Collective Impact for Inclusive Youth Employment

The Collective Impact for Inclusive Youth Employment (CIIYE) initiative seeks to provide meaningful employment and professional development opportunities for diverse, young people (ages 18 – 34) across Nova Scotia.

Through meaningful collaboration with community members, employment service providers, initiative participants (young people and employers) and the Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration (LSI), the CIIYE will incorporate best practices in long-term labour force attachment, which includes an intentional focus on accessibility, equity, and inclusion and person-driven leadership development opportunities, to support a more inclusive, resilient and effective workforce across Nova Scotia.

This initiative is available to unemployed or underemployed young people who self-identify as Indigenous, African Canadian, racialized individuals (including Persons of African Descent), persons with a disability, and Nova Scotians on Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA). Participating employers will be those organizations who are committed to ongoing learning in order to create safe, welcoming and inclusive workplaces.

The initiative has five main components. For more information, please refer to the CIIYE Brief:

• Meaningful employment for at least 20 young people from diverse communities who will receive a minimum wage of at least $15 per hour. Employer will have the able to access a wage subsidy of up to $10.50 per hour over the course of the two years.
• Training and development for both participating employees (young people) and employers. This would include support for employers to create more safe, inclusive, and productive workplace and support for participating youth to further develop their skills and abilities.
• Ongoing, wrap around supports will be accessible over the two-year initiative. This includes required resources for success (e.g., mental health support, mentorship, childcare, elder care, accessibility adaptations, assistive technology, transportation, troubleshooting, etc.)
• Through Communities of Learning, participating youth and employers will have access to peer networks and opportunities for personal and professional development throughout the duration of the two-years. This will also include participant-driven leadership development opportunities for young employees.
• Participants of the CIIYE and other community members external to the program will have opportunities to participate in community engagement initiatives to encourage inclusive workforce development. Young employees will work collaboratively with their employers to identify converging areas of interest and develop strategies to engage with the broader community.

Given the ongoing developmental evaluation, as well as critical reflection, conversations and real-time adjustments, the CIIYE will be responsive to and reflective of the initiative’s participants. What is collectively learned alongside the partners of the CIIYE will be used to support ongoing workforce development as well as inform the policy and program design of other existing, and future, labour market programs, thus impacting the participation rates of under-represented groups into the future.

 CIIYE ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR

*The Collective Impact for Inclusive Youth Employment initiative is made possible through the generous financial support from the Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration (LSI). We extend our deepest appreciation and thanks for not only their financial support of this important initiative, but also as collaborators and learning partners in the development, design, and implementation of the CIIYE initiative.