Frey helps announce John Ware Youth Empowerment program, aimed at connecting 60 Black and newcomer youth with mentors, scholarship opportunities

Medicine Hat-Brooks MLA Michaela Frey took part in a press conference announcing a new pilot program aimed at empowering Black and newcomer youth in rural southeastern Alberta Monday.

Frey joined Premier Jason Kenney, Culture Minister Ron Orr and executive director of Global Village Centre in Brooks, Ahmed Kassem, to announce the Brooks-based John Ware Youth Empowerment Program which aims to connect 60 Black and newcomer youth with community mentors and scholarship opportunities in a variety of sectors.

“The goal (of the John

Ware Empowerment

Program) is to usher young people from high school to employment, (which includes) trying to figure out what kind of cultural supports are needed, mental health supports, resources, job-training, resumes and financial literacy. It’s kind of a one-stop shop,” Frey told the News.

Frey believes the program will benefit community members, a significant proportion of whom are visible minorities.

“Brooks is home to people from many backgrounds and walks of life,” said Frey, “Finding new ways to support newcomers and visible minorities is key to helping the whole community thrive.”

Frey first became involved in the program in 2021, after she and Kenney met with Kassem.

“The second we heard about it, we just knew it was something we had to support. We see so many rural Canadians — especially in rural Alberta — who come to Canada and really need those connections but just don’t know where to go,” said Frey.

With the provincial government investing up to $144,600 in the pilot program, Frey believes it will have a positive impact on the youth involved and hopes, over time, it may expand to help youth in other regions.

“I think it has a very reasonable chance of taking off and I have every confidence that Kassem and his team will do an amazing job,” she said.