MASHTEUIATSH, QC, June 12, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Government of Canada announced new funding to support youth in Mashteuiatsh to help them gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to enter and succeed in the job market. The announcement was made by the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
"Our government's top priority is creating jobs and economic growth," said Minister Lebel. "Our government's Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow."
The Association du Parc Sacré is receiving over $61,000 from the Skills Link program to help youth overcome barriers to employment. Skills Link is part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES).
With annual funding of more than $300 million, YES helps youth, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.
Economic Action Plan 2012 will provide an additional $50 million over two years to enhance YES so that more young people can gain tangible skills and experience. This funding will focus on connecting young Canadians with jobs in fields that are in high demand.
Participants in the Association du Parc Sacré project will attend workshops to develop life and employability skills. Topics will include communication, decision-making and job-search techniques and tools. Later, to integrate what they have learned and develop other skills that can be transferred to the labour market, participants will take part in various community service activities.
"With this funding, we will be able to offer five young people from our community the opportunity to participate constructively in society," said Ms. Marie-Ève Robertson, chair of the Association du Parc Sacré's board of directors. "In addition to promoting their social integration, this program will help participants learn about medicinal plants, enabling them to reclaim an area of traditional knowledge that is part of their cultural identity."
Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada's broader strategy to create an educated, skilled and flexible workforce. 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 Government of Canada is helping youth prepare for, find and maintain meaningful employment through enhanced online services available at Youth.gc.ca.
| IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL PREVAIL. |
This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Backgrounder
The Youth Employment Strategy is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace.
Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment, including youth who are single parents, youth with disabilities and youth in rural and remote areas, to develop the skills and gain the experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.
Career Focus provides funding to employers to hire young post-secondary graduates to give them career-related work experience and help them acquire skills to transition into the job market.
Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
To learn more about Canada's Youth Employment Strategy and other youth employment initiatives, please visit Youth.gc.ca.
Marian Ngo
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
Follow us on Twitter
Share this article