Minister Ien and MP Yip announce funding for Rehabilitation Network Canada to support skills training for young people

GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 22, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadian youth are one of the country's greatest strengths and sources of potential, and the Government of Canada is supporting them at every stage of their journey toward a prosperous future. Every young person deserves a good job, but we know that many youth face barriers to employment. Creating opportunities for young people to gain the skills and experience they need for a fair chance at financial success is key to strengthening our economy, building a more inclusive country, and ensuring that no one is left behind.

Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and Jean Yip, Member of Parliament for Scarborough–Agincourt, announced over $1.2 million over 4 years to Rehabilitation Network Canada for their Youth Matters program. Funding is being provided through Employment and Social Development Canada's Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) Program.

Over the next four years, YESS Program funding for Youth Matters will assist 87 youth, aged 15 to 30, who face barriers to employment develop the skills and gain the experience they need to find and keep quality jobs. The project will support racialized youth, youth with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ youth, newcomer youth and youth experiencing homelessness. Along with employment skills training and quality employment opportunities, Youth Matters will offer mentorship, coaching, support for child care/dependant care and other forms of support to participants.

In total, the YESS Program is expected to fund more than 200 new projects worth approximately $370 million between now and 2028. This is part of the Government's plan to create 90,000 youth job placements per year between 2024 and 2026. These projects will provide flexible employment services and holistic supports tailored to each participant to help young people gain transferable skills with a lasting positive impact on their careers. This approach has already demonstrated success, with over 80% of participants from June 2019 to December 2022 either employed or returning to school following their participation in YESS programming.

The Government of Canada recognizes the vital role governments can play in making sure young people succeed. That is why, as announced in Budget 2024, the Government is helping to restore fairness for every generation by unlocking access to post-secondary education, investing in the skills of the future, and creating opportunities for younger Canadians to get good jobs.

Quotes  

"Young people are driven to succeed—not just for themselves, but for their families and communities. Every young person deserves the chance to access skills training and meaningful job opportunities, regardless of the challenges they face. That's why our government is committed to breaking down barriers and ensuring that every youth has a fair shot at pursuing a career they're passionate about. Through the efforts of organizations like Rehabilitation Network Canada, young people are receiving the guidance, training, and support they need to thrive and build a brighter future."
– The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

"Rehabilitation Network Canada is a helping hand to youth in the community who are facing barriers to employment and we are proud to have their head office in Scarborough-Agincourt. By providing supports like employment counselling and interview and job search support, youth will have a better chance to find lasting and meaningful employment. Helping young people facing barriers to find employment in our community and to develop skills for the workforce ensures that that we remain a prosperous and thriving city."
– Jean Yip, Member of Parliament for Scarborough–Agincourt

Quick facts  

• Employment and Social Development Canada's YESS Program was designed to give all youth an equal opportunity to find meaningful work. New to this funding cycle is the Youth with Disabilities stream, which places an emphasis on supporting projects that target youth with disabilities. Over 30% of funded projects are expected to address the unique employment challenges faced by youth with disabilities, surpassing the original target of 20%.
  
  
• Other priority groups include Indigenous youth, 2SLGBTQI+ youth, Black and racialized youth, and youth in official language minority communities.
  
  
• The YESS Program is part of the Government of Canada's broader Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, a horizontal initiative championed by 12 federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations. Together, these 12 partners deliver funding programs to help Canadian youth (aged 15 to 30) develop the skills and gain the experience they need to successfully transition into the labour market. 
  
  
• To help younger Canadians pursue and achieve their dreams, the Government is investing to create more job opportunities and ensure that hard work pays off for the next generation. To create 90,000 youth job placements and employment support opportunities per year, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $351.2 million for the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy in the 2025–26 fiscal year. These investments in youth job opportunities include:
  
  
  • $150.7 million across the federal partners under the YESS to provide job placements and employment supports to youth; and
  • $200.5 million for the Canada Summer Jobs program delivered by Employment and Social Development Canada to provide well-paying summer job opportunities, including jobs in sectors facing critical labour shortages, such as housing construction.

Related products

Backgrounder: The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy

Associated links 

Youth Employment and Skills Strategy

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Contacts: For media enquiries, please contact: Angie Rutera, Communications Assistant, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada,819-994-5559, [email protected]