Government of Canada helps Québec City youth prepare for jobs
QUÉBEC CITY, March 23 /CNW Telbec/ - Local youth facing barriers to employment will receive job-preparation training and work experience thanks to the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Ms. Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women and Member of Parliament for Beauport-Limoilou, 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 Ms. Boucher. "By supporting this project, we are helping Québec City youth develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential."
Gestion jeunesse inc. will receive $49,875 in federal Skills Link funding, which will help 65 youth facing employment barriers develop life and job skills to ease their transition to work or return to school.
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.
"This project will give young people in the area the chance to receive support and guidance from an employment counsellor, and some of them will get a meaningful work experience," confirmed Mr. Marco Saint-Pierre, Executive Director of Gestion jeunesse. "It is important to provide services that are adapted to young people so they can integrate into the labour force and improve their quality of life."
The federal government is working with the provinces and territories, community organizations and other stakeholders to provide Canadians with the training, skills and opportunities they need to get jobs and contribute to their communities.
Skills Link is 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 www.servicecanada.gc.ca, call 1 800 O-Canada or drop by your local Service Canada Centre.
This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
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Gestion jeunesse inc. is a not-for-profit organization that aims to develop and support projects for young people who have dropped out of high school in the Québec region, which promote their employability, their labour market integration and their return to school. Between March 1, 2010, and November 19, 2010, the organization will help 65 young people facing barriers to employment by offering a meaningful work experience to five of them and hiring a counsellor to coordinate employment services for the other 60 to help them integrate into the labour market.
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 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.
For further information: 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
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