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Minister announces increased funding for youth employment initiative Julie Bettney, Minister of Human Resources and Employment, announced an additional $600,000 in funding for a career development program to help the province's youth. The Linkages Program helps youth achieve their career and employment goals by partnering with community-based agencies. In 1997/98 Linkages will assist in excess of 180 young people province-wide and involve 29 delivery sites. With these additional monies the total Linkages budget for 1997-98 is $1.1 million. "Many of our youth are faced with the challenge of securing an entry-level job with limited experience and training," said Minister Bettney. "By contracting with community-based agencies, young people benefit from greater regional access to the services they need and agencies will build and strengthen the range of employment and career support services they can offer their clients." Linkages helps youth ages 18 to 24 years who are experiencingdifficulty making a transition into the labour market. Through the Linkages program, the department provides funding to community based agencies to place youth in a workplace environment for up to twenty-six weeks. The program is unique in that it combines work experience with career planning. For example, Linkages gives youths the opportunity to obtain career related employment with local employers; participate in regular group career planning workshops; and earn a bonus towards the cost of post-secondary tuition and books. In addition, youth are offered the opportunity to return to their sponsoring agency for one-half day every two weeks to participate in activity based career development workshops. These workshops focus on employability skills, job search and job maintenance, career planning and decision making. Kim Stroud is the Linkages coordinator with the Brooking House Career Centre in Glovertown, Bonavista Bay. "Linkages is an excellent initiative," said Ms. Stroud. "The fact that Linkages is delivered by local community based agencies offers tremendous benefits to young people, employers and the general economic development of the region." Last year the Brooking House Career Centre was approved to assist five young people under the Linkages program. Four of these young people are currently enrolled in post-secondary training, while the fifth is awaiting acceptance to a resources technology program. Contact: Karen Kelloway, Human Resources and Employment, (709) 729-4062. NOTE TO EDITORS: A copy of the table listing Linkages 1997-98 Projects is being sent by facsimiile. Approved 1997-98 Linkages Projects Department of Human Resources and Employment
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