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INFO for Participants

Youth Are Working

Barriers to employment come in many forms. Perhaps you didn’t complete high school, had a learning disability, made some poor choices, came into conflict with the law, had/have a lack of social supports; family, friends, community or your resume is simply not getting you a job. The reasons a youth is facing barriers to employment are usually a combination of factors.  Whatever the reason for your employment woes, there is an opportunity for you to reverse your negative experiences on the job finding front.  It’s called Youth Are Working. If you have made a serious decision to move forward and address the barriers to employment that are preventing success in your life, this program may be for you.

Each year, WayPoints chooses ten (10) youth aged 17-24 for its Youth Are Working program.  All youth commit to taking part in a total of eight weeks of employment preparation classes combined with twenty six weeks in a job placement. Now here's the good part, you are paid for all hours completed during the program. Generally the rate of pay is based on the provincial minimum wage but youth may receive high salaries depending on their employer. Your job placement is determined by matching your interests with the available employers.

Sound good so far….read on….

So why would I apply for Youth Are Working?

Youth Are Working is more than just your typical employment preparation program. We pride ourselves on our individualized approach to assisting our participants in their daily lives. We know you cannot be successful in work if there are unresolved issues at home and in your personal life. We know that you have great potential and we'll help you discover your strengths and build on your weaknesses.  The one criteria for this program is that you want to move forwardnow

We suggest you contact the program manager, Hugo McCarthy (738-3392 or email youthareworking@nf.aibn.com to discuss this opportunity and we’ll help you determine if this intervention is right for you.

Who’s eligible? 

Basic Criteria

  • Between 17-24 years of age
  • Out of school
  • Canadian citizen
  • Not in receipt of Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
  • In need of assistance to overcome employment barriers

Priority Youth

Service Canada has several programs to assist young people.  Some programs have been expanded to assist priority youth.  For participants to be considered priority youth, they must meet the basic eligibility criteria above and have barriers to employment.  This is usually characterized by a lack of significant attachment to the labour force and poor future prospects under current circumstances.  In addition to the above, priority youth have at least one of the following barriers to employment:

  • High school non-completion
  • Disability
  • Aboriginal ancestry
  • Health, drug and/or alcohol related problems
  • Residence in a rural or remote location
  • Lone (single) parent
  • Visible or ethnic minority
  • Low levels of literacy and numeracy
  • Language barriers
  • Street involvement
  • Contact with justice, child welfare or social assistance system
  • Homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
  • Lack of social supports: family, friends, or community supports
  • Poor self management and/or behaviour management abilities
  • Other