Employment Services

The YMCA of Niagara is one of the founding YMCA's in Canada with over 148 years of experience in the Niagara Region. Thousands of volunteers, leaders and youth have found the YMCA the place to build character and gain values-based experiences. YMCA Employment Services has been helping people for the past 23 years. We now offer more programs and services than ever before. Employment Services originally began as a Job Generation Site, a Canada wide initiative funded by the Federal Government. Our site in Niagara was the only program based within a greenhouse setting. The on the job work experience gave participants the opportunity to practice and develop generic job skills they learned in employment training workshops. Over the years Employment Services have expanded by building on positive relationships with funders and local community businesses that have provided enormous support. These partnerships have allowed Employment Services to expand their serving abilities impacting on thousands of families over the years.

ALINC

YMCA Employment Services provide language assessment for newcomers to Canada. Using the Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CBLA) tool individuals are assessed and referred to a language instruction class. Classes are offered throughout the Niagara Region and are free of charge. The CLBA is a tasked-based assessment instrument for adult newcomers to Canada. Its purpose is to help place language learners across the country in instructional programmes appropriate for their level of competence in English. To learn more about these programs, contact your local YMCA Employment Branch.

EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

How is your job search going? Do you feel like you're running into a Dead End? We can help! * Your own personal JOB COACH! * NEW job leads every week! * FREE photocopying and faxing! * FREE computer & internet access! * FREE 3-month YMCA membership! The YMCA of Niagara's Employment Assistance Program has been assisting individuals find and maintain employment since 1985. Employment Services delivers pre-employment assistance programs to youth and adults who have barriers to finding and maintaining employment. In 1998 the YMCA began delivering the Federal Public Sector Youth Internship Program, a program geared to youth with barriers to employment. The program offers youth the opportunity to obtain pre-employment assistance as well as experiencing work by way of a paid on-the-job training placement. All programs involve comprehensive employment based workshops. These workshops are designed to carry a participant through the job search process of goal setting, identifying the job market, effective interview skills, understanding employer expectations and success on the job. Within these workshops there are three constant themes: Increasing self-awareness Building self-esteem Importance of positive communication YMCA Action Centre Our YMCA Employment and Newcomer Services program is doing some important new things. Through the Adjustment Advisory Program (AAP), the Ontario government, in partnership with the YMCA of Niagara, is working with employers, employees and communities in the Niagara Region to develop strategies to cope with company down sizing and plant closures. The YMCA Action Centre Coordinators will assist individuals as they adjust and transition into other employment or training. To learn more about these programs, contact your local YMCA Employment Branch.

FEDERAL PUBLIC SECTOR YOUTH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

To learn more about this programs, click here.

NEWCOMER EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The YMCA Newcomer Employment Assistance Program is an extension of the Employment Assistance Program. Those who are new to Canada, are in receipt of Social Assistance and hold a valid work permit qualify to participate in this program. The program offers enhanced job search services through workshops on  job search  interviewing skills  understanding employer expectations  success on the job All services are provided at no cost to the participant. To learn more about these programs, contact your local YMCA Employment Branch.

NEWCOMER SCHOOL CONNECTIONS

The YMCA provides liason services between Newcomers to Canada and the school system through the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program.  Call the SWIS Coordinator at the St. Catharines Employment and Newcomer Services office for more information, 905 684 3500 ext. 30.

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