Sixteen New Employment Support Initiatives Rolled Out Across the Province

Human Resources, Labour and Employment
August 14, 2009
Sixteen New Employment Support Initiatives
Rolled Out Across the Province

In response to the impact the global economic recession has had on mature job seekers and displaced workers, the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, today announced 16 new employment support initiatives for specific areas throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

"The 16 initiatives announced today will provide mature workers with an excellent opportunity to explore their options, gain new skills and secure long-term employment," said Minister Sullivan. "These arrangements also put the province in a strong position to not only meet the immediate challenges presented by developments in the world economy, but also address the increased demand for skilled labour that we are expecting in the coming years."

"When Canadians, including older workers, lose their jobs, we want to help them get back into the workforce as soon as possible," said the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. "Every region has different needs, and that is why we are working closely with Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure that older workers can get the support, training and skills they need to secure jobs and adapt to a changing economy."

The projects announced today will benefit approximately 260 participants and are funded through the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW) program and the Labour Market Agreement (LMA).

The TIOW is a federal-provincial cost-shared initiative (70 per cent federal, 30 per cent provincial) that provides support to unemployed older workers aged 55-64 in communities affected by significant downsizing or closures. The LMA is a federal-provincial agreement that was signed last year to help those often excluded from the labour force, including older workers, youth, income support recipients and people with disabilities, get the training and supports needed to find and keep meaningful employment. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada are jointly investing approximately $4 million in the 16 employment support initiatives announced today.

Detailed information on these projects may be found in the following backgrounder.

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Media contacts:

Jennifer Collingwood
Director of Communications
Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment
709-729-0753, 690-2498
jennifercollingwood@gov.nl.ca

Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559

BACKGROUNDER
Approved TIOW Projects for 2009-10

The projects announced today are intended to assist unemployed older workers (age 55 to 64), impacted by the global economic recession. These projects represent an investment of almost $4 million in new funding made possible by the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW) and the Labour Market Agreement (LMA).

Projects funded under the TIOW are co-ordinated by community-based organizations. They offer targeted measures to ensure that unemployed older workers can remain active participants in the work force by providing activities such as employment assistance services, prior learning assessment, specific skills training based upon labour market demands, work experience (with employers or through community-based projects) and assistance to become self-employed. The TIOW has been an important employment support initiative in recent years, having created 10 employment projects last year. It was set to expire in March of 2009, but a new federal-provincial agreement has extended the initiative to 2012.

Projects funded under the LMA are designed to provide non-EI eligible persons with employment supports that will develop their skill set so they can transition to long-term employment.

The following is a list of the projects announced today:

