important step forward in expanding access to legal education for youth across Canada,” says Jennifer Guerard, Board Chair of Level Justice. “We are grateful to the Rideau Hall Foundation for its support through the Catapult Canada Initiative, and proud to help steward programs that will equip young people with practical knowledge, confidence, and tools to navigate the justice system.”
Development will include youth-led focus groups and curriculum review by advisory boards and legal experts selected to reflect the lived experience and perspectives of the communities the Hub aims to serve. The platform will be publicly accessible, mobile-friendly, and designed to support learning and continuous improvement through built-in feedback tools. A public launch is planned for Fall 2026, following beta testing and feedback collection in August.
The Hub will bring key elements of Level’s nationally recognized youth programs online, including the Indigenous Youth Outreach Program, Black Youth Justice Program, and Environmental Justice Program. These initiatives reached over 1,000 youth in 50 communities last year. Participants reported a 57 percent increase in legal knowledge and a 58 percent increase in knowing a legal professional they could talk to.
The Legal Learning Hub is one of 32 selected from over 700 applications in the Rideau Hall Foundation’s most recent Catapult Canada Initiative funding round, which supports efforts to remove barriers and expand learning opportunities for youth across the country. Rideau Hall Foundation announced the 32 Catapult Canada Initiative recipients on November 24, 2025.
Learn more at: www.leveljustice.org
About Level Justice
Level Justice is a national justice education and human rights charity. Level works with communities across Canada to advance human rights and remove barriers to equity and justice. Through programs for youth, law students, and the legal sector, Level Justice inspires leadership, empathy, and inclusion.
Media Contact:
Shelan Markus
Executive Director
shelan@leveljustice.org
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