escalator - civicaction...5 escalator: jobs for youth facing barriers faces of impact “youth...

EscalatorJobs for youth facING barrIErs