Speakers:

David Quinn – Program Coordinator, The Career Foundation

Scott Sackaney – Youth Worker

Scott and a Scot:A Fireside Story of ResilienceWorking with young people who face multiple challenges can be difficult at the best of times, but over the past few months our own resilience and the resilience of the people we work with, has been stretched and tested to the limit. Life can be tough, but we do not act as if this is true, we moan and groan as if the hardships visited upon us are unique. But it is during these very experiences and challenges in which we grow and become more resilient. This session will present you with four truths that shows you how to accept, deal with and learn from the tough times.Scott Sackaney is a young man who experienced more life challenges by the time he was 19, than most people experience in a lifetime. Where some would have given up, he did not. He learned how to snap back from disaster and finally grew from his experiences. Grab a hot drink, and sit and in on this fireside interview, listen to his story and learn Scott’s secrets to resilience.

Scott Sackaney: Scott Sackaney is a young man who knows the meaning of challenge and resilience. Scott experienced more life obstacles by the time he was 18 than most people will in a lifetime. After years of personal battles and driven by relentless determination to learn from his past, he now works to improve the lives of other young people. Scott has fought his way to the top by following simple but effective processes. He is willing to share them with you.

Speaker:

Bridget Au – Manager, Ministry of Labour, Training & Skills Development

The Ministry of Labour Training and Skills Development will provide an overview of the COJG program, emphasizing how to: maximize COJG for agencies and clients, integrate innovative programming to create lasting values for job seekers, workers and regional employers/industries.

Learning Outcomes:

• Overview of the program including requirements and areas of flexibility in the program.
• Answers to the more challenging but frequently asked questions.
• Available programming resources often underutilized.

Speaker:

Gail Parkins Grantent

The Ministry of Labour Training and Skills Development will provide an overview of the YJC program, including how to: best maximize YJC for job seekers and employers, including opportunities for flexibility and innovation.

Learning Outcomes:

• Overview of the program including must dos as well as flexibility in program delivery.
• Answer the more challenging but frequently asked questions.
• Highlighting resources that are available but not often utilized.

Speakers:

Grant Collins – President, FedCap Inc.

Shanthi Rajanaratnam – Director, Workforce Development, Muskoka-Kawarthas Employment Hub (Fleming College)

Michael Dunphy – VP Operations, WCG

As Ontario undergoes an employment services transformation, the government has implemented Service System Managers (SSMs) in three prototype regions across Ontario.

This panel will include the three PHASE 1 SSMs; FedCap, WCG and Fleming College. The session will provide an overview of each of the SSM’s transition plans, funding approaches and their outlook on COVID and its effect on the current landscape in their regions.

Learning Outcomes:

• Overview of each SSM’s funding model and the transitional planning for their prototype area
• SSM insight into the landscape during and post-COVID
• Outline best practices according to each SSM in supporting C-stream clients

Speaker:

Denis Gravelle

We knew rapid advancements in technology would disrupt many sectors of Canada’s economy; however, labour market trends have now also been affected by COVID. This presentation will provide crucial insights on in-demand jobs, specific skills employers need, and the career pathways that offer the highest potential for workers.

Denis Gravelle will present real-time strategic intelligence on the changing workforce landscape in the post-COVID world.

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe in-demand job-skills and competencies employers need in the Post COVID world
• Provide crucial insights for in-demand jobs using real-time strategic intelligence
• Discuss how education and training must adapt to this new world order

Speakers:

Kim Crowther – Youth Job Consultant, St. Leonard’s Community Services

Christina Cunningham – Job Developer, St. Leonard’s Community Services

In this session St. Leonard’s will discuss their approach and specific tools to building resilience with clients. Through educating ourselves on strategies to build resilience—the ability to cope in the face of adversity, stress, or fear—we encourage autonomy and a sense of personal responsibility in our clients. These skills enable our clients to meet personal challenges with confidence in and help to develop a better understanding of emotions. By sharing the tools to build resilience, we promote and strengthen supportive relationships, rather than dependent relationships, with clients we serve.

