Government of Canada helps Montréal youth prepare for jobs

MONTREAL, July 23 /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 Montréal youth develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential."

Four organizations from the Montréal region have received a total of almost $1.1 million in federal Skills Link funding to support their respective projects, which will help 72 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 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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Four organizations received funding under the Skills Link program to implement their projects.

The Centre d'encadrement pour jeunes femmes immigrantes received $95,456 for its program entitled Seconde chance au féminin : Mon plan de transition vers l'autonomie. The Centre's vision is to become a self-help platform, and its mission is the social, economic, cultural and civic integration of young immigrant women.

The Centre des jeunes l'Escale received $95,729 for its NOVA project. The Centre's mission is to encourage the development of young people's skills, aptitudes and independence. The Centre guides youth in social and professional development through recreational and educational interventions and activities.

Communautique received $433,321 for its Techno-Écolo-2 project. This community-based organization supports civic participation by promoting information literacy and by appropriating and developing new technologies.

The Fondation Travail sans frontières inc. received $384,193 for its Télé Radio Activité project. Created in 1982, the Foundation's mission is to provide coaching services for young adults as they begin their social and professional integration, and to assist them in defining their futures.

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