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Minister announces Youth at Promise Challenge project Joan Burke, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, announced today a unique project to assist youth who face significant barriers to education and employment. The Youth at Promise Challenge is an initiative of Choices for Youth, a non-profit, community-based agency which provides housing and lifestyle development support to youth in the St. John�s Metro area. "There are young people with complex needs who oftentimes may be viewed as unreachable when in fact, what they require are creative, fresh approaches," said Minister Burke. "The Youth at Promise Challenge emphasizes a flexible, adaptive approach which focuses on making programs and services as accessible as possible." Youth who face significant barriers such as fragmented education, drug and alcohol abuse, family breakdown, housing difficulties, low literacy and lack of educational options will be referred to the project from various government and community agencies. The project will run for 34 weeks and accommodate 14 young people 16 to 18 years old. "Through the Youth at Promise Challenge, these young people will have access to professionals who will provide educational and drug and alcohol assessments, learning sessions such as basic literacy and resume writing and connections to other services they may require, such as housing and counseling." "Based on phase I of a pilot project last spring, we know that the impact of a creative approach, specifically targeted to young people who face extreme challenges, does make a difference," said Sheldon Pollett, executive director of Choices for Youth. "In many cases, the participants are re-introduced to education in a more positive way than ever before. The program then provides a path for these youth to get the tools they need to move forward with their education and to begin looking at career and employment planning. Youth at Promise Challenge gets to the youth in the metro area who would otherwise have no opportunity to complete school or gain employment." The support of the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment is part of government�s continued investment in the province�s youth and commitment to effective programs that focus on those who most need help to enable them to participate fully in their communities. "This initiative is the result of community organizations, advocacy groups, agencies, and government coming together to explore a new way to help some of our most vulnerable young people," said Minister Burke. "I am very pleased to work with agencies such as Choices for Youth that strive to improve the lives of our province �s youth." The partners involved in this initiative include the St. John�s Community Youth Network, Youth and Family Services, the Department of Justice, the Brother T.I. Murphy Centre, St. Francis Foundation and the Buckmaster Community Centre. Many of these organizations will provide services in kind for the Youth at Promise Challenge while the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment has approved $10,000 to support the program. The department also provides a grant of $296,000 to Choices for Youth which helps provide housing and employment support to residents. Minister Burke will present the financial support for the Youth at Promise Challenge at the official opening of the Choices for Youth Services Centre on Wednesday November 10 at 10:00 a.m., 12-16 Carter�s Hill Place, St. John�s. Media contact: Jacquelyn Howard, Communications (709) 729 - 4062, 689-2624 2004 11 09 10:20 a.m. |
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