Learning Outcomes:

• The importance of building resilience for ourselves and our client
• Tools for Service Providers to support resilience with their clientele
• Build awareness on a common challenge many job-seekers face in today’s labour market

Speaker:

Kamilla Sultanova – Motivational Speaker, ConnectUz

Kamilla Sultanova often asks, “How can you be a changemaker in your community?”, a global speaker, daring others to live their life fully and step into their greatness both as leaders and as aspiring professionals. The future of the work culture is in compassion and connecting through community. Through this session, Kamilla will discuss some strategies through workforce development adopted in Finland that is applicable on a global scale which promotes new working cultures and collaboration, engaging with community and youth to create innovation and growth. She has done a number of cross-sectoral events and workshops via Global Dignity Finland NGO as well as Sitra lab, Finland’s future laboratory that brings various experts to solve societal wicked challenges. From dignity-themed storytelling events, to cross-sectoral experiments, Kamilla highlights significant gaps to the employment, the need to fundamentally rethink empowerment in policy making light of digitalization and the rising inequality in Finland exacerbated by the COVID pandemic.

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn about 5 experiments to tackle youth inequality which carried out by participants across public, private and organizational sectors at the Finnish innovation fund’s Sitra lab
• Get a dive in on latest approaches to workforce development: co-creating youth employment services uniting broader audiences including immigrants and international talents.
• Turn your pride into passion: transform, inspire and lead through social capital exchange, networking, inclusion and equality.
• Practical examples on effective employer and diverse quality talent in partnership with schools, colleges, universities in Finland.
• Learn the most powerful word in Finnish that drives progressive policies and the nation forward: SISU

Speaker:

Tony Bonen – Director, Research, Data and Analytics, Labour Market Information Council

COVID-19 created a sudden disruption to the economy, which has resulted in many workers losing their jobs, businesses closing and others experiencing higher demand and growth.

In this session, Tony Bonen will provide an overview of what available Labour Market Information tells us, focusing on what recovery looks like and navigating the disruption caused by the pandemic.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore the occupations projected to grow or decline in Canada in the next 10 years
• How to access LMI data essential for local economic recovery.
• Understand what experts think about the future of employment in Canada.
• Considerations on how the future of employment could be impacted by disruption

Speaker:

Frazier Fathers – Director, Continuous Improvement and Advocacy United Way/Centraide Windsor Essex County

ProsperUs is a first in Canada, place-based Cradle to Career Strategy being deployed in a Collective Impact model in Windsor-Essex County. With over 50 system leading organizations involved, these partners have agreed to take on a common data driven approach to tackle the challenges in our region.This session will focus on the data driven processes and the emerging career success development of our strategy. We will briefly cover the impetus for the formation of ProsperUs, then dig into some of our data processes, plans and visions. Finally we will focus in on “What is career success in Windsor-Essex County?” and how we hope to get there.

Learning Outcomes:

• How ProsperUs has used data to understand the problem and scope their approach.
• How the project has designed and adopted a collective impact approach across the community
• How the project has engaged and empowered community members in research and solution design.

Speaker:

Adriana Beemans – Inclusive Local Economies Program Director, Metcalf Foundation

What are the best ways to prepare people for in-demand jobs?

Danielle Olsen and John MacLaughlin will provide a summary of the key learning from their recent report, When Training Works: Promising Workforce Development Practices, published by the Metcalf Foundation.

The authors, joined by Adriana Beemans from the Metcalf Foundation, will provide insights related to enabling factors that support the development and evolution of promising workforce development practices that seek to create sustainable solutions to address labour market barriers for vulnerable people and meet the local talent needs of employers.

Learning Outcomes:

• Best practices in preparing vulnerable people for in-demand jobs.
• An analysis of enabling factors that support program innovation and evolution.
• Considerations about how to test and scale best practices in the context of Employment Services Transformation in Ontario. What are the best ways to prepare people for in-demand jobs?

Speaker:

Shane Lyons – NPower Canada

Meaghan DeLaurentis – Sr. Director Strategy and Design, NPower Canada

In the wake of COVID, like most organizations NPOWER Canada adjusted to quickly transition the delivery of their applied occupation specific training to an online delivery method.

In this session, Andrew Reddin from NPower Canada will discuss how participant recruitment, training and case management pivoted online as well as new programming that was developed in response to market changes informed by COVID-19 and new approaches to serving vulnerable youth using online virtual platforms.

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn how to engage youth online
• Learn how to equip young adults facing barriers to employment with the agility, resiliency and other essential skills needed to navigate a constantly changing labour market.
• Hear directly from youth about the strengths-based strategies and tools that they have used to overcome obstacles to securing and succeeding at work.

