The START Program offers youth aged 15-30 an opportunity to develop employability skills. Participants earn a wage for 30 hours per week over 6 weeks, while gaining essential life and job skills. Additionally, there is potential for 8 weeks of work experience, supported by a wage subsidy.
ELIGIBILITY
- 15-30 years of age
- Actively looking for work
- Not in full-time school (some exceptions apply)
- Are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent resident
PROGRAM LENGTH
- 6 weeks of In person facilitation
- Possible access to Wage Subsidy for up to 8 weeks
LOCATION
Sooke
2096 Church Rd
Westshore
3179 Jacklin Rd #102
CONTACT
Email
START@worklink.bc.ca
Phone
250-478-9525 ext 266
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Paid Group Sessions
Earn $17.40/hour for 30 hours per week over 6 weeks of sessions, led by experienced facilitators. Develop essential skills and knowledge to thrive in your job search, while collaborating with your peers to build a strong foundation for your career.
Develop Essential Life & Employment Skills
Enhance employability with various workshops, resume writing, interview skills, and other essential life skills.
Gain Industry Certifications
Acquire industry-relevant certifications such as Occupational First-Aid Level 1, FoodSafe, Dogsafe, Fork-lift Training and many more.
Possible Work Experience
There is the potential for 8 weeks of valuable, hands-on work experience, supported by a wage subsidy to further professional development.
Empowering Connections
Work with our industry experts and connect with local employers.
Financial Assistance
Participants could have access to additional supports above and beyond the specified program resources.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING
The past six weeks have been an incredibly enjoyable and enlightening experience. I am immensely thankful to the program facilitators for their efforts in making the program as great as it was. It exceeded my expectations, and I absolutely feel better for it. I enjoyed myself so much that I was sad to see it end by the end of last week!
Getting to do all of the certifications was the most helpful part of the START program as well as having everything I could need covered.
The START program coordinator and facilitator were very helpful in helping everyone else in the program and me with every step, and I felt very included. They are wonderful!
I really enjoyed my time here! It helped me put a lot of things into perspective and renewed my confidence in my own skills. I learned a lot from this course and feel much better for being part of it.
Coming into the program as an older youth and a university graduate, I was initially a little unsure about how I’d fare in the program, due to feeling “overqualified,”. Yet, those anxieties faded very quickly as I felt incredibly welcome the whole time, and throughout it, I gained invaluable insights, honed my skills, and discovered new strengths which made the whole experience feel more than worth it. The free Cobs bread and food were also a nice bonus.
Meghan made an effort to make everybody feel heard, understood, and respected is incredibly significant, and I have no doubt that she made a positive impression on them all because it really means a lot. Sometimes this world can feel like it’s a dark and uncaring place, yet it is people like Meghan and Laura who put things into perspective and remind me that there is still an abundance of good in this world.
The program facilitators did a fantastic job coordinating the program. The curriculum was comprehensive, and the workshops were informative, engaging, and practical.
Feeling like I belong to a group of people that not only share the same goals but our understanding of life’s circumstances, nonjudgmental, and whom I can trust to confide in, has been a keystone feature of the program for me. – Kirin
PROGRAM IMPACT
Clients Served
Youth Employed
%
Rate of Employment for Participants
Cohorts over 4 years (2020-2024)
PROGRAM BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYERS
SHOWCASE YOUR BUSINESS
Give a presentation to START participants about your workplace and open positions. This will provide valuable insights into your company culture and allow you to connect directly with potential candidates, making your recruitment efforts more effective.
POST ON OUR JOB BOARD
Are you looking to hire? Post on our job board for free! Take it one step further and consider tailoring a job posting to a young job seeker. This will bring new perspectives to your team and foster a diverse workplace.
WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAM
Employers who want to hire and train eligible young adults for long-term employment may qualify for the Wage Subsidy program. This program allows employers to receive up to 50% of their hire’s wages for up to 8 weeks.
Contact the START team today!
Email | START@worklink.bc.ca
Phone | 250-478-9525 ext 266