The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills, and Labour, today announced $75,000 in funding for the YWCA to deliver a Newcomer Women’s Leadership and Employment Mentorship Project. The project will help improve confidence and leadership skills, ensuring newcomer women are better able to join the workforce.
The YWCA provides a community where all girls and women can feel safe, supported and empowered. The project was developed in consultation with the Women’s Policy Office and supports the YWCA’s ongoing efforts to create opportunities for girls and women to learn, achieve and participate.
Partnering with service providers to support employment mentorship and leadership opportunities for newcomer women is a key commitment in The Way Forward on Immigration in Newfoundland and Labrador, the province’s collaborative immigration action plan.
Since 2017, the number of individuals supported toward permanent residency by the Provincial Government has increased by over 25 per cent.
This initiative delivers on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.
Quotes
“Our government is proud to partner with and provide support to YWCA St. John’s. This mentorship program will help newcomer women find good jobs or even start their own businesses, which supports newcomer retention and our commitments under The Way Forward on Immigration.”
Honourable Bernard Davis
Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
“Our government is committed to advancing the status of women and girls in our province. Through this project, the YWCA will create opportunities for newcomer women and girls to develop leadership skills and create safe and empowering environments, which will benefit all residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Carol Ann Haley
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women
“We are thrilled to initiate this new project with the support of the Provincial Government. Through this project we will work with community partners to coordinate a Multicultural Women in Leadership Symposium, and facilitate research to identify the challenges and solutions to full participation in the labour market. Working collaboratively with women who have lived-experience as newcomers to our province, we will identify strategies which support immigrant women’s economic self-sufficiency and successful labour market participation.”
Wendolyn Schlamp
Executive Director, YWCA St. John’s
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Learn more
Immigration Action Plan Progress Report 
The Way Forward on Immigration in Newfoundland and Labrador
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Media contacts
Ryan Crocker
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 725-9595
RyanCrocker@gov.nl.ca
Nancy Hollett
Women’s Policy Office
709-729-5777, 685-3372
nancyhollett@gov.nl.ca
Wendolyn Schlamp
YWCA St. John’s
709-697-5244
wendolyn@ywcastjohns.ca