Alice is a youth who came to Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House in August 2014. She came to the employment team at our House for assistance with finding a volunteer position, to gain experience for entering the job force. Alice completed Grade 12 with the aid of a learning assistance and life skills program alongside a Work Experience Placement (WEP) as a cashier at a fast food restaurant. Alice mentioned that she had no other work experience, and she wanted to receive case management services—to help her learn job search techniques and find a position as a customer service representative.
Our assessment services help determine the employment skills required for a certain job placement, and the support needed to match participants with the most suitable volunteering or employment opportunities. An appropriate assessment can help youth find the right services to help them enter the workforce, gain independence and rise out of poverty.
In order to help Alice accomplish this goal, there were three main stages.
- WorkBC Specialized Services offered at our House ensured that Alice had access to various assessments to determine and offer the most suitable services. Later, case manager Margarita Chapman referred Alice to a vocational counsellor. After further assessments, Alice was referred to a job developer to help her with a direct marketing strategy and on-the-job training and coaching.
- Alice was accepted as a special events volunteer at our House, and also joined the Youth Advisory and Organizing Committee, which allowed her to network, be productive, gain new skills and further expand her work experience.
- Alice actively participated in ongoing coaching sessions and one-to-one workshops, and was referred to valuable community resources. Throughout this process, the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House team provided the tools and the encouragement for Alice to remain focused and upbeat during her volunteering and job search period.
Alice’s successes include gaining community attachment, attending all her appointments on time and connecting with services in the community to volunteer and expand her network.
“The assessments I did helped me learn what some of my strengths and weaknesses are,” Alice says.
“The special events that I participated in at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House were fun, and they allowed me to connect with a lot of different people from around the world. I have learned to better manage my time since I joined the WorkBC program.”
“The cultural awareness workshop helped me learn more about different aspects of diversity, and the resume building workshop showed me how to demonstrate my skills. Margarita has been really supportive and welcoming. I am thankful for the opportunities that I got from this program through Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House and WorkBC.”