The NWT Literacy Council, in partnership with the Yukon Literacy Coalition and Ilitaqsiniq- the Nunavut Literacy Council, has begun the process of developing the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy program (YESS). This is a federally funded program designed to help youth from the ages of 15 to 30 develop their skills and enter meaningful employment. Our three organizations met in Vancouver recently to go over the details and begin developing the program. These meetings were very successful and helped us to clarify many of the details of the program, including our start date. The first of four cohorts will begin in March 2022, and each cohort will be six weeks in length.
YESS will be an excellent opportunity for youth to develop a variety of skills, get credentials such as first aid or food-safe training, and to get genuine work experience during the six-week program. Additionally, we will be collaborating with Elders and traditional knowledge holders to offer culture-based programming. Their program will be varied and specific to their cultural skills, practices and knowledge. We are very excited to be offering this program in Yellowknife over the coming 18 months. An aspect of the program that I find especially beneficial is the individual focus of the training for each participant. This will help each youth to get the credentials, gear, and skill development they need for the type of employment they hope to enter.
The application process will begin in January 2022. If you or someone you know would like to participate as an applicant, employer, or as an Elder or cultural expert, please contact the NWT Literacy Council. We will be releasing more information as we continue to develop the program and as we move closer to the beginning of the application process in the new year. Be on the lookout for more updates to come!
- Jeremy Mousseau, YESS Coordinator and Job Coach
