Summerside, Prince Edward Island, January 12, 2011 - Two post‑secondary graduates will get the opportunity to enhance and develop their employment skills through Boys and Girls Club of Summerside projects sponsored by the Government of Canada. The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
"In today's environment, it is more important than ever that youth develop the skills they need to participate and succeed in the job market," said Minister Shea. "Our government is proud to support projects that offer post-secondary graduates the opportunity to develop the skills and gain the experience that will help them reach their full potential."
With assistance from the federal Career Focus program, both participants will gain on-the-job experience through responsibilities that include supervising the organization's after‑school activities and Breakfast Program, as well as organizing its Bullying and Crisis Management programs.
The Boys and Girls Club of Summerside will receive over $25,000 in federal Career Focus funding to support these two youth employment projects.
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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
As part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy, the Skills Link program is one of three programs that help young Canadians, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs and stay employed. The other two programs are Summer Work Experience and Career Focus.
Skills Link helps youth between 15 and 30 years of age who are not receiving Employment Insurance benefits develop basic and advanced employment skills. It assists participants through a coordinated, client-centred approach that offers longer-term supports and services tailored to their specific needs to help them find and keep a job.
Through the 2010 Jobs and Growth Budget, the Government of Canada committed an additional $60 million to the Skills Link and Career Focus programs. This additional one-time investment will enable more young Canadians to gain the experience and skills they need to successfully participate in the job market while the economy recovers.
Youth employment programs are also part of the Government of Canada's strategy to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada's Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit http://www.actionplan.gc.ca/.
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, visit servicecanada.gc.ca, call 1 800 O-Canada or drop by your local Service Canada Centre.
