New Programs and Initiatives

By Bruce Andor

A Practical Guide to Self-employment for People with Disabilities

The Center for Self-employment Excellence, a Canadian-based online resource center and volunteer organization, is sponsoring a new project aimed at helping people with disabilities better pursue self-employment as a viable career path.

This project will have two parts: First, we’ll be compiling a comprehensive listing of electronic and community-based resources, programs, and support organizations for people with physical, hearing, and visual impairments who are interested in being self-employed. These listings will be available online and grouped geographically by province, state, and country. Second, we’ll be developing a series of online guides providing practical advice and solutions to common challenges faced by people with disabilities in pursuing self-employment. We are anticipating a two to three year timeline for completion. This will be an entirely volunteer generated project. The project will be freely accessible on the Center’s web site throughout the development process, and the final guides will be available online and freely distributable under a Creative Commons License.

Funding will be provided by The Center for Self-employment Excellence, however we are seeking donations of time, passion, and ideas… in whatever amounts you can provide.

As of April 9th, we will have an email development group and an email discussion group available via the Center’s web site. We encourage you to sign up for these groups whether you are interested in contributing or just want to keep informed on the progress of this project.

Further information can be found at:
www.self-employmentexcellence.com/pwdproject.html

Or by contacting:
Bruce Andor
Director, The Center for Self-employment Excellence
bruce@self-employmentexcellence.com

By Angie Foster

The Employment Services Roundtable Website Project

Almost 100 employment organizations listed on new website for Quebec job seekers

Looking for help finding work in Quebec just got a little bit easier.  The Quebec Employment Services Roundtable has launched a new, one-stop website for people looking for English-language job search assistance in Quebec.

The Quebec Employment Services Roundtable website, located at http://employmentservicesroundtable.contactpoint.ca lists almost 100 organizations from all over the province that offer a variety of services in English to Quebecers.  Whether you are looking for career counselling in Montreal, job skills training in Saint-Eustache or job placement services in Sept-Iles, this website will make at least one part of your job hunt much easier.

The website, funded by Canadian Heritage, is part of a larger campaign aimed at raising awareness of resources available in the province for those seeking employment services in English.  The Employment Services Roundtable has also produced and distributed 100,000 newspaper inserts throughout the province drawing attention to the availability of English resources in Quebec for job seekers.

Formed in 1997, the Quebec Employment Services Roundtable is a coalition of non-profit organizations that provides English-language employment services across Quebec.  The Roundtable also hosts an annual conference, funded by the Counselling Foundation of Canada, for employment service providers to discuss issues pertinent to the field in Quebec.  The next conference will be held in the Fall 2004.

For more information on the Quebec Employment Services Roundtable, please contact Youth Employment Services at (514) 878-9788 or by e-mail at info@yesmontreal.ca. 

Career Management Professional Program

The Career Circuit Partners, The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, The Canadian Career Development Foundation, Y.E.S Manitoba

The Career Circuit Partners, The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, and the Canadian Career Development Foundation, and Y.E.S Manitoba, the Regional Representative for Career Circuit in Manitoba, are pleased to announce the launch of the first French online Certificate in Career Development program. The program is offered by St. Boniface college in Winnipeg in partnership with Career Circuit and will commence in mid January.

The program will appeal to post secondary students, youth service workers, employment agency personnel and counsellors seeking a rich professional development experience. Certification will be awarded on successful program completion. Content will include modules on building effective community partnerships, and supporting clients to feel confident and prepared to face the future. Participants will learn how to help clients build competencies, develop successful strategies to overcome challenges and to find and maintain meaningful work.

Les partenaires de Circuit Carrière, la Fondation canadienne d’éducation économique et la Fondation canadienne pour l’avancement de la carrière, Y.E.S Manitoba et le représentant régional de Circuit Carrière au Manitoba sont heureux d’annoncer le lancement du premier programme français en ligne de certificat en développement de carrière. Le programme est offert par le Collège Saint-Boniface de Winnipeg, en partenariat avec Circuit Carrière, dès la mi-janvier.

Le programme vise les étudiants du postsecondaire, les travailleurs d’organismes de services aux jeunes, le personnel d’agences d’emploi et les conseillers à la recherche d’une riche expérience de perfectionnement professionnel. Les personnes qui réusissent le cours recevront un certificat. Il comprend des modules sur l’établissement de partenariats communautaires efficaces et vise à soutenir les étudiants pour qu’ils aient confiance en eux-mêmes et se sentent prêts à affronter l’avenir. Les étudiants apprendront aussi à aider les clients à bâtir des compétences, à élaborer des stratégies gagnantes pour relever les défis et trouver et conserver un emploi qui leut tient à cœur.