The truth is that times are tight, even in Canada's largest city. In fact, statistics show that even in Toronto, where billions of dollars are made every month, businesses are losing money and people are losing sleep. They are not sure if they will have a job the next day or if they will have to transfer to creating custom silver jewellery design in Ottawa or just be out on the street. In such an economic storm, it is nice to know that there are services out there to help people out when it comes to finding a job. One of those services in the city of Toronto is YES.
YES stands for Youth Employment Services. The program has been set up to help some of Toronto's most vulnerable demographics to find gainful employment so that they can make a better future for themselves. Studies show that when recessions hit, the most likely people to be affected are those who are untrained and under the age of 25. That's a pretty big market, and when one considers that many people of this age are no longer under the protective umbrella of their parents you can understand how dire the situation is. We're not just talking about an inability to pay for an international cell phone here, but to put food on the table.
The mandate of YES is to provide the resources that these people need in order to find employment which will keep them off of the streets. YES has access to a network that includes literally thousands of different employers, from office work with a doctor to positions of general labour within factories. These jobs are posted to the job board year round. This is in contrast to many city youth worker programs, which tend to operate during the summer months only.
There is more to finding real employment than just connecting with a potential employer, though. Many people at this age are unfamiliar with the job hunting process. They may have worked with other companies, but landed the job through the referral of a friend or family member. They have never been formally trained in how to write up a resume, conduct themselves in an interview, and so on. YES has programs which deal with these specific issues and others surrounding the quest for work. Counsellors are available during all working hours for consultations and training in work search advice.
While YES is specifically designed to work with people from 16 to 25, adults can also be helped through the program. A separate section of the program exists to help adults looking for work in factories, erecting custom enclosures, and within other areas.
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