Employment Resource and Education Centre

Yonge Street Mission’s Evergreen Employment Resource Centre provides help with job searches, access to computers, housing support and one-on-one mentoring.  More than 1,300 youth are helped through the centre each year. Connecting Youth to Work, an intensive – a 32-week job preparation and placement program — has helped many of them find full-time employment.  This year we are launching a four-week job-readiness program called Next Step.

Evergreen Employment Resource Centre provides:

• High-support job opportunities
• Job searches, employment readiness and workforce integration
• Referrals to other employment-training programs
• Peer-mentoring opportunities
• Employment and life-skills workshops (resume writing, anger management, interview techniques, self-discovery, etc.)
• Back-to-school and correspondence programs
• Access to computers, email and the Internet
• Access to phones, fax machine, photocopier and voicemail
• Connecting Youth to Work: an intensive, highly structured program
• Housing support

“Evergreen Employment Resource Centre was the first place I ever went in my life where I felt accepted. I never would have gotten off drugs without the support from Evergreen and from my mentor. Now I live on my own and support myself.”
— 20-year-old woman

Employment Centre

Dozens of youth visit our Employment Centre each day.  Here, our caring and dedicated staff teach them how to  write effective resumes and cover letters, how to conduct a job search and how to prepare for an interview.  Assistance with transportation to and from job interviews is also provided.

Employment Programs

Connecting Youth to Work – Every year, this program gives 24 street-impacted youth a 32-week job training experience.  The program begins with a two-week intensive course where participants learn how to get and keep a job.  During the next 10 weeks, they work at the mission, developing and polishing the job skills they have learned.  During the final 20 weeks of the program they are placed in jobs within the community.  The goal is to help at-risk youth become gainfully employed and enable them to build a better life away from the streets.

Next Step-Employment program— Run through Evergreen’s Employment Resources Center, Next Step helps street-involved youth find gainful employment.  The program consists of eight two-hour interactive workshops designed to teach basic employment, life, and business skills.  Participants follow a set curriculum which corresponds to their employment goals.  They learn how to write effective resumes and cover letters, prepare for job interviews and develop basic job skills.  Topics covered include Job Readiness, Identifying Personality Strengths and Weaknesses, Managing Time and Money, Labor Market Trends and Planning for the Future.

Housing

Our housing worker assists a dozen or more youth each day, helping them find shelter beds, rooms, shared accommodation or apartments, depending upon their resources and readiness.  The housing worker also intervenes with landlords on behalf of at-risk youth who are facing evictions.

Mentoring

Many of the youth we serve come from backgrounds of abuse and neglect.  A caring mentor can make a lasting, positive difference in the life of a young person looking for stability and purpose in life.  Those who volunteer to serve as mentors are asked to support and encourage our youth through personal visits, emails and phone calls. Our goal is to help at-risk youth learn how to pursue their dreams and achieve success in life.

Four ways you can help:

One-to-One Mentoring: Connects Evergreen youth with a volunteer mentor for at least one year to build a relationship, work on goals, and support and celebrate the participants progress.

Career Connection: Evergreen Youth are connected with career mentors for a one-time meeting that can help them move toward the career or profession of their choice.

Share My Story Workshops: Here’s an opportunity for you to share your story with a group of Evergreen youth.  You’ll be able to encourage and motivate our youth by sharing from your career experience and personal struggles.

Tutor Mentoring: The goal of this is to help young men and women who want to go back to school by connecting them with mentors who can provide academic support.

“Without my mentor, I don’t where my life would be.  She has never given up on me, even when I was at my lowest.  It’s wonderful to know there is someone out there who loves and cares about me, and won’t give up on me.”
— A Young Woman involved in Evergreen’s Mentoring program

Educational Support

Our educational support person helps street-involved youth find educational opportunities, complete applications, attend orientation or information sessions, and submit requests for scholarships.  This year, our educational support program will help 100 youth return to school and get the education they need to build a bright future.

Youth Feedback Form

The Employment Resource and Education Centre team wants to hear from you. Please share feedback of your experience be it complaints or compliments!