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BGCA program provides work experience

The Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie (BGCA) is reviving a program meant to provide work experience to local youth and young adults.
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A prgoram funded through Service Canada will allow the Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie to offer an 18-week work experience program to young adults aged 15 to 30. Photo by Christin Hume/Unsplash

The Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie (BGCA) is reviving a program meant to provide work experience to local youth and young adults.

According to Sammy Morros, co-ordinator of Youth Programs and Services, the Breaking Barriers program is a 12-week work experience placement aimed at helping people between the ages of 15 and 30 years old build job skills.

Breaking Barriers’ main goal is to help people who have reached a barrier finding employment, Morros said, whether due to job losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic challenges, being a member of a minority group or living with a disability.

“Anyone who is struggling to find employment can apply for the program,” Morros said.

The program was first offered in 2016. It was successful at the time, and Morros said BGCA was excited to receive funding to offer the program again.

According to Morros, the first group of participants began the program earlier this month. BGCA is currently interviewing applicants and businesses for an Oct. 5 intake.

For each participant, the entire program lasts 18 weeks, Morros said. During the first six weeks, participants will be paid minimum wage and take part in a classroom-style employability training program for 30 hours a week. The training portion focuses on resume building, interview techniques, time management and problem-solving, among other topics.

“We also have a job developer and her role is to get to know the participants, understand what their interests are and get to know where their experience is,” Morros said.

The remaining 12 weeks will include on-site work experience with employers that have been matched with the applicants.

“If they are able to keep that employment after the program, that is even better,” Morros said. “Worst case scenario, they get to walk away with a reference and a bit of experience for their resume.”

Breaking Barriers will run four times a year for the next three years. The program is funded through Service Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) which, according to canada.ca, aims to provide flexible and holistic services to support young Canadians in developing skills and gain paid work experience to successfully transition in the labour market.

Currently, BGCA is searching for local businesses to join the program.

“What we are trying to do is build up a base of employers that are interested in the program and are willing to interview our participants,” Morros said.

During the 12-week period, Morros said employers who take part in the program will be reimbursed by BGCA $15 an hour for 37.5 hours a week.

“It is definitely a win-win situation,” Morros said. “The employer is able to receive someone that is working for their business at a reduced cost and our participants get to receive work experience.

According to Morros, potential employers must have a business license. Additionally, there is a small cost on the employer’s side, which includes contributions they would normally make with employees like vacation pay and Employment Insurance.

“[Employers] need to be willing and able to do that,” Morros said. “It ends up being about 10 per cent of the normal cost of having a normal employee.”

BGCA is currently interviewing both participants and businesses for the program. For more information on how to apply, email [email protected].

Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz



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