YW's Integrated holistic career services (IHCS)
IHCS Youth is a paid employment program for young women (cis and trans) & gender-diverse people who are experiencing barriers to securing employment, serving ages 15-30.
Our goal is to create a supportive network of solution focused services for women and gender diverse people, their families, and broader communities by providing career and community resources, interactive workshops and experiences.
TRAINING INCLUDES
Group and 1:1 learning
- Budgeting/personal finance
- Boundary setting and self-care
- Career exploration
- Resumes, cover letters, interviews
- Job search strategies and the labour market
CERTIFICATIONS
- Smart Serve
- Safe Food Handling
- CannSell
- Standard First Aid & CPR-C
- Canity customer service training
Work Experience
- Customer service and sales
- Cash handling & Square Point of Sale
- Donation receiving/sorting/cleaning
- Inventory
- Merchandising, pricing & tagging
- Social media marketing
- Store health and safety tasks
Eligibility
- Identify as a cis/trans woman, trans man or gender diverse person
- Between the ages of 15-30
- A Canadian citizen, or permanent resident or a protected person as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
- Legally entitled to work in Canada;
- Seeking immediate employment upon program completion
- Able to commit to 25-30 hours/week Monday – Friday, all stats off
- Able to work and train with us in person
- In accordance with funding requirements, priority in selection of applicants will be given to youth facing barriers to finding and keeping employment
INFORMATION
Program Location: 102 King St. West, Kitchener
Perks
- A month of a GRT bus pass, work uniform, and some food provisions are included.
- Participants will earn minimum wage during their training & work periods
Program Time
- Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 4:30 pm (approximate times)
- Investment: 25-30 hours total/week for 12 weeks
- More detailed information about the program and schedule is available on the application form
Registration Information
Step 1: Complete our online application form by following the link: https://forms.office.com/r/m6rr10p052
Step 2: Once your application form has been received, candidates will be contacted to schedule a follow up meeting to talk further about their application and details about the program/their eligibility
IHCS: W.A.G.E.S
WARRIORS, is a life skills and professional development program for women (cis and trans) and gender-diverse people. The program aims to support individuals facing challenges related to gaps in their life skills and professional development or those whose personal and professional growth has been impacted by difficult circumstances.
Contact warriors@ywkw.ca for more information.
TRAINING INCLUDES
Group and 1:1 learning
- Habit Setting
- Time Management
- Grounding & Mindfulness
- Sleep hygiene
- Community Safety
- Budgeting
- Job Search Info
- Resumes & Cover Letters
- Job Interview Prep and More!
CERTIFICATIONS
- Smart Serve
- Safe Food Handling
- Standard First Aid & CPR-C
VOLUNTEER Experience
- Customer service and sales
- Cash handling & Square Point of Sale
- Donation receiving/sorting/cleaning
- Inventory
- Merchandising, pricing & tagging
- Store health and safety tasks
Eligibility
- Identify as a cis/trans woman or gender diverse person
- 16 years of age or older
- Able to commit to approximately 10 or more hours/week Tuesday – Thursday, all stats off
- Able to work and train with us in person
- In accordance with funding requirements, priority in selection of applicants will be given to those living in the YW’s emergency shelters or supportive housing locations.
- Those who are experiencing homelessness/are precariously housed, or living in any other KW emergency shelter or supportive housing will still be considered for program participation
PAST IHCS PROGRAMS
CANADIAN CAREER PATHWAYS FOR NEWCOMER WOMEN
Canadian Career Pathways for Newcomer Women provided opportunities to learn career-building skills such as entrepreneurship, e-commerce, and digital marketing for people who had not yet received Canadian Citizenship. This program supported participants in experiential retail training, helping them gain the skills they need to secure employment in a changing economy or explore and develop their small business ideas.
UPLIFT - RESKILLING IN DATA ANALYTICS
Uplift – Reskilling in Data Analytics was a fully funded post-secondary certification program for employment-ready women and gender-diverse individuals who are ready to upgrade their technology skills to secure immediate employment in roles that require specialized technological expertise.
IHCS: University of Waterloo's WatSPEED CAREER ACCELERATOR PARTNERSHIP
WatSPEED’s Career Accelerator programs equipped participants with the knowledge and experience needed to achieve a new job or promotion in a disruptive workforce. Programs included a blend of technical and professional training, industry engagement, and career coaching to enhance your job prospects in high-demand fields.
Digital Skills in the Workplace (DSW)
The DSW program was designed for women and gender diverse individuals looking to upskill to enter or advance in the workforce and who were interested in learning new digital skills for the workplace.
MORE INFORMATION
For IHCS Programs:
(226) 751-6898 ihcs@ywkw.ca
For YW Thrift Boutique:
(226) 751-6898 thrift@ywkw.ca
Program Funders
