YWCA Saskatoon works to eliminate poverty, homelessness and violence in our community. A key issue for individuals facing these issues is often the inability to secure employment due to a lack of job skills, job readiness and job search preparedness. To assist individuals in the employment process, YWCA offers support and readiness training though its Employment and Learning Centre (E&L) including: a Job Search Program, G.E.D. preparation courses, a computer lab with a variety of computer classes and LEAP, a unique partnership with the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre. And its newest program – the Employment Services for Parents – is seeking to address the unique job search issues faced by parents and to connect unemployed workers to the labour market by accelerating client transitions from dependence to independence – a win-win solution for both employees and employers.
Many unemployed, often single, parents struggle to secure employment only to repeatedly end up on social assistance. They face unique and significant barriers to employment including the inability to find reliable childcare and to secure affordable housing. “Saskatoon is facing a shortage of workers, but there are people who want to work. Our new Employment Services for Parents is designed to help parents learn to overcome some of these barriers and become employed, thereby benefiting themselves, their family and the community”, says Barb Macpherson, Executive Director YWCA Saskatoon.
Dawn Linnick, Team Leader of YWCA Saskatoon’s Employment and Learning Centre comments, “With Employment Services for Parents, we will help parents become successful in their search for employment which will not only benefit our community as more individuals join the workforce, but it will also benefit the children of these families”. According to the Report Card on Child Poverty in Saskatchewan 2006 prepared by the Social Policy Research Unit of the University of Regina, 57.3% of all Saskatchewan children in female lone-parent families live below the poverty line. Comments Barb Macpherson, “Unemployment often leads to child poverty. At the YWCA we seek to support and empower individuals to improve themselves and make changes that positively impact their families. By helping a parent overcome barriers to employment, we will help lift a family out of the cycle of poverty.”
GRAND OPENING EVENT
Please attend the Parents Supports Program Grand Opening Event at 10:00 am on Friday January 23, 2009, at YWCA Saskatoon, 510-25th Street East.
Barb Macpherson, Executive Director YWCA Saskatoon will be available for individual interviews.
Genine Neufeld, Director of Development and Communications YWCA Saskatoon Ph: 244-7034 ext. 132 E: geneufeld@ywcasaskatoon.com
YWCA Saskatoon 510 25th Street East, Saskatoon, SK S7k 4A7 306 244 0944 www.ywcasaskatoon.com
Crisis Shelter & Residence • Employment & Learning Centre • Child Development Centre Fitness on 25th
