May 21, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRINCE ALBERT, Saskatchewan- Brian Fitzpatrick, Member of Parliament for Prince Albert, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced funding for the Prince Albert Métis Women's Association to help local youth gain the skills they need to find and maintain meaningful employment.
"The Government of Canada is committed to creating the best educated, most skilled, and most flexible work force in the world," said Mr. Fitzpatrick. "Our partnership with the Prince Albert Métis Women's Association will help youth in Prince Albert get the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to take advantage of the job market."
"The Prince Albert Métis Women's Association is thankful for the financial contribution by the federal government," said President Darlene McKay. "We will be better equipped to support youth who want to learn new skills and gain the work experience needed to successfully transition to employment. We look forward to supporting these youth and working with local employers to make their experience in the program a success."
The Prince Albert Métis Women's Association will help nearly 50 young people from the Prince Albert area develop the life and job skills they need to enter the labour force or return to school. Participants in the program will become more employable through a combination of work placements and workshops on problem solving, goal setting, conflict resolution, and the job market.
The Government of Canada is committing $96,017 to this project through Skills Link, one of Canada's youth employment programs. The Skills Link program involves employers, community organizations, and other levels of government in ensuring that young people have the opportunity to develop their skills and become contributing members of their communities.
This project reflects the Government of Canada's commitment to creating a strong economy for all Canadians. Through its Advantage Canada plan, the Government is building on Canada 's strengths and gaining a global competitive advantage by reducing taxes for all Canadians, increasing competition in the marketplace, and building modern infrastructure.
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Backgrounder
Skills Link
The Skills Link program is one of three Government of Canada programs that help young Canadians (aged 15 to 30) obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs, and stay employed. The two other programs are Summer Work Experience and Career Focus.
Skills Link focuses on helping young people who face barriers to employment. These young people include high school drop-outs, single parents, Aboriginal youth, young people with disabilities, youth in rural areas, and recent immigrants. Summer Work Experience helps secondary and post-secondary students find summer jobs. Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates develop advanced skills and find careers in their fields. All three programs provide a range of activities that can be tailored to meet individual needs.
