Partners Assisting Youth (PAY)

Our Coordinator, Kelly Thompson, has written a proposal to start a Youth Network in Bedford and Sackville. The proposal was granted by HRDC this past fall and the project began in December. The goal is to establish a network of employers, government, agencies, and community links to assist youth in career choices and employment leading to successful and healthier life styles. It is a project sponsored by HRDC, Capital Health and the Cobequid Community Health Board.

The Main Goals include:

• Assist to uncover the skill needs of employers in the Bedford and Sackville areas
• Investigate the needs of unemployed youth, both urban and rural youth
• Strengthen youth employment opportunities in the Bedford and Sackville areas
• Assist youth in finding successful careers and making healthier career choices through a network of community links

By identifying future skill requirements needed by employers, perhaps the network will be able to better assist employment agencies on what types of education and/or training is needed by youth to keep up with emerging market trends and fill employment skill gaps. By enhancing at least the communication link between business, employment agencies, and community links, the network can address or strengthen networks, service supports, and links for youth in this area.

Bernie Scott has now been hired as of December to start the position of Assistant Coordinator to manage the work involved with completing this project. Bernie is a retired teacher who was looking for a challenge that offered him future work with youth in this area. As a Co-Op Coordinator for Millwood High School, Bernie is familiar with students and the world work they must navigate in towards building a successful career. He has assisted many students with employment strategies and career development. Bernie is also familiar with the school system and has connections that will be useful to discussing unemployment barriers with youth.

Now that Bernie has been hired, he and Kelly will develop a brochure and necessary literature to market the program throughout the area. The first step will be to start talks with employment agencies and business to see what barriers they can identify. On-going discussion through meetings, surveys, and focus groups with youth will be necessary throughout the year to determine their barriers to employment and career choices which impede their overall health and lifestyle.

To become involved with this project or learn more about it, contact our Coordinator.

14 Days in December

This peace initiative started as a project of the Tri-Community Agency Council of Halifax County (TRIAC). A group of people living and working in the communities of Eastern HRM, such as health service providers, RCMP, clergy, and concerned citizens, gathered to share ideas about promoting peace messages throughout their community. Originally the name “14 Days” was to commemorate the names of the 14 women who lost their lives in Montreal Massacre on December 6, 1989. This initiative has evolved into a champion for change and affirmation for families and communities dealing with issues through respect and tolerance.

This original initiative has blossomed into a nation-wide movement dedicated to celebrating peace. The community Health Board’s felt this was a very important initiative to encourage awareness and dialogue about violence in the daily lives of individuals and families, while involving local communities. Over the past two years, have spread the message to get schools and communities involved with developing peace initiatives of their own.

By spreading messages of peace, through the peace cards, which are printed by the Health Boards, we believe that we can celebrate peace while decreasing violent behavior in our home, work, and community places. We ultimately hope that we can inspire more people to develop their own peace initiatives in their schools, community centres, etc. to promote this important message through out the month of December. And ultimately through out the entire year!

In Cobequid the following schools have participated with completing peace cards for December 2003:

• Madelyn Simmonds Elementary Grade 5 classes
• Sunnyside Elementary - Grades 3 and 4 split
• Millwood High School Grade 10
• Hammonds Plains Consolidated - Grades 3, 4, and 5 classes

In total there were about 600 cards completed this year. The peace cards were given to the Tantallon and Bedford Libraries to be handed out to individuals throughout the 3rd week of December to spread the messages of peace from children. Sobeys in Tantallon will also hand out the cards to local community residents shopping in their store.