Nanaimo Youth Services Association's Youth Employment Centre is there to assist unemployed disadvantaged youth (age 15 to 30) in the Nanaimo area to prepare for, obtain and maintain employment by providing employment related activities and services specific to the Service Canada agreement specified outcomes.

 

This program offers individual assessment, counselling and referral services, as well as workshops, and support groups to assist unemployed youth 15 to 30 years under contract to Service Canada since 1998. NYSA maintains a job exchange, where employers can post jobs; and access to a computer lab, including internet access, during the day and evening when the lab is not used by a class. Resumes are typed and updated for Clients.

 

Other services include the maintenance of a message board, which is particularly relevant to clients who do not have a phone and are waiting for calls about jobs; free access to a telephone.

 

Operate a self serve resource centre for unemployed youth which provides employment related resources including labour market information, computer workstations, internet access, telephone, facsimile and photocopying for employment related activities to facilitate their search for work. Services provided by paid staff and some volunteers.

 

Deliver workshops ranging from ½ day to a maximum of 3 days to unemployed youth to address the key components of the four Employability Dimensions (career decision making, skill enhancement, job search, and employment maintenance) with a minimum of five (5) participants per workshop.

 

Provide Job Search Orientation Sessions of not more than two (2) hours in length to unemployed youth.

 

Conduct needs assessments with unemployed youth to identify employment needs, either individually or in a group session.

 

Establish mutually agreed upon Return to Work Action Plans (RTWAPs) with unemployed youth.

 

Provide employment counselling to unemployed youth to address employment barriers and needs. When an in-depth assessment of employability barriers is required, individuals may be referred for a Diagnostic Assessment with a professional diagnostician.

 

Refer unemployed youth to community service providers as determined in their RTWAP.

 

Provide for job coaching activities for individuals whom have multiple barriers to employment and have specific, demonstrated difficulties in maintaining employment.

 

Case manage all unemployed youth with a RTWAP, including support and follow up services on the progress of their RTWAP. Evaluate services and workshops by seeking opinions from unemployed youth who have used the services and participated in the workshops.