Speakers:

AJ Tibando – Executive Director, Palette Skills

Mike Hewitt – Manufacturing Resource Centre Coordinator, Quinte Economic Development Commission

In this session, Palette Skills and Elevate Plus Manufacturing will discuss their approaches in designing and delivering workforce solutions that serve job seekers, workers transitioning careers, and incumbent workers, based on the skills and talent needs of growing industries.

Speakers:

Shereen Ashman – Director of Operations, CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals

Adanna Phillips – Social Support Manager, CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals

For an organization to embrace a trauma-informed care completely, it must adopt a trauma-informed organizational practices and commit resources to support it. This entails implementing an agency-wide strategy for workforce development that is in alignment with the values and principles of the organization’s mission statement. Maintaining an environment of care for the health, well-being, and safety of, as well as respect for, an organization’s staff will enhance the ability of practitioners to provide the best possible trauma-informed services to their clients. This culture of care must permeate the organization from top to bottom, while understanding the cause and effect of trauma can be diverse and complex. We must all be aware of the impact of trauma and the benefits that a trauma-informed culture informs not only an organization’s staff but also the people they serve.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understanding the cause and effect of trauma
• Learn how to apply trauma informed practices to youth programs
• To identify ways to build trauma-informed spaced within ones organization

Speakers:

Ray Rauth – Job Skills – Manager, Employment Services & Program

Katie O’Brien-Michaud – Job Skills, Business Liaison Specialist

Participants will learn useful approaches to support clients who have experienced conflict with the law, find and keep employment. Facilitators will share stories and examples from successful outcomes while identifying and developing meaningful patterns to help breakdown myths and misconceptions amongst ourselves, clients, and society in general around people who have experienced conflict with the law. Participants will come away energized and hopeful with specific tools and outlook to experience an enlivening, engaging workshop and exercises that participants can utilize themselves in future.

Learning Outcomes:

• Best practices for training individuals with a criminal record; Explaining gaps in work history, Choosing the right resume, Interview preparation, what an employer can and cannot ask somebody about their criminal record, and self advocacy.
• Staying Focused & Not Getting Discouraged; Motivating individuals to stay focused on their job search and not being discouraged when their criminal record becomes an issue. Supporting the client and focusing on their mental health and wellness.
• Job Developing for individuals with a criminal record. Advocating and educating employers on the benefits of hiring individuals with a criminal record. Exploring studies and statistics including job retention and criminal recidivism.

Speakers:

Haris Blentic – Executive Director, Project Work

Kim Patel – Director, Employment Services – The Neighbourhood Group

Evelyn Akselrod – Director, Strategic Development, Community and Corporate Relations – The Career Foundation

COVID, SSM, labour market uncertainty, remote work, the accelerated future of work – these transformative occurrences are shaking up our sector and the world around us. While our world is shapeshifting, the one thing that stays true is our shared mission – to support youth’s access to decent and meaningful work. The session will explore the theme of this year’s conference: building unity in transformation, and why collaboration is the only way to truly achieve our mission to create lasting impact for youth. Join Project Work, The Neighbourhood Group – St. Stephen’s Community House, and The Career Foundation as they lay out the case for mission-driven collaboration.

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain insights on the mindset and leadership approach required for successful collaboration
• Learn tactical strategies for operationalizing collaboration both internally and externally
• Discuss what gets in the way of partnerships and ways to challenge and overcome obstacles to effective and mutually beneficial collaboration.

Speakers:

Wali Shah – Artist

Artist Wali Shah will be opening the Aspire Youth Summit, using his gift of spoken word poetry as a tool for social change. His work sparks dialogue on issues such as mental health, diversity and inclusion, and toxic masculinity. Wali will also speak about his journey as a young artist and share his narrative of being an immigrant, being a Muslim, and finding his voice.

Speaker:

Amina Dibe – Policy & Programs Analyst, RESCON

Join trades industry professionals as they share their unique insight on their own career pathways and opportunities that exist in the construction space outside of your first job. The panelists will provide their perspective on the current and future state of the construction trades industry. They will also provide insights on the impacts of COVID-19, what future opportunities may be and how job seekers should prepare for success in this new employment landscape.

Learning Outcomes:

• How can new job seekers penetrate the trades industry?
• The current and future state of the trades industry
• Sector’s recovery response to COVID-19
• Highlighting opportunities in the trades industry

This session is sponsored by:

Have your voice heard! Share your experience and ideas to help shape research and policy.

