KemptVille — Local youth who face barriers to employment will get job preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada’s support for an employment project. Mr. Gordon Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds—Grenville, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

“For many young Canadians, making the transition to the job market is a challenge, especially in today’s environment,” said Mr. Brown. “That’s why our government is creating opportunities for youth to succeed through support for initiatives like the Bridging Youth project.”

With assistance from the federal Skills Link program, the Kemptville Youth Centre will help eight youth develop the skills and experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.

Participants will attend employability workshops and participate in community service activities. The workshops will focus on such topics as communication, thinking and problem solving, teamwork, and job preparation skills. The community service activities will allow the participants to put into practice the knowledge and skills gained during the workshops while giving them the opportunity to give back to their neighbourhood.

Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, Aboriginal youth, youth with disabilities, recent immigrants, youth living in rural and remote areas, and youth who have dropped out of high school.

The Kemptville Youth Centre will receive over $49,000 in federal Skills Link funding to support its Bridging Youth project.