Lead Department: Human Resources and Social Development Canada
Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 2003
End Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 2008
Total Federal Funding Allocation: Ongoing

Description

The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) supports Canadian youth as they move into the world of work. YES has played an instrumental role in developing Canada's workforce of the future by providing young Canadians with access to programs and services to help them gain the skills, knowledge, career information and work experience they need to find and maintain employment and in making a successful transition into the labour market.

YES has been streamlined based on information and knowledge gained through research and program evaluations which indicated the need to keep pace with the changing labour market and needs of youth, especially youth facing barriers to employment. The realigned YES features three key programs for youth aged 15-30 years: Career Focus, Skills Link and Summer Work Experience. For the period 2006-2007, the estimated YES investment is planned to be $400.1 million ($334.1 million CRF program funds and $66M in operating resources).

The Government of Canada's support to young Canadians is a shared responsibility and a partnership effort among many departments and organizations. Through YES, HRSD with Service Canada and 12 other federal government departments work cooperatively with other levels of government, Aboriginal organizations, educational institutions, and private sector, not-for-profit and voluntary sectors to deliver YES initiatives.

Shared Outcome(s)

1. The shared outcomes of partners are:

• Number of youth served
• Number of youth employed / self-employed
• Number of youth returning to school

Governance Structures

YES has in place an umbrella Results-based Management and Accountability Framework (RMAF) that represents a commitment amongst the thirteen participating federal departments and agencies to undertake ongoing collection of common performance management data to ensure effective overall performance management of the program.

As lead department, HRSD with Service Canada chairs and is responsible for the coordination and management of an Interdepartmental Operations Committee that is responsible for reporting on the implementation of YES. The Evaluation Steering Committee is another YES interdepartmental committee. There is also a Communications Sub-Committee reporting to the Operations Committee.

YES initiatives are delivered nationally/regionally and locally using a variety of funding instruments such as contribution agreements and some direct delivery methods. Transfer payments are primarily provided by participating departments through contribution agreements and service delivery agreements in support of participant's remuneration and, overhead costs.

Youth Protocols for joint planning mechanisms have been signed with Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Manitoba.

Partners

• HRSDC (lead) with Service Canada
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Canadian Heritage
• Canadian International Development Agency
• Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade
• Environment Canada
• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
• Industry Canada
• National Research Council Canada
• Natural Resources Canada
• Parks Canada

Contact

John Atherton
Director General
Active Employment Measures
Employment Programs Policy and Design Directorate

Sharon Shanks
Director General
Aboriginal & Youth Programs Directorate