EDMONTON, ALBERTA—Local youth who face barriers to employment received job preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada’s support for an employment project. The Honourable Laurie Hawn, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, 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 Mr. Hawn. “That’s why our government is creating opportunities for youth to succeed through support for initiatives like the Bridging the Gap for Youth project.”
With assistance from the federal Skills Link program, the YMCA of Edmonton helped 36 youth develop the skills and experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.
The project participants developed individual employment action plans and attended group-based workshops that focused on topics such as team-building, conflict resolution and time management. The participants also benefited from job shadowing and volunteer activities to help them apply their new skills and connect with the community.
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 YMCA of Edmonton received over $277,000 in federal Skills Link funding to support their Bridging the Gap for Youth project.
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