Sponsor and Number Participants	Work Experience	Employment Assistance Activities	Funding Amount
Avalon Region
WISE - Bell Island Number of participants: 12	Duration: 12 weeks Includes: work experience with employers in the area. The experience is tailored to each participant�s skill set.	Duration: 21 weeks Includes: client assessment, essential skills assessment, labour market/career exploration, skill development, career counseling, job search, and maintenance support	$125,871
WISE � Carbonear Number of participants: 12	Duration: 12 weeks Includes: work experience with employers in the area. The experience is tailored to each participant�s skill set.	Duration: 21 weeks Includes: client assessment, essential skills assessment, labour market/career exploration, skill development, career counseling, job search, and maintenance support	$125,696
Cape Random Trust- Bonavista � Trinity Number of participants: 6	Duration: 18 weeks Includes: community-based work experience in the tourism industry as tour guides	Duration: 10 weeks Includes: vocational assessment, assistance with resume writing, skills training, certifications, follow up and support	$90,587
Southern Avalon Development Association - Southern Avalon - Portugal Cove South to St. Vincents Number of participants: 33	Duration: 20 weeks Includes: wage-based work experience	Duration: 10 weeks Includes: pre-employment skills development, job placement and follow up	$298,702
Lower Trinity South Development Association - Lower Trinity Shore including Bay de Verde Peninsula Number of participants: 8	Duration: 22 weeks Includes: community-based work experience	Duration: 29 weeks Includes: production of floral hand crafted products, horticulture therapy, enhancing employability skills, basic skills upgrading, certifications, and preparation for self employment	$177,983
Mariner Resource opportunities Network (MRON) Carbonear Number of participants: 12	Duration: 24 weeks Includes: a wage subsidy to provide work opportunities with employers in the area that are tailored to participant�s skills and interests.	Duration: 12 weeks Includes: employment assistance services, vocational and learning assessments, basic skills upgrading, employer-based work experience, and direct employer marketing. (In partnership with local college)	$216,935
Central Region
College of the North Atlantic - Burin Peninsula Number of participants: 32	Duration: 14 weeks Includes: an employer-based work experience or community-based work experience in one of the following areas: industrial sewing, trades, or service industry	Duration: 16 weeks Includes: vocational and learning assessments, basic skills upgrading, and specific skills training in one of the three identified areas of employment	$500,949
Coaker Foundation -Melrose, Port Union, Catalina, Little Catalina and Bonavista Number of participants: 7	Duration: 15 weeks Includes: community-based work experience in the tourism industry	Duration: 5 weeks Includes: training in product development, crafts development, coordination of workshops for tourists, career exploration, job search assistance, training in customer service / retail sales / marketing and promotions of products, exploration of small business development (In partnership with Hospitality NL and INTRD)	$143,791
Corona College - Grand Falls�Windsor Number of participants: 15	Duration: 26 weeks (concurrent with training) Includes: employer-based work experience	Duration: 26 weeks (concurrent with work experience) Includes: vocational/learning assessment, basic skills upgrading, mandatory employment activities, specific skills training, safety certifications, employer-based work experience, and post-project mentoring and support	$273,435
Bonavista Area Chamber of Commerce - Bonavista South to Charleston Number of participants: 15	Duration: 16 weeks Includes: employer-based work experience or community-based work experience in agriculture, heritage carpentry or crafts	Duration: 9 weeks Includes: skills assessment, college related training regarding personal development, computers and essential skills assessment employment readiness, and certifications (In partnership with College of the North Atlantic)	$263,711
WISE - Grand Falls-Windsor Number of participants: 12	Duration: 12 weeks Includes: work experience with employers in the area based on each participant�s skill set	Duration: 21 weeks Includes: essential skills assessment, labour market/career exploration, skills development, career counseling, job search and maintenance support	$144,440
Community Education Network - Port au Port and Bay St. George area Number of participants: 10	Duration: 16 weeks Includes: wage-based work experience	Duration: 3 Weeks Includes: Basic Skills upgrading, employment counselling	$125,178
Town of Harbour Breton - Harbour Breton Number of participants: 15	Includes: training only, no work experience component	Duration: 12 weeks Includes: safety training, computer skills, essential skills, self employment counseling, skills training, and career preparation	$190,788
Western Region
Port aux Basques Area Chamber of Commerce - North Branch to Grand Bruit Number of participants: 15	Duration: 12 weeks Includes: employer-based work experience within local businesses based on participants� skills and interests, as well as community-based work experience involving working on trails and walkways	Duration: 12 weeks Includes: vocational assessment, essential skills and post training assessment, specific skills training, workplace assessment, career preparation and exploration (In partnership with College of the North Atlantic)	$248,032
Straits Development Association - Anchor Point to Eddies Cove Number of participants: 24	Duration: 17 weeks Includes: community-based work experience	Duration: 16 weeks Includes: job interview skill building and employment research methods, as well as heritage carpentry skill building or skill building in the production of traditional crafts	$560,000
Town of Englee Number of participants: 30	Duration: 14 weeks Includes: community-based or employer-based work experience	Duration: 16 weeks Includes: skills assessment, classroom training, employment readiness, as well as certifications (In Partnership with College of the North Atlantic)	$510,345

2009 08 14 11:40 a.m.

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