Engaging Youth at Risk Entering the 21st Century Labor Market: the Canadian Experience

December 2008

Active Employment Measures Directorate

Skills and Employment Branch

Human Resources and Social Development Canada

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Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES)

Is a major initiative for youth that involves 11 departments; YES is comprised of 3 program streams:

– Career Focus• Assists postsecondary graduates obtain career-related work

experience.

– Summer Work Experience• Offers summer work experience to high school and postsecondary

students.

– Skills Link• Helps at-risk youth to overcome barriers to employment;• Enables them to develop skills, knowledge and to gain work experience

required to participate in the labour market or return to school.

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A new approach for helping the youth

In 2003, YES was realigned taking into account the information and knowledge gained during the first six years of the Strategy.

The new approach is more:– flexible, since it has been acknowledged that the needs of the youth

are diverse, and;– responsive to the local market needs.

The 2003 Renewal resulted in a major refocusing of YES, which is now:– focused on both skills development and work experience.– designed for a labour market where specific groups of youth face high

unemployment (at-risk youth)

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Aboriginal Youth+

Low Participation (51.9%)

Low Employment (40.7%)

High Unemployment (21.6%)

+ Census 2006

++ Neither in Education, Employment or Training (Labour Force Survey, 2006)

+++ Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, 2006

*** Statistics Canada 2007 Labour Force Survey

Immigrant Youth+

Low Employment (49.4%)

High Unemployment (14.4%)

NEET Youth++

Approximately 295 000 youth are neither in school nor

working

Youth with Disabilities+++

Low Participation (52%)

Single Parents (15-24) with children at home+

High unemployment (21.9%)

Low Employment (41.8%)

Regional Variations***

Higher youth unemployment in some regions, e.g.:

- NFLD (20.2%)

- Sudbury (17.4%)

Skills Link – Helping at-risk youth

Addresses the multiple needs of the at-risk youth, i.e. youth facing barriers to employment.

Youth participation in the Canadian labour market is strong, but some groups face labour difficulties:

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Skills Link – Design and Delivery

SL is a flexible program designed to address the multiple needs of youth (e.g. at-risk of becoming gang involved, disenfranchised youth, youth lacking labour market attachment.)

SL’s interventions:– are project-based and funded through third-party delivery

organizations;– vary according to local labour market needs and the needs

of the youth.

SL is a client-centred approach– based on tailored interventions.

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Client AssessmentCase Management

Community Planning

Tailored Interventions

How Skills Link works

Tailored interventions provides continuum of supports toward

employment or return to school.

Case management helps participants prepare action plans to address gaps in their skills/education.

Community-based planning is undertaken to understand and address local needs related to integrating youth into the local

labour market.

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Benefits and Key Results

Skills Link is meeting its objectives. This program:– Helps the youth to overcome their barriers to employment;– Enhances the skills the youth need to decide to return to school

or to gain employment;– Has positive impacts on youth annual earnings.

Key Results 2007-2008:– 14,763 Clients served – 956 New Agreements– 6448 Clients employed– 1359 Clients returned to school

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Skills Link Project Examples Breaking the Cycle: Youth Gang Exit and Youth Ambassador

Leadership Employment Preparation Project – Toronto– Outreaches to youth who are at-risk of gang involvement or are

already at the peripheral of a gang;– Youth participate in intensive personal development sessions which

help with interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, community building, and the impact of violence and gang involvement.

Chance to Choose – Vancouver– Focuses on increasing employability skills through community

service.– The youth have the opportunity to design a community service

project to share while providing them with enhanced life skills, such as decision-making, interpersonal communication and teamwork.

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Skills Link Project Examples (cont’d)

FPSYIP (Federal Public Sector Youth Internship Program):– established in 1997 to complement YES;– integrated into Skills Link in 2007;– funded by HRSDC ($15M per year);– delivered nationally through a contribution

agreement with the Greater Toronto Area YMCA

This program pursues the objective of breaking the vicious cycle of “no job, no experience; no experience, no job.”

Youth “at-risk” undertake 6-9 month paid internships in the federal public service to: – enhance employability skills;– be mentored by experienced employees.

YMCA acts as an employer + network of local YMCAs provide assessment, case management, counselling, job-search workshops, etc.