Lauzon helps Cornwall youth prepare for jobs

August 05, 2009

CORNWALL, ONTARIO — Local youth that face barriers to employment will get job-preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada’s support for a local employment project.  Mr. Guy Lauzon, Member of Parliament for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, 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 all Canadians develop the skills needed to participate and succeed in the job market,” said Mr. Lauzon.  “By supporting this project, we are helping Cornwall youth develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential.”

The Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training will receive $140,722 in federal Skills Link funding to support its Computers for Kids and Community project, which will help 12 youth facing employment barriers develop life and job skills to ease their transition to work or return to school.

“We are particularly proud of this project because we know that we are giving local youth valuable work skills in the emerging career of computer repair,” said Ms. Carmen Cousineau, Executive Director of the Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training.  “We are also giving families in need a sound computer system that otherwise may have been sent to a landfill site.”

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 participate in the workforce and contribute to their communities.

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, call 1‑800-O-Canada, visit servicecanada.gc.ca or drop by your local Service Canada Centre.


Backgrounder

The Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training is a community‑focused organization that seeks to find innovative ways to spearhead unique projects supporting education, health and well-being in the Eastern Ontario Counties of Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, Russell, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville.  Between July 6, 2009, and March 13, 2010, the Computers for Kids and Community project will support 12 unemployed youth facing barriers to employment through workshops focusing on life and employability skills, tailored to their specific needs, and will provide them with work experience.
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.