Youth Attraction, Retention, Engagement and Development for Hamilton

Workforce Planning Hamilton (formerly known as HTAB), in partnership with the Youth Employment Network, City of Hamilton, Economic Development; the Small Business Enterprise Centre; and other partners, is developing a strategy to attract youth to Hamilton and to retain youth that currently attend post-secondary schools in our area.  Key informant interviews and focus groups have taken place, and a literature review has been completed. 

Key stakeholders met on October 27, 2011 and November 3, 2011 to consider the development of a youth strategy for Hamilton.

The following priorities  were set for the next six months (November 2011-April 2012).

Attraction: * Enhance communications by tapping into and augmenting current efforts
Retention: * Engage business to create internships/part time/full time job opportunities and entrepreneurial supports
* Promote Hamilton's unique characteristics
Engagement: * Engage the youth voice regarding attraction, retention, engagement and development
* Develop an inventory of services and participation opportunities for youth
Development: * Develop a youth continuum pathway identifying the steps along the way, who is currently providing supports and what is needed.  Include different profiles of youth by age, segments and Hamilton context.
The end result of the project will be a strategic plan with specific actions that will support improved access and integration of youth into Hamilton's labour market.
Watch for a final report to be released in January 2012.  For more information on this project please contact Cyndi Ingle at cyndi.ingle@htab.ca.

Electronic Youth: Creating the Current

Electronic Youth is a project of the Workforce Planning and Development Board and is funded by Service Canada.  The Project Coordinator is Chad Callander who attended the May 18, 2011 YEN meeting to share the project results.

The project targeted youth between the ages of 15-30 from all different aspects of life.  The ultimate goals were to take the pulse of youth and employers in order to identify recommendations to build this relationship and to learn how youth were accessing and
sharing labour market information electronically.

Click here to access Chad's presentation.

Click here to access the Electronic Youth: Creating the Current report.

Link to youtube for project success stories.

YEN Connect: Navigating Services for Youth a Success

YEN Connect: Navigating Services for Youth was held on March 23, 2011 pm. at the Scottish Rite.  Despite a snowstorm, approximately 50 teachers and staff from youth serving agencies attended the event.  Evaluations were very positive with comments ranging from: "I am going home with a plethora of information and contacts.  All within one afternoon!" to "I'm not from Hamilton, but recently obtained a position within the city.  This is a great way to discover the services available to youth."

Thanks to all who attended and to the three workshops presenters.  Below are links to some of the presentation materials.

Workshop One: Presented by Geoff Beere, Living Rock Ministries.  Click here to view the presentation.

Workshop Two: Presented by Sue Mastracci, Ontario Works. Click here to view the presentation.

Workshop Three: Presented by Mary-Anne Peters, Mohawk College, LINC Youth Video Project.

Link to videos on YouTube created by the students.

Documentaries on the Mohawk website.

 

Community Resource Directory

Resources for youth (and others) ranging from credit counselling, to employment services, to health services, to job search sites, and much more can be found by visiting the Resource Directory housed on Lostmyjob.ca.  The directory is searchable by city.

Lostmyjob.ca is a site for workers of all ages that that been laid off from their jobs.  As well as a directory of services, the site offers peer-to-peer support, success stories, polls and tips for those who have been laid off.

Youth Net Hamilton Youth Services Guide

Youth Net Hamilton has a pocket size resource that is distributed to youth participating in Youth Net Hamilton groups.  Click here to access an online copy of the resource with categories such as: education; crisis; food banks; health; jobs and money; housing & shelters, and much more.

Facebook

Visit YEN on facebook!

Mission

The Youth Employment Network of Hamilton (YEN) identifies, initiates and implements innovative solutions to put ideas and young people to work.

Objectives

• To encourage communication, networking and partnership among youth service providers within our community.


• To identify issues based on research and information from young people and frontline service providers.


• To initiate and implement innovative solutions using community resources to link young people and work.

Since its inception in 1997, YEN has delivered a number of exciting initiatives and encouraged a commitment to collaboration and cooperation amongst its member agencies. This in turn has increased the range and quality of services available to young people in employment transition.

A few of YEN's accomplishments:

Careerapalooza

Career Cruiser

Monkeybiz.ca

YEN looks forward to continuing these efforts and bringing forth new ideas designed to assist youth in successfully and creatively engaging the world of work.

Meetings

YEN meetings are held bi-monthly, on the third Thursday of the month at 9:00am.  Meeting locations are rotated throughout the community and held at YEN member agencies.