The Government of Canada Helps Youth at Risk in Edmonton Find Jobs and Return to School

EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwire) - Mr. Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced a funding package for a program designed to help at-risk youth in the Edmonton area obtain employment or return to school.

"The Government of Canada is committed to creating the best educated, most skilled, and most flexible work force in the world," said Mr. Hawn. "Our partnership with Dr. James Battle and Associates will help local youth who face barriers to employment get the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to take advantage of the job market."

The Government of Canada's contribution of more than $150,000 in Skills Link funding to Dr. James Battle and Associates will help youth facing barriers to employment find career-related job experience, return to school, or acquire the skills they need to jump-start their careers. Participants in the program will become better equipped to secure and maintain employment or access educational opportunities. Dr. James Battle and Associates are a group of specialists, including occupational therapists, teachers, and psychologists, who provide individual and group counselling, workshops, academic assessments, and related books and materials.

The Government of Canada is funding this project through Skills Link, one of Canada's youth employment programs. Under the program, local employers and community organizations work together to ensure young people have the opportunity to develop their skills and contribute to their communities.

The Government of Canada is committed to improving opportunities for youth, as part of an ongoing effort to build a strong, vibrant Canadian work force. The goal is to make Canada a place where meaningful, long-term employment opportunities are standard, and where the work force is trained to meet the requirements of modern businesses.

Service Canada brings Government of Canada services and benefits together in a single delivery network. It provides Canadians with one-stop service they can access however they choose-by phone at 1 800 O-Canada, on the Internet at servicecanada.gc.ca, or in person at Service Canada Centres across the country.

This news release is available in alternative formats on request. Call 1-800-788-8282 on a touch-tone phone or through a teletypewriter (TTY).

Backgrounder

Skills Link

The Skills Link program is one of three programs the Government of Canada created to help young Canadians (aged 15 to 30 years) obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs, and stay employed. The three programs are Skills Link, Summer Work Experience, and Career Focus.

Skills Link helps young people who face barriers to employment gain work experience or get a job. These young people include those who haven't completed high school, single parents, Aboriginal youth, young people with disabilities, youth in rural areas, and recent immigrants. Summer Work Experience helps secondary and post-secondary students find summer jobs. Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates develop advanced skills and find careers in their fields. These programs provide a range of activities that can be tailored to meet individual needs.

If you would like to learn more about the Government of Canada's youth programs and services, please visit us online at servicecanada.gc.ca (and click on "youth"), call the Youth Info Line at 1-800-935-5555, or visit a Service Canada Centre. Service Canada is the Government of Canada's service delivery network, which brings together a range of federal services and programs to meet the individual needs of Canadians.