Join us for a one hour focus group conversation on one of the below topics.

Sessions will be facilitated by a member of First Work’s Youth Council.

Focus group sessions will be recorded and summaries will be shared with attendees and used to inform future research and policy recommendations.

Sessions will start at the hour.

Sessions:

1. From First Job to Building a Career — Navigating Career Development in 2020
2. You Want Me to Move Where?! Employment Opportunities and Challenges in Rural, Remote and Northern Ontario
3. From School to Work: How can the path be smoother?
4. The Robots Are Coming. Will Technology Kill Jobs or will it Create Opportunity?
5. Young and racialized looking for work: what is it like looking for work for young people of colour?

Speaker:

Stacey Dakins – Managing Director, MENTOR Canada

MENTOR Canada is committed to expanding access to mentoring for youth in Canada. Through this session, youth will learn through the 5 W’s on mentoring 1:1, launching their journey to create their own mentoring partnerships. They will also get an understanding of the roadblocks they often face when approaching the search for a mentor/mentee partnership.

Mentor Canada will also provide a free trial for their free online platform which links volunteer mentors and youth to mentoring programs across the country. The Connector is a robust searchable database of mentoring programs designed to help volunteers and youth alike connect to the right mentoring opportunities, both virtually and in their communities.

Learning Outcomes:

• How to network and the etiquette of networking
• How to grow and maintain a meaningful relationship with a mentor
• Where to find a relatable, genuine mentor
• What mentors are looking for in a mentee
• What roadblocks can occur on the road to a successful mentor/mentee relationship

Speaker:

Cristine Sousa – Customer Success Manager, Hearsay Solutions

Garima Talwar Kapoor – Director of Policy and Research, Maytree

Christine Poopalapillia – Stakeholder Relations Manager, Ontario Medical Association

In this session you will hear from a panel of speakers on the importance of volunteering and networking. Understanding the bridge between the two worlds and how you can utilize volunteering into a field of your passions.

Learning Outcomes:

• Bridging volunteerism into real world connections and experience
• Capturing and capitalizing on the soft skills development of volunteerism
• Where to find a relatable, genuine mentor
• How to grow your network and career opportunities
• Valuing your volunteer experience as a path to self-empowerment

Speaker:

Tamer Ibrahim – Youth Collective Impact Manager, Laidlaw Foundation

For non-profits and youth who are looking to start out on your own, learning to grant write and apply for grants is an important skill set, even more is understanding how to navigate the grant world. In this session youth will learn about the shift in perspectives amongst young people on what they want to be vs what they want to change, and through this session, how to navigate to get opportunities for funding and where to start.

Learning Outcomes:

• Youth will gain an understanding the grant making process
• Learn of sample grant making through the Laidlaw Foundation

MP Adam van Koeverden – Member of Parliament (Milton, Ontario), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport)

Join MP Adam Van Koeverden for a virtual meet and greet for a rare opportunity to hear directly from a Member of Parliament. Ask Adam your questions about how to get involved in your community, support strong voices (like yours!) for positive change and how to turn your passions into opportunity.

MP Adam van Koeverden, a first generation Canadian, grew up at Chautauqua Co-op in Oakville with his younger brother and mother. He joined the Burloak Canoe Club as a teenager and rapidly became one of Canada’s premier athletes. In addition to being a world, Olympic, and Canadian Champion, he has volunteered extensively for organizations like Right To Play, WaterAid, Special Olympics Canada, and the David Suzuki Foundation. Before entering politics, Mr. van Koeverden worked as a managing consultant with Deloitte, and as a broadcaster, writer, and producer with CBC Sports. He also served as Chair of the Canadian Olympic Athletes’ Commission and was a member of the Government of Canada Working Group on Gender Equity in Sport, promoting safe sport and addressing gender-based violence.

MP Adam van Koeverden – Member of Parliament (Milton, Ontario), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport)

Owen Charters – CEO of the Boy and Girls Clubs of Canada

Though these turbulent times have brought on more isolation than we’ve faced before, it’s important to remember we are not alone in these experiences. MP Van Koeverden will share some of his own journey as a youth, opening the discussion with Owen Charters to common challenges faced by all young people, including mental health. Normalizing talking about anxiety and other mental pressures is critical to staying motivated during difficult times, and Owen will demonstrate the power of peer support which can help find your strength.

