Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre gets $125K to help tackle youth unemployment
Posted Nov 30, 2019 09:30:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre initiative, which combines entrepreneurship and employment coaching with skills development, is getting $1250,000 from the Ottawa Community Foundation.
The centre was named the winner of the foundation's sixth New Leaf Community Challenge, Wednesday.
The Incubator13 initiative was one of three short-listed proposals presented to a seven-member jury of community leaders and subject-matter experts.
“All three projects were creative, compelling and, most importantly, designed to support positive, systemic, sustainable change for the youth in our city and those who support their employment,” said Marco Pagani, President and CEO of the OCF.
The other two projects pitched included a Youth Leadership Certificate program by the Youth Leadership Collective (chaired by the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa), and the Ottawa Mission's expansion of their successful Food Services Training Program to help more youth who are at-risk or homeless.
“I am certain our jury had a tough decision to make,” added Pagani. “But I’m confident the project they chose will help more youth gain the skills they need to be successful in the job market and contribute to improving their long-term employment situation in our city.”
The Ottawa Community Foundation said the Incubator13 hub is expected to expand, to increase its positive impact on the socio-economic development in Ward 13, eastern Ottawa and beyond, as well as increase its network of partners and supporters.
Jury members were additionally impressed that the team deeply understands and aims to improve broader community well-being.
Immediately after the cheque presentation on Wednesday, representatives from the RBC Foundation committed to provide financial support to all three teams to advance their respective initiatives.
RBC Foundation’s Future Launch initiative is a 10-year, $500-million commitment to empower youth for the work place of tomorrow.
