Government of Canada invests to help youth in the Bellechasse area and surrounding communities get jobs and overcome homelessness

SAINT-GERVAIS, QC, Feb. 18, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Government of Canada is providing support for youth in the Bellechasse area and surrounding communities to help them enter the labour market and improve their living conditions. The announcement was made by the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for Lévis-Bellechasse and Les Etchemins, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

"Our government's top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity," said Minister Blaney. "Through initiatives for youth and to address homelessness, the Government of Canada is helping young people meet their basic needs and develop the skills they need to get jobs today and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow."

The organization Ressource alternative des jeunes de Bellechasse is receiving over $99,000 in funding from the Skills Link program to help young people overcome barriers to employment. The project will help participants to develop their full potential. Young people will participate in workshops, where they will learn better communication and problem-solving skills, how to manage their personal finances and how to use new technologies. They will also have an opportunity to take part in a work experience with employers from the region.

This organization is also receiving over $59,000 in funding in the context of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS). Prevention and support services will be offered to youth at risk of homelessness to help them improve their living conditions and integrate into society. Client support will be given to help youth retain their housing. By participating in various workshops, they will also learn to become more independent and functional.

"This project will allow participants to get job experience to help them enter the labour market," said Christian Fradet, General Director, Ressource alternative des jeunes de Bellechasse. "In addition, funding from the Homelessness Partnering Strategy is allowing us to hire an outreach worker to support clients in their efforts to improve their living conditions and to ensure that they can retain their housing."

With an annual budget of more than $300 million, the Youth Employment Strategy (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.

Through Economic Action Plan 2012, the Government provided an additional $50 million over two years to enhance YES through a new initiative that will connect young Canadians with jobs that are in high demand and help them develop tangible skills and gain work experience.

In September 2008, the Government of Canada also committed to investing more than $1.9 billion in housing and homelessness programs over five years. As part of this commitment, the Government of Canada has renewed the HPS until March 2014.

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Backgrounder

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Youth Employment Strategy

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 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.

Homelessness Partnering Strategy

The Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) is a unique community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness by providing direct support and funding to 61 designated communities across Canada.

In September 2008, the Government committed to investing more than $1.9 billion in housing and homelessness programs over five years. A renewal of the HPS extended that commitment to March 2014.

Since the HPS was launched in April 2007, the Government has approved over 2 232 projects totalling more than $732 million to help prevent and reduce homelessness across Canada.

The HPS provides structures and supports that help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness achieve self-sufficiency and participate fully in society. The Strategy seeks to address homelessness by working in partnership with the provinces and territories and other federal departments, as well as with communities and the private and not-for-profit sectors.

The availability of safe, stable housing and related supports is an important element in addressing homelessness and helping individuals who are homeless achieve greater self-sufficiency and a better quality of life. The Government's investments in this area are creating jobs, stimulating local economies and improving the quality of life for many Canadians.

By working with all our partners, we will maximize results to make a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable Canadians. The HPS provides the support that our community partners are seeking.

The HPS encourages a housing-first approach, recognizing that housing stability is an important first step in addressing homelessness. This is also necessary for the success of other interventions such as education and training, the development of life skills and the management of mental health issues.

For more information on the HPS and the seven funding streams, visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca/homelessness.

SOURCE: SERVICE CANADA

Contact:

Marian Ngo
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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This news release is available online at: actionplan.gc.ca.