Government of Canada helps Chaudière-Appalaches youth prepare for jobs
LÉVIS, QC, July 12 /CNW Telbec/ - Local 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. Mr. Steven Blaney, Member of Parliament for Lévis-Bellechasse, 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 Mr. Blaney. "By supporting this project, we are helping Chaudière-Appalaches youth develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential."
The Service d'Appui Régional en Immigration (SARI) will receive $99,205 in federal Skills Link funding to support its project entitled Intégration professionnelle : minorités visibles et nouveaux immigrants, which will help 10 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.
"The key purpose of this project is to help young immigrants in the region enter the labour market," said Mr. Jean-Marie Touré, Director General of SARI. "The goal of the project is also to demystify misconceptions about life outside major urban centres and to further educate regional socio-economic stakeholders on how to welcome and integrate immigrants."
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.
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 labour market while the economy recovers.
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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The mission of the Service d'Appui Régional en Immigration (SARI) is to promote newcomers' participation and awareness, as well as their social, cultural, economic and professional integration. Several objectives directly aligned with this mission ensure awareness and employability among these individuals while facilitating their integration into the region. Between July 19, 2010, and January 14, 2011, SARI will help 10 youth at risk who are immigrants or members of a visible minority overcome employment barriers by providing them with an opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to enter the labour market or return to school.
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: (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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