Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

James Painter was elected at the PSAC-B.C. Triennial Regional Convention in April 2008 as the Regional Council Youth Representative. He has been working at CRA for 12 months as a term employee at the Central City call centre. He snowboards and climbs a lot and through that has been involved in outdoors organizations that campaigned for environmental causes and outdoor recreation access issues. Young workers can contact him at james.painter@cra-arc.gc.ca.

Nicole Jacobson is the newly elected Alternate Youth Coordinator and Alternate Womens' Coordinator on the PSAC-BC Regional Council. Nicole hails from Nelson, London UK, and most recently a housing co-op near Main and Broadway. She is a part-time Citizen Service Agent on contract with the EI Call Centre in downtown Vancouver. She is also a part-time student at UBC studying psychology & social work. At the grand old age of 28 she is a bicycle commuting-granny-youth. In past and most recent years she has volunteered with: The Vancouver Folk Fest, Vancouver International Film Fest, Vancouver Crisis Centre and spent several years coaching soccer and figure skating. Her meagre yet life-long friends would likely describe her as a whimsical, though intellectual, man-loving feminist. Most days she shares that she is really all three. Please feel welcome to e-mail her with your youth related queries or input at jacobson7070@hotmail.com.

Preamble

A significant number of employers, including many, that count unionized PSAC members amongst their employees, routinely hire students.

The PSAC believes that employers, including the PSAC itself, have an obligation to future generations of workers, and that this obligation can be partially met by hiring students.

The PSAC is equally clear that students should be hired into carefully crafted and monitored programs that are designed to assist them in advancing their academic skills and acquiring social and workplace knowledge and skills – including an understanding of the role of Unions in workplaces and society and not into determinate and indeterminate positions. Under no circumstances should students be hired as a form of cheap labour for employers, or in any way to undermine the employment security of the employers’ regular workforce.

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Youth Now Volunteer Leadership Awards: Every year the Victoria United Way holds a gala event to recognize the amazing contributions youth make to our community. Individuals and groups from ages 11 through 24 who have provided extraordinary community service are nominated, with 4 individual awards and a group award.

• Do you know a youth (or group of youth) ages 11-24 who goes above and beyond what’s expected of them?
• Do they inspire other youth?

Now is the time to recognize the outstanding efforts of your peers, students, neighbours, and community leaders.

Visit unitedwayvictoria.bc.ca for full details and a nomination form, the deadline is April 14, 2006, 4pm

Filipino-Canadian Progressive Youth Organization Fundraises for the Victims of Deadly Philippine Mudslide

Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada / the Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA), a grassroots community organization for youth of Filipino ancestry will hold a fundraiser for the victims of the recent mudslide on the Philippine island of Leyte. The disaster has claimed an estimated 1,800 lives.

“Pinoy Poetiks” will be held on February 25, 2006 8:00 pm at El Cocal Restaurant, 1037 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC. Pinoy Poetiks will be a night of music, poetry, and spoken word, an open-mic event where Filipino youth can bring their thoughts, speak their mind, and of course, get creative. All proceeds will go the victims of the mudslide.

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OTTAWA – A new study by the Canadian Labour Congress confirms that the job market discriminates against workers of colour, and more so against young workers who are Canadian-born.

Analysing closely data from Statistics Canada’s 2001 Census, the study “Racial Status and Employment Outcomes” by Leslie Cheung, a graduate student in public policy at Simon Fraser University, in Vancouver, explains that “the fact that Canadian-born workers of colour are doing badly cannot be explained away by reference to lack of Canadian credentials and experience.”

“As Canadians, individually and collectively, we must come to grips with harsh realization that every day we are straying further and further away from our goals of equality,” says Hassan Yussuff, secretary-treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congr ess about the findings of this study. “Can we predict a strong future built on hope, respect, solidarity and citizenship when racial discrimination prevents workers who are more highly educated than average to find and keep steady employment at decent wages?”

“Racial Status and Employment Outcomes” is available on the Canadian Labour Congress web site.

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WHAT? A part-time auxiliary Youth Outreach Team (YOT) position

WHEN? Starts March 2006

HOW MUCH? 15 to 20 hours a week @ $18.81/hour plus a percentage in lieu of benefits. *Hours will fluctuate based on project needs*

What is the Youth Outreach Team, and what do they do?

The Youth Outreach Team members work with City staff and community partners to build and strengthen youth involvement in City initiatives.

The position may include some of the following tasks:

• Supporting youth involvement in planning processes (i.e. Oakridge redevelopment, West Point Grey, Canada Line/RAV)
• Planning and facilitating workshops for youth and adults in partnership with City staff and community groups
• Developing promotional materials, written reports and project documentation

What is the Civic Youth Strategy (CYS)?

CYS is a commitment by the City of Vancouver to work with youth and the wider community to ensure that youth have a PLACE in the City; have VOICE in the City; are viewed as RESOURCES by the City and have a strong SUPPORT BASE in the City.

Visit vancouveryouth.ca for more information.

Building on the success of the Chinese Canadian Culture Online Project the Chinese Canadian National Council is now launching the Asian Canadian Online Project - Vietnamese, Filipino and Chinese.

What are the experiences of an Asian Canadian youth?

What does it mean to you? Write about it!

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This is, of course, is a purely unscientific poll and it’s results should have no bearing on any future employee feedback sessions.

Young workers: get involved today! Contact the PSAC BC Regional Council Youth Coordinator Jamey Mills:

• phone: (604) 691-4233
• email: jamey.mills@ccra-adrc.gc.ca

Older news and information on Youth issues is archived in our old webspace.