Employment & Unemployment
Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch.
Phone: 604-687-8868
Address: Suite 300, 853 Richards Street (City Centre skytrain)
Web: www.youthsearch.ca
Gordon House Youth S.E.A.R.Ch. (GHYS), stands for Youth Seeking Employment and Resources for Change. They run several different long-term employability programs for youth (15-30). Call or drop by to set up an appointment with their staff to see if there’s a program that’s right for you.
Currently, some of their active programs are:
- Skills Link – a 16-week for unemployed youth who are not currently receiving employment insurance benefits
- Community Assistance Program – a 52-week program for youth who receive income assistance
CAVE Youth Employment
Phone: 604-438-3045
Address: #202- 4250 Kingsway, Burnaby BC
The CAVE is a resource centre for youth, 15-30, located in Burnaby. Though it’s run by Douglas College’s “The Training Group”, you do not need to be a student to use the services. They offer a wide variety of services and information to assist in job searching, career planning & development and career management.
Services include:
- Case Managers, who can offer 1-on-1 career coaching
- Access to computers, fax, job postings, workshops
- Bi-annual job fairs
Youth Spot Employment Centre
Phone: 604-253-9675
Address: 15 Victoria Drive, Vancouver BC
Web: www.youthspot.ca
Youth Spot Employment Centre is designed to help youth at-risk between the ages 15-30 obtain sustainable employment. Their client-centred approach emphasizes the provision of support, education and resources within their drop-in centre in East Vancouver and through 1-on-1 employment assistance.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Services include:
- A drop-in resource room with access to computers, internet, fax, phones, job postings and a generally chill space
- Case Managers, who can meet 1-on-1 with you to help identify the barriers that are keeping you from employment and help plan a way to overcome those barriers and develop.
- Access to employability programs
- Workshops, around subjects like resume or interview prepping, work safety, etc.
Youth Spot is an off-shoot of the Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House.
Service Canada Centres For Youth (SCCY)
Phone/Address: List of SCCYs in BC
Web: www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sc/youth/centresyouth.shtml
Service Canada Centres for Youth (SCCY) offer a number of services specially designed to help students find a job, including detailed job postings in a variety of fields, many links to employers, useful information on workplace health and safety and other government programs and services.
Hours vary. See the listings for your office’s hours.
Services for youth
- Job postings, including volunteer opportunities, in the SCCY and on the Internet at Job Bank;
- Assistance with resumes and cover letters;
- Preparation for interviews;
- Information on Government of Canada programs and services, wage rates, workplace health and safety, employment standards and funding options for post-secondary education; and
- Free access to computers, Internet, fax and phone.
YWCA
Phone: 604-895-5800
Address: 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver BC
Provides free individual counselling and referrals for young women. Also offers various group programming on assertiveness, parenting and employment assistance.
Their programs specifically for youth include:
- Aboriginal Mentorship program for aboriginal girls (12 to 17)
- Boys 4 Real /Welcome to My Life - Seven week after-school programs for Grade 7 boys and girls, respectively
- Camp Fun Girl One-week day summer camps for girls (9 to 13)
- High School one-to-one Mentorship for girls in Grades 11and 12
- Youth Jobseekers - Job postings, career advice, resources and employment centre info for young women 15 to 30!
Sources BC
Phone: 604-531-6226
Address: 882 Maple Street, White Rock BC, V4B 4M2
Web: www.sourcesbc.ca
Sources BC (formerly Peace Arch Community Services) provides numerous support groups, self-help meetings and programs including addictions, employment services for adults and youth, information and referrals, and counselling services to individuals and families in the Surrey and White Rock area.
Services include:
- Community Living – life skills training, community kitchens, social clubs and other daytime programming
- Youth Services – a 1-on-1 youth justice program, FASD-related support for parents and families, and some counselling for youth with mental health diagnoses and their families
- Family Services – counselling, though referrals must come through MCFD.
- Drug & Alcohol support – Individual counselling, psych-educational groups and referral
- A food bank
- and much much more.
Aunt Leah’s Place
Phone: 604-525-1204
Address: 200 – 668 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Y6
Web: www.auntleahs.org
Aunt Leah’s Place works with teen mothers and youth in foster care system to help them achieve a better future by providing guidance, supported housing, job training and coaching in essential skills.
Services include:
- Aunt Leah’s House: Supported housing for pregnant and parenting teen moms under 19
- Thresholds: Supported housing for new moms who are at risk for being homeless or losing their babies to the foster care system
- Support Link: A semi-independent living & life skills training program for youth, 15-18, who are presently in the MCFD care.
- A variety of life skills and job training employment programs, primarily catering to youth currently placed in foster care and participants (past and present) of Aunt Leah programs.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. 中僑互助會
Tel: 604-931-5889
Email: info@success.bc.ca
Web: www.successbc.ca (Click Youth)
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Youth Services promotes the personal growth and career development of young people through a wide variety of programs ranging from the volunteer buddy program, youth volunteer group, youth counselling, to leadership training, employment and entrepreneurial development. Youth services are delivered by different departments in S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Services can be offered in Mandarin and Cantonese.
SUCCESS also offers Chinese Help Lines in both Mandarin and Cantonese. 10am to 10pm every day.
- Cantonese: 604-270-8233
- Mandarin: 604-270-8222
以一個多元模式的方向來協助增進青少年的個人成長，服務包括：
- 對在學校、家庭或社區產生困擾的青少年提供輔導支援
- 由受過訓練的義工，提供學業輔助及同輩輔導支援
- 青年義工小組提供青少年表達對社會關注的渠道，進而作出計劃以改善之
協助青少年投入社區、建立其興趣及目標、發展才能，本會於去年舉辦的「中僑青年領袖新紀元」、「青少年精英暑期培訓課程」、「兒童及青少年講寫讀英文日營」等活動，均備受社區推崇。
Directions Youth Services Centre
Phone: 604-633-1472
Address: 900 Pacific Street, Vancouver BC
Web: http://www.fsgv.ca/programpages/youthservices/directionsyouthservicescentre.html
At Directions Youth Services Centre, homeless youth and youth living in at-risk situations have access to an extensive range of services designed to assist them in taking the next steps with their life… be it to return to their home or home communities, to seek and secure affordable housing, to become employable and find employment, to work towards literacy and educational goals, or to access a doctor or a nurse, addictions services and mental health counsellors. The door is always open – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
In addition to a wide range of resources and supports, Directions Youth Services Centre also helps meet many immediate daily needs, such as hot meals, showers, and laundry facilities. In order to make the services as accessible as possible, services like locker space and pet kennels are available for youth while accessing the services within the centre. Directions also serves as an urban youth centre, offering a safe place off the streets to engage homeless youth in educational, recreational, and artistic programs.
The Gathering Place
Phone: 604-665-2391
Address: 609 Helmcken Street, Vancouver BC
Web: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/gatheringplace/
The Gathering Place is a community centre that caters to the disadvantaged residents of the Downtown South community. Services include a low-cost cafeteria, health centre, reading room and a c0nnected education centre.
Open 10am-8pmm, 7 days/week
Other services include:
- recreational facilities
- access to resources and health services
- free clothing, showers & laundry
- art programs (pottery, photography, painting)
- Youth Worker available to talk and give referrals
Does not provide a shelter (except a part-time emergency shelter in the winter), but can offer referrals and information for these.
