BRANDON, MANITOBA, March 17, 2009—At-risk youth in Brandon will benefit from the Government of Canada’s commitment to a local employment project. Mr. Merv Tweed, Member of Parliament for Brandon–Souris, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
“It is more important than ever that youth develop the skills needed to participate and succeed in today’s job market,” said Mr. Tweed. “We are pleased to be helping young Canadians facing employment barriers gain the skills, knowledge and work experience they will need to reach their full potential.”
Career and Employment Youth Services will receive $99,849 in federal funding through the Government of Canada’s Skills Link program for its Jumpstart project. Designed to help youth gain employment, the organization will provide 14 at-risk youth with an opportunity to develop employment skills through developmental training in the fields of truck driving and personal care work. Participants of the project will be selected from priority areas in Brandon and surrounding areas.
Skills Link is part of the Government of Canada’s strategy to create the best-educated, most-skilled and most flexible work force in the world. The Government underscored this commitment in January when it introduced Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development.
The Skills Link program is delivered by Service Canada, which provides one-stop personalized services for Government of Canada programs, services and benefits. For more information about this program, call 1-800-O-Canada, go on the Internet at servicecanada.gc.ca or visit your local Service Canada Centre.
A backgrounder is attached.
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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
For further information (media only):
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
Between February 9, 2009, and April 30, 2009, Career and Employment Youth Services will act as the Community Coordinator of the Jumpstart project, which will provide 14 at-risk youth with an opportunity to develop employment skills. Under this project, participants will be able to obtain employment skills through training in the fields of truck driving and personal care work. Participants will be selected from priority areas in Brandon and surrounding areas.
Sponsored by the Optimist Club of Brandon, Career and Employment Youth Services is a not-for-profit youth employment centre. It provides employment services to youth between the ages of 15 and 30. Services provided by the organization include: access to youth employment resources and programs; help with résumé and cover letter development; career counselling; and referrals to full-time, part-time and casual employment opportunities.
As part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy, the Skills Link program is one of three Government of Canada programs that help young Canadians facing barriers to employment obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs and stay employed.
Skills Link focuses on helping youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, Aboriginal youth, young persons with disabilities, recent immigrants, youth living in rural and remote areas and youth who have dropped out of high school. It offers a client-centred approach based on assessing an individual’s specific needs. The program supports youth in developing basic and advanced employment skills. Eligible participants between 15 and 30 years of age—who are not receiving Employment Insurance benefits—are assisted through a coordinated approach, offering longer-term supports and services that can help them find and keep a job.