Speaker:

Fatemah Hemraj – HR Manager, Axiom Group Inc

Lauren Tedesco – Vice President, Learning and Development, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA)

Join Industry professionals as they share unique perspectives regarding career pathways and opportunities in the automotive industry for new job seekers. Additionally, these individuals will provide their perspective on the current and future state of the automotive industry. Join the discussion on the current and future state of this industry and what processes and tools can help youth build a career in trade in the post COVID pandemic era.

Learning Outcomes:

• How can new job seekers penetrate the automotive industry?
• The current and future state of the automotive industry, including career path options
• Sector’s recovery response to COVID-19
• Initiatives for youth and women in the automotive industry
• Apprenticeship & the Automotive sector

Speaker:

Kate Ovington – Government Lead, LinkedIn, Learning LinkedIn

Mary Barroll – President, TalentEgg

Justin Burchart – Digital Success Manager, IBM Canada Ltd.

What began as a solution for social distancing during a time of a pandemic, will change the future of work as we know it. As leading businesses are taking this opportunity to arm themselves with the knowledge, they need to re-imagine the way they work, and where. Similarly, youth have taken this opportunity to re-imagine the way they learn and what their future career paths may look to be. In a panel of tech experts, such as IBM, LinkedIn and TalentEgg, we get insight into micro-credentialing and the opportunities that exist for expanding on your learning.

Learning Outcomes:

• What digital tools are there to help youth navigate through the different stages of their career pathway
• Digital certifications as a means of increasing employability
• Platforms to empower youth to improve their tech-adeptness
• Putting your micro-credentials to work for you

Speaker:

Samuel Gruszecki – Communications Coordinator, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

John Fernandes – Employment Works Coordinator, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Despite years of increasing awareness of the importance of mental health, wellness, and the importance of work-life balance, challenges in obtaining and sustaining employment persist for those who have received mental health and addiction services. COVID-19 has further complicated the employment landscape. This session offers practical tips to pursuing employment goals during challenging times, as well as navigating and challenging stigma.

Speaker:

Meccana Ali – National Programs Manager, Boys and Girls Club of Canada

Resilience is an individual’s ability to ‘bounce back’ when encountering the challenges that are an inevitable part of life. Any situation in a job that leaves a person feeling overwhelmed can affect their ability to work and cope. This can include recognizing mistakes, failures that occur along the path to employment and being able to learn and grow from them. Resilience is a skill and with practice, it can be learned. Building resilience in the workforce is key to adapting to some of the challenges laid out by the pandemic.

In this session, speaker(s) from Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada share the importance of building resilience in staying motivated in the face of chronic negative stress and constantly increasing demands, complexity and change.

Learning Outcomes:

• Ways to build resilience and manage job stress
• How to own your mistakes and turn them into learning opportunities with your employer
• The role of the organization in developing resilience within its workforce and why resilience is a workplace issue
• Preparing employees for potentially stressful work situation to build their resilience
• The importance of ‘peer support’ in building resilience

Speaker:

Mark Beckles – Senior Director Youth Strategy & Innovation, RBC

RBC Future Launch is RBC’s commitment to empowering Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow. RBC is dedicating $500 million to help young people access meaningful employment through practical work experience, skills development, networking and access to mental well-being supports and services. In 2020, RBC committed to investing $50 million from now to 2025 through RBC Future Launch to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for up to 25,000 BIPOC youth with investments in areas such as skills development and mentoring.

Speaker:

Val Meaney – Executive Director, North Island Employment

Outcome-based contracts in public human services are defined as those where some proportion of payment is triggered by some measure of change in the lives of clients. Understanding outcome-based contracts for public human services with other means of funding is imperative to the transformation of employment that is taking place in Ontario.The BC Employment landscape outlines a shift in Ontario ES programs to come. Valerie Meaney, Executive Director of North Island Employment and Chair of the Board for ASPECT BC, provides us with her perspective on shifting to outcomes-based employment service model

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the landscape of the ES model in BC prior to the Employment Transformation
• Learning how to pivoting to an outcome-based employment services model
• Understanding critical components needed in preparing your organization for the shift

Speaker:

Regan Brewer Johnson – President, Jane Addams Resource Corporation

An aging workforce, emerging new technologies, and continuing decline of trades in high schools and community colleges will result in millions of unfulfilled jobs in the coming decades. This paints a grim picture since on the supply side of labor, unemployment is on the rise as more people find it challenging to secure a living wage and support their families. Adopting a dual customer approach creates a bridge between the demand and supply of labor by training jobseekers on skills demanded by employers. Providing high quality skills training and support services to unemployed workers help them achieve self-sufficiency and fill the labor void as well as provide wrap around supports they require.In this session, representatives from Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC) share how demand-based skills training can have a lasting and sustainable impact on jobseekers’ careers and how this approach helps employers gain a competitive edge.

