ADM Letter to the EO Network
Dear Employment Ontario Service Provider,
I am pleased to announce that today we are officially launching two new Employment Ontario initiatives for youth: the summer component of Youth Job Connection and the new Youth Job Link program.
These initiatives are part of our major reinvestment of $250 million over two years in the Youth Jobs Strategy and our initiative to modernize and transform our employment and training programs and services to make them evidence-based, better coordinated, more targeted and more effective for people across the province, including young people.
Youth Job Connection: Summer
Youth Job Connection: Summer (YJCS) is the second component of the new Youth Job Connection (YJC) program, which launched in October, 2015 to provide youth experiencing multiple and/or complex barriers to employment with more intensive employment supports beyond traditional job search and placement opportunities.
YJCS will provide summer, part-time and after-school job opportunities for high school students, aged 15 to 18, who are facing challenging life circumstances and may need support transitioning between school and work.
YJCS will complement the year-round component of YJC, which is aimed at youth aged 15 to 29 who are not in employment, education or training and are experiencing multiple barriers to employment.
Like the year-round component, YJCS will offer more intensive supports tailored to meet individual needs. These include paid pre-employment training, paid job placements and education and work transitions support.
While YJCS placements are expected to take place during the summer months, service providers can help eligible youth with part-time placements outside of school hours during the school year.
YJCS is now available at the over 130 existing YJC service delivery sites across the province.
Youth Job Link
Youth Job link (YJL) is designed to help youth, including students, aged 15 to 29, who do not face significant barriers to employment but could benefit from some extra help to plan their careers and transition to the labour market.
YJL has been integrated into the Resource and Information component of the Employment Service, but features expanded, youth-focused offerings including career exploration and career management workshops as well as job search, readiness and matching assistance.
While these services will be offered year-round, the majority of youth are expected to use them to help find summer employment.
In some cases, YJL will also offer individual supports and employer incentives to offset the costs of on-the-job-training, new employee orientation and other hiring-related costs, for those youth that need more assistance finding work.
Beginning today, all ES providers, at over 320 locations across the province, are delivering this new program.
New suite of employment programs for youth
YJCS and YJL are part of our new, more comprehensive and targeted suite of employment programs and services to better help youth across a broader spectrum of needs improve their skills and find work.
The full suite of Employment Ontario programs and services for youth includes Youth Job Connection (including YJCS), YJL and the existing Employment Service, which already helps 70,000 youth per year on average and will continue to provide services and supports to youth who may be facing some barriers to employment and may benefit from assisted supports.
More information about our new youth employment programs, including Qs and As and program guidelines, was shared as part of earlier communications and is available on the Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway.
Including these programs, there are more than 30 government programs to help youth build skills, find a job or start a business.
Finally, I would like to express my continued gratitude for your ongoing partnership and commitment to ensuring our clients get the best possible service, and that all Ontarians, regardless of background or circumstance, have access to effective employment and training programs that give them the skills they need to succeed.
Please do not hesitate to contact your Employment and Training Consultant should you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
David Fulford
Assistant Deputy Minister
Employment and Training Division