Help for Aboriginal youth who face barriers to employment

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The Government of Canada Helps Aboriginal Youth in Kamloops Prepare for the Job Market

KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Dec. 13, 2010

Local Aboriginal youth who face barriers to employment will get job preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Ms. Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops–Thompson–Cariboo, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

"For many young Canadians, making the transition to the job market is a challenge, especially in today's environment," said Ms. McLeod. "That's why our government is creating opportunities for youth to succeed through support for initiatives like the Aboriginal Youth Empowerment Project."

With assistance from the federal Skills Link program, the White Buffalo Aboriginal Health Society and Resource Centre will help 16 Aboriginal youth develop the skills and experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.

Project participants will attend employability skills workshops and take part in work placements. The workshops will focus on topics such as interview preparation, effective résumé writing and job search techniques, while the work placements will allow the participants to apply their new knowledge and skills.

Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, Aboriginal youth, youth with disabilities, recent immigrants, youth living in rural and remote areas, and youth who have dropped out of high school.

The White Buffalo Aboriginal Health Society and Resource Centre will receive over $203,000 in federal Skills Link funding to support its youth employment project.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

BACKGROUNDER

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 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.