Segue Helping Young People Find Work

Written by Shannon Dueck on Saturday, 03 May 2014 for SteinbachOnline.com

Ted Falk (far left) meets with Segue staff Friday including Debra Stockwell (far right)

Taken from SteinbachOnline.com

The Program Director for Segue Career Options says they've had amazing success in their three years in Steinbach.

Debra Stockwell says Segue through Eden Health Care Services is a supportive employment agency throughout southern Manitoba. They work in partnership with Service Canada, offering the Segue Training and Employment Project (STEP).

Stockwell says they don't recruit, instead individuals aged 15 to 30 come to them, looking to take part in their four week life skills program. Following the four weeks are eight weeks of work experience.

"We try to get them into a field that they're already interested in," explains Stockwell. "The idea is for them to be able to progress and grow." She notes their current contract allows for five sets of ten individuals each, over a fifteen month period.

According to Stockwell, the program is funded mostly through Service Canada. Provencher Member of Parliament Ted Falk was in Steinbach Friday announcing $268,299 from the Skills Link Program. The Steinbach Segue Training and Employment Project services the South Eastman region which includes, among others, the communities of Steinbach, Beausejour, Lac du Bonnet, Niverville, Pinawa, Ste. Anne and St. Pierre.

"This funding is essential to assist youth in our communities to make a successful transition into employment or return to school," explains Stockwell.

The goal of the program is that after twelve weeks, students will either be working fulltime or will have made the transition to go back to school. Stockwell says their target is that seventy per cent of participants would achieve this, noting they come close to meeting this mark.

"They're not always exactly successful right after work experience, they may need another month or so to find that right fit for them," she says. "But we do continue working with them, we never shut the door." She adds it's not uncommon to have participants return two years later seeking guidance.

Stockwell says there are definitely a lot of job opportunities for youth in Steinbach these days, but she says young people have to be realistic.

"As long as the youth understand that you're not going to walk into that seventy thousand dollar a year job," she says. "It's just not out there when you don't have the experience or the education."

Stockwell says Steinbach is blessed with a business community willing to open its doors.

"Even if they (employer) don't have a job, but they want to give somebody an opportunity to gain that experience," she says. "I'm always amazed at how many jobs an employer will create that wasn't there, so that person can stay employed with them."

This article originally appeared on SteinbachOnline.com.