Youth employment program thrives in tough times

youthThe Yonge Street Mission’s Evergreen Centre celebrated the largest graduating class from its Connecting Youth to Work (CYTW)program on March 12.

Eleven street-involved youth who had worked through all three phases of this 8-month program received their certificates and were awarded a reconditioned laptop computer, donated by Dell Canada.

Gail Meats, Evergreen employment and life skills coordinator, pointed out that all of the young graduates (ages 19 to 25) had overcome many barriers and struggled with finding direction in their lives. CYTW helps youth deal with their employment barriers, including housing stability, punctuality, budgeting, and physical and emotional health.

“Evergreen gives a lot of support through Connecting Youth to Work. There was a lot of trouble in my home life, and if you leave home in the Niagara region, where I’m from, you really are homeless,” says one graduate. “There isn’t any support for youth there, so I came here for help. Evergreen and CYTW helped me get an outlook on how to start a career and choose the right college course. I want to help other youth. My job placement at the youth club was great!”

Meats adds, “Youth who turn to us have a lack of stability in their lives. CYTW offers the support they need—that’s what we do well. The program blends their life experience with work experience: we help them get the hard job skills along with the life skills they need to succeed.”

A graduate explains, “I have a lot more support in my life since coming to Evergreen. Working through the CYTW process made me feel I could accept things with my life. The placement at the youth centre was really good—I’m going on to George Brown to become a youth worker. This program made me realize I’ve got a lot I can bring forward to help others.”

The 10-week second phase places participants in a high-support job internship within Yonge Street Mission. The third phase places youth in job contracts with outside employers.

One participant spoke with great enthusiasm about his job placement: “How many other 25-year-old men wake up before 6 a.m. because they want to be at work an hour earlier than they have to?” Evergreen director Karen Bach says, “Yonge Street Mission is in the business of hope. The life lesson they taught everyone they worked with—never give up!”