Uko Akpanuko, Daily Herald
The Prince Albert Multicultural Council(PAMC) is offering a new free Youth Employment Skills and Support Program for residents in Prince Albert and the surrounding communities.
Residents must be between the ages 15-30 to enter the program. It will focus on those who are looking to gain work experience, build their resume or develop essential skills like communication, teamwork and problem-solving.
“It’s just basic skills that we’ll be providing, essential soft skills like communication, teamwork, time management, resume writing, interview skills, those are the things where we help,” program coordinator Melanie Carcillar said. “(It’s) also for them to gain safety (certifications) that will be needed in their job”
Other highlights of the program will include one-on-one job mentoring, career planning and job placement. Carcillar said each youth will have the program tailored to their needs, depending on what career path they choose.
“It is very important for them,” she said. “It is for them to keep having jobs and a harmonious relationship with their co-workers, the people around them, and with themselves as well.”
“We want to set them up for success,” PAMC executive director Michelle Hassler added. “We want to set them up so that they will only be able to get a job but to be able to keep the job.”
Also the program will offer transportation support or housing or mental wellness to those who need it. It is an ongoing and continuous program.
The program will be on for about four years and the PAMC is available to anyone who has anything to contribute.
Hassler said they decided to start the program because they wanted something that was youth focused. Most of their programming, she said, focused on adults and families. This one was created with the goal of helping young people who are seeking their first job.
In 2023, the PAMC received federal funding to start a youth ambassador program, and Hassler said that showed them the value of youth engagement in the community.
“Most of our youth do need support when it comes to employment skills, life skills, even just to come and do a little bit of engagement in the community or in other activities,” she said. “When the opportunity came in, it was just the right opportunity for the PA Multicultural Council to be able to be able to extend and expand our programs to youth clients.”
Hassler also added that “the Program is not only open to youth participants in Prince Albert community. This is actually open to all the nearby communities as well outside Prince Albert. So we can also accommodate the rural communities outside Prince Albert as far as Nipawin and Tisdale, and all that nearby reserves, so we can accept participants from remote communities.”
Interested candidates can call 306-922-0400 or email melanie.pamc@gmail.com to register for the skills and support program or visit the Council at 1410C Central Avenue in Prince Albert.
“Hopefully through this kind of program we can help more because now they know that there is employment support here, there is skill training support here, if they just want to talk to somebody for like a guidance and counselling they can come here, and all these is free,” Hassler said.