Learning Outcomes:

• Benefits of adopting a dual customer approach
• How to engage employers/ exhibiting the benefits of demand-based skills training to employers
• Going beyond: extending support services to help people meet their basic needs and build their wealth

Speaker:

Lisa Hawke – Project Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Nadia Nandlall – Project Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is conducting studies to better understand intervention service delivery and outcomes for youth not engaged in employment, education or training. We want to test the implementation of an evidenced-based supported employment intervention, Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in diverse, integrated youth service settings. Currently, evidence-based employment, education or training support is not a consistent component of integrated service hubs. This is a critical area for development and optimization of integrated service hub models, given the high rates of disengagement among service-seeking youth with mental health and addictions needs, and the bidirectional relationship between mental health/addictions challenges and disengagement. In addition, rather than focusing on commonly measured metrics like whether the youth got a job or how much money they are earning, we want to understand what goals youth have for themselves in taking part in these interventions. We want to move beyond traditional metrics to consider factors that might be important to youth, like personal wellbeing, skill development, and the personal fit between the youth and the job or educational opportunity.

This session will first provide an overview of the IPS program, evidence-base and the principled approach. A case study addressing the barriers to implementation will be discussed. Then, we will review our study on youth intervention outcomes and discuss possible metrics with the attendees to understand what you think youth are aiming to achieve from these interventions. The study will provide alternative outcomes that can be considered when designing and delivering interventions for upcoming youth not engaged in employment, education and training.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the IPS service delivery for youth not engaged in employment, education or training
• Consider how barriers to IPS implementation can be addressed
• Reflect on outcomes that youth want to achieve by participating in these interventions.

Speaker:

Hawa Y. Mire – Principal Consultant, HYM Consulting

This 2-part session (each 60 minutes) on Anti-racism Anti-Oppression (ARAO) framework will help participants deepen their understanding of how oppression and racism occur at a personal and structural level and how they are maintained. The course will also assist organizations with the change process toward equity. The focus is on looking inward, starting with the self, and the organizational change process.

Note:

• You must be prompt and present for the course. Any time missed will result in certificates not being issued.
• A certificate of attendance will be provided upon successful completion of both parts of this session.

Learning Outcomes:

• The participants will develop a critical approach to addressing racism and other forms of oppression.
• The participants will develop a critical approach to addressing racism and other forms of oppression.
• The participants will deepen their analysis of how racism and oppression play out in society and within their organization.

Co-sponsored by CCYP & RBC

Mapping Opportunities Session 1: Building Motivation and Engaging Vulnerable Youth in Program Enrollment and Employment Retention (Part 2 of 2)

Mapping the opportunities, challenges and best practices. These sessions will work with conference attendees to identify opportunities, challenges and best practices across Ontario on specific topics.

Attracting, engaging, motivating and retaining vulnerable youth in employment programming can be challenging.

In this session participants will work in groups and discuss the opportunities, challenges and practices that help to attract, engage, retain and build motivation among vulnerable youth in employment programming.

Feedback from the session will be documented and used to highlight best practices from the field and support future initiatives.

NOTE: It is recommended that participants who attend this session attend the session entitled Using Online Delivery Methods to Recruit Training and Provide Retention Supports for Vulnerable Youth from 2:30 – 3:30 on Day 1.

Learning Outcomes:

• Current practices in the field related to building motivation and engaging vulnerable youth in program enrollment and retention.
• Shared challenges related to building motivation and engaging vulnerable youth in program enrollment and retention.
• A discussion of ideas and opportunities to build motivation and engaging vulnerable youth in program enrollment and retention.
• A summary of practices from the field and the research related to building motivation and engaging vulnerable youth in program enrollment and retention.

Mapping Opportunities Session 2: Working with Regional Employers to Prepare Youth for Sustainable In-Demand Jobs and Career Pathways (Part 2 of 2)

Working with employers to prepare youth for sustainable in-demand jobs and career pathways can take a lot of upfront work and planning.

