Future Leaders
Part III
The Future Leaders Program is a 16week program designed to address the multiple barriers to employment faced by visible minority youth ages 15-30. The program provides a combination of Life Skills and Employment Skills training for 6 weeks and a Work Placement component for 10 weeks in the Retail, Food and Service sectors. The youth participants also receive wages while attending class as well as opportunity for certificate training, such as Food Safe, First Aid, and Cashier & Customer Training. The objective of the Future Leaders Program is to inspire and empower participants by providing a specialized curriculum that will bridge the inter- cultural knowledge of Canadian work place expectations and enhance their employability skills. Here is a story about three immigrant youth, Anwar, Nadeen and Eh who participated in the program in 2014- 2015.
Nadeen Yousif Nadeen was born in Syria and arrived in Canada on May 28, 2013. After struggling to adjust to the Canadian way of life for about a year, Nadeen came to know about the Future Leaders Program from a Settlement Counselor. In class with a group of 10 other immigrant youth, Nadeen shared the trials & tribulations of acculturation as well learning Canadian life skills together. Nadeen’s confidence grew as a part of this strong network of immigrant youth; somehow the world is not as daunting now that they are together. In addition to life skills, Nadeen also received training on food safe, occupational first aid, as well cashier and customer service training. These certificates boosted Nadeen’s employability exponentially, and Nadeen was hired by A& W at the Guildford Town Centre as a cashier. During the program interview, Nadeen said “Now I have the skills to contribute to the community”.
Way to go, Eh, Anwar and Nadeen!!!!