Quote of the Week

Immigrant Access Fund

I recently learned about the Immigrant Access Fund, which offers immigrants micro loans to assist in establishing professional careers in Canada.

The loan may be used for:

• Short-term (two years or less) training
• Exam fees with a professional governing association
• Travel expenses to write an exam
• Qualification assessments
• Professional association fees
• Books and course materials
• English language courses specific to employment
• Living allowance during study time
• Other related expenses.

IAF’s vision is that skilled immigrants are equitably integrated into the workforce and contribute their expertise to Canada’s economic and social success.

For more information on the Saskatchewan program, see link:
http://www.iafcanada.org/how-to-apply/get-started/saskatchewan

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Economic Literacy

Economic literacy – In our increasingly complex world, being financially literate is now more important than ever. Simply put, this means to have the knowledge, skills and confidence to make responsible financial decisions. 

When we say “knowledge”, we mean an understanding of personal as well as broader financial matters. “Skills” refers to the ability to put that knowledge to use in every-day life. “Confidence” means you have the self-assurance to make important decisions. 

People’s financial decisions may vary based on age, circumstances, preferences etc. , but with a degree of financial literacy you can make those decisions by relying on your knowledge, skills and confidence to make choices appropriate for your situation. 

Financial literacy is important because it is a life skill. Today, it is normal for people to have bank accounts, credit cards and debt, but unfortunately many Canadians, especially younger ones, lack the money management skills they will need  as adults. 

“The mission of strengthening the financial literacy of Canadians is a shared responsibility among many stakeholders . This mission will not be realized without the combined efforts of individuals, families, governments, educators, financial service providers, employers, labour organizations, businesses and voluntary organizations.”( Task Force on Financial Literacy, December 2010 report.)

Being financially literate is another way of being educated and capable and gives us more control over our lives. No matter what your situation, be it employed, a student , retired, un-employed, under-employed, on assistance, seasonal worker, casual or temporary or contract worker, you can benefit from becoming more financially literate. 

Remember, your income can be great, or it can be small, but if you don’t know what to do with it you will face challenges. 

Ask your bank or financial institution for more information, or contact literacy organizations such as READ Saskatoon or, if you qualify, speak with an Employment Resource Coach at the YWCA for more information.

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Virtual Meet & Greet - Tri-Venture Industrial Facilities Life-Cycle Solutions

Job seekers interested in opportunities with Tri-Venture Industrial Facilities Life-Cycle Solutions are invited to the YWCA Employment & Learning Centre’s first Virtual Meet & Greet! 

Tri-Venture handles metal decommissioning, dismantling, demolition and decontamination. 

Find out more from Human Resources Manager, Vera Borylo who will join us via Skype from Airdrie, AB. 

The company is expanding into Saskatchewan with a new facility in North Battleford, opportunity still exist in the Kindersley location and throughout Saskatchewan.

Labourers, Drivers, Bobcat/Forklift Operators are needed. 

Accommodations are provided, Competitive wages, Incentive program and more!

Wednesday May 29^th

10:30-11:30am

YWCA Saskatoon

510 25^th Street East

Mamawopiwin Room,

2^nd Floor Community Service Village

Job Seekers...You Have Rights in Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code is the law used to promote and protect rights and equality in Saskatchewan. The Code makes it illegal to discriminate. Discrimination is an unfair action made against you because you belong to a certain group. The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is a government agency that protects and promotes human rights in Saskatchewan.

Under the Code, discrimination is an action that:

• Puts a person at a disadvantage:

- By treating them differently from others
- By applying the same rule to everyone, which can result in a person being denied opportunities or receiving fewer benefits.

The Code makes it illegal to discriminate against a person based on certain characteristics called protected grounds. Protected grounds are personal characteristics like:

• Ancestry, nationality or place of birth
• Religion
• Physical or mental disability
• Sex/gender (including pregnancy and sexual harassment)
• Age (if you are 18 years of age or over)
• Marital status (being married, single, widowed or divorced)
• Family status (parent-child relationship)
• Receiving financial assistance from the government to pay for living expenses (public assistance)
• Sexual orientation.

The Code protects you from discrimination in public areas of life, including, but not limited to Employment and occupations.

Here are some examples of discrimination:

• An employer decides not to hire a qualified person because of the person’s skin colour or place of origin.
• A supervisor gives an employee fewer hours of work or fires her because she is pregnant.
• A store has a rule that all cashiers should stand while working. One employee has back pain and her doctor told her she should not stand for longer than 20 minutes at a time. The employer forces the worker to stand for longer than 20 minutes.

For more information, go to www.shrc.gov.sk.ca. You can also visit, telephone or write to the office of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission:

Saskatoon office
816-122-3rd Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK S7K 2H6
Phone: 933-5952
Toll free (no cost): 1-800-667-9249

 

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Meet and Greet RCMP

Volunteering has many benefits

Volunteering – “More than one million Canadians obtained employment through their volunteer experiences.” – Volunteering has many benefits to offer that we all should consider. For example, we can acquire and or improve our skills in areas such as communication, organization, managerial and inter-personal areas. We can discover more about our strengths, weaknesses and aptitudes. We can meet new people and make new friends. Volunteering allows us to make career connections through networking as well as helps us gain more work experience in our field of expertise. Volunteering gives us a chance to give back to the community by sharing our knowledge and skills. We can build a better resume through our volunteer work and obtain valuable references.

On top of this, we can be part of something that we feel good about and experience self-growth – all very positive! In Saskatoon, we are fortunate to have an organization devoted to volunteerism – contact Volunteer Saskatoon at 306-975-3477 or at www.volunteersaskatoon@unitedwaysaskatoon.ca or drop in and visit them at 100 506 25th Street East for more information. Remember, the key to building your future and finding good work for yourself depends on you so see how volunteering might be a part of that!

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Quote of the Week