In this session we will work in groups and discuss the opportunities, challenges and practices in working with regional employers to prepare youth for sustainable in-demand jobs and career pathways. Feedback from the session will be documented and used to highlight best practices from the field and support future initiatives.

NOTE: It is recommended that participants who attend this session attend the session entitled Preparing People for Jobs and Jobs for People from 2:30 – 3:30 on Day 1.

Learning Outcomes:

• Current practices in the field related to working with regional employers to prepare youth for sustainable in-demand jobs and career pathways.
• Shared challenges related working with regional employers to prepare youth for sustainable in-demand jobs and career pathways.
• A discussion of ideas and opportunities to work with regional employers to prepare youth for sustainable in-demand jobs and career pathways.
• A summary of practices from the field and the research related to working with regional employers to prepare youth for sustainable in-demand jobs and career pathways.

Mapping Opportunities Session 3: Delivering Trauma Informed Services to Support Clients to Support Success (Part 2 of 2)

Mapping the opportunities, challenges and best practices. These sessions will work with conference attendees to identify opportunities, challenges and best practices across Ontario on specific topics.

Delivering services to clients with histories of trauma in a way that is safe and empowering can be difficult.
In this session we will work in groups and discuss the opportunities, challenges and practices to delivering trauma informed services to support clients’ success and well-being. Feedback from the session will be documented and used to highlight best practices from the field and support future initiatives

NOTE: It is recommended that participants who attend this session attend the session entitled Delivering Trauma-Informed and Representative Services from 2:30 – 3:30 on Day 1.

Learning Outcomes:

• Current practices in the field related to providing trauma informed services.
• Shared challenges related to providing trauma-informed services.
• A discussion of ideas and opportunities to enhancing the delivery of trauma informed services.
• A summary of practices from the field and the research related to effectively delivering trauma informed services.

Speaker:

Hawa Y. Mire – Principal Consultant, HYM Consulting

This 2-part session (each 60 minutes) on Anti-racism Anti-Oppression (ARAO) framework will help participants deepen their understanding of how oppression and racism occur at a personal and structural level and how they are maintained. The course will also assist organizations with the change process toward equity. The focus is on looking inward, starting with the self, and the organizational change process.

Note:

• You must be prompt and present for the course. Any time missed will result in certificates not being issued.
• A certificate of attendance will be provided upon successful completion of both parts of this session.

Learning Outcomes:

• The participants will develop a critical approach to addressing racism and other forms of oppression.
• The participants will develop a critical approach to addressing racism and other forms of oppression.
• The participants will deepen their analysis of how racism and oppression play out in society and within their organization.

Co-sponsored by CCYP & RBC

Speaker:

Jenny Weissbourd – Senior Project Manager, Economic Opportunities Program, The Aspen Institute

The retail sector ranks as the country’s single largest private-sector employer, comprised of over 145,000 retail establishments employing 2.1 million Canadians. COVID has changed consumer buying and spending patterns, forcing the retail industry to quickly innovate in a race that is likely to squeeze out smaller brands. As retailers seek to reopen, questions remain as to how to safely guide both customers and employees. Reopening the retail sector will require new strategies, new rules, and new competencies.

This session will shed light on some of the ways in which retail sector employees can prepare themselves to adopt to the changing nature of the industry by focusing on soft-skill development, networking and utilizing digital tools to navigate the challenges in their employment pathway.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop better relations with employers to build on retention and training
• Re-designing and re-structuring the retail sector in response to customer behavior changes
• The need for an inclusive approach regarding the transformation of the retail sector
• Preparing for the future of retail post pandemic

Speaker:

Janet Morris-Reade – CEO, ASPECT BC – Association of Service Providers for Employability & Career Training

Values-based leadership is a holistic approach addressing three dimensions: the characteristics of the individual leader, the interpersonal relationships and group dynamics of those working with the leader, and the specific organizational context in which they exist. By adopting a values-based approach, leaders establish an environment of mutual respect, fairness, and trust, at a minimum, which serves as the guiding force to create a healthy workplace culture.

In this session, Janet Morris Reade from Aspect BC will shed light on the importance of self-awareness in displaying effective leadership and will explore the concept of “leading from within.” This session will also explore ways in which individuals can enhance their confidence, and clarify, articulate, and commit to their core values and personal vision.

Learning Outcomes:

• The meaning of a values-based leadership approach
• The importance of the concept of “leading from within”
• The role of self-awareness and confidence in leadership
• What does it mean to have a personal vision?