SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Summer is back -- a time when many students are seeking seasonal employment.

SideDoor Youth Centre program co-ordinator Todd Sasaki, seen in the centre's "living room" on Friday, is currently leading the community centre's Map Project, which is designed to give young people tools and skills to enter the job force. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo

Through a pilot project launched last year in three cities across Canada including here in Yellowknife, through SideDoor Youth Services, some young people are being introduced to the workforce for the first time.

The My Action Plan, or MAP program, has registered more than 100 youth to date in Yellowknife and engaged about 50 in some kind of assistance getting vital documents including birth certificates, health cards, and social insurance numbers, and working with them toward part-time or summer employment.

"You can get a job but you're not going to get a paycheque without a SIN card," SideDoor program co-ordinator Todd Sasaki said. "You need certain vital documents to access vital services."

The MAP program caters to youth across socio-economic backgrounds, Sasaki said, helping them write resumes, cover letters, and get the documentation they need to join the workforce, though participants need varying degrees of assistance. Applying for a job can be an intimidating experience for young people who are homeless, not in school, have poor literacy skills, no support system, or dealing with other social issues, Sasaki said.

"When your basic needs of food, shelter, and support are not being met, it's difficult to strive in terms of employment and academics," he said.

While SideDoor's MAP project is working with a budget of just $45,000, the Government of Canada increased the budget for the Canada Summer Jobs program this year by $10 million, bringing the total budget to $107.5 million from $97.5 million nationally, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada spokesperson Anna Maddison said.

"Youth need to be provided with opportunities to acquire skills and experience so that they are prepared for the jobs of the future and Canada maintains its competitive edge," Maddison said.

Despite some preconceptions about many young people being lazy and unwilling to be contributing members of society, Sasaki says they sometimes just need extra help.

"A lot of people dismiss it as laziness, disinterest, or apathy, but it's about getting young people to the point where they are vulnerable enough to admit they need help," Sasaki said.

Due to the support of local business owners, young people are fortunate to have many options when entering the job force in Yellowknife, Sasaki said.

"Employers in Yellowknife by and large are incredibly willing to hire youth," he said. "I just want to encourage them to continue giving young people opportunities to do what they do. I don't think they'll be disappointed."

In the Northwest Territories, the employment rate rose to 70.8 per cent in April, when 400 more people found work, according to the GNWT Bureau of Statistics. That's the highest employment level since 2008.

Youth were among the biggest groups in the increase, with an employment rate of 44.3 per cent, compared to 34.8 per cent in April 2010, economic statistician Jeff Barichello found. The NWT employment rate for residents age 15 to 24 continued to rise last month, to 45.7 per cent.

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