Bootstraps

Bootstraps aims to enable youth in and from care to explore and advance their skills to find meaningful, sustainable jobs. Above all, Bootstraps takes a holistic approach to address any barriers to employment youth may face, while also strengthening critical employability skills. Participants will develop Individual Employment Plans with an employment specialist. Each participant has the opportunity to receive employment assistance services, skills training, financial supports, and build their employment experience.

What’s Provided

• Resume building, interview skills & job search support.
• Career exploration and education supports.
• Access to training certificates for employment including: First Aid, WHMIS, Foodsafe, Serving It Right, Selling It Right, Superhost, forklift training.
• Soft skills training, including teamwork, problem-solving, goal setting, communication, and time management.
• Living supports while working toward employment or returning to school.
• Transportation supports.
• Job placements.
• Aunt Leah’s Social Enterprise Employment Training Program run through Aunt Leah’s Social Enterprises: Aunt Leah’s Thrift, Aunt Leah’s Donations Centre, and Aunt Leah’s Trees.
• Access to free onsite clinical counselling with Dan’s Legacy.
• Non-discriminatory LGBTQ2 nurse practitioner and physical health services.
• Education supports, including academic upgrading and ABE tutoring.
• Culturally-specific supports for Indigenous Youth.
• Aunt Leah’s in house wraparound supports and programming.

Eligibility:

The Bootstraps program works with youth in or from care and youth with barriers to employment, between the ages of 15 and 30 (inclusive), who are looking for work or looking to return to school. You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person, legally entitled to work in BC.

For more information, or to set up an appointment please contact [email protected] or phone/text 604-516-9241

For Employers:

• Direct supports with Aunt Leah’s Bootstraps staff.
• Wage subsidies.
• Post job placement support.

Bootstraps Employer Contact

For more information on how your organization can get involved, please contact Aunt Leah’s Bootstraps Employer Engagement Officer Monique Michaud, directly at [email protected] or call 778-773-8639.

FUNDERS

This program is generously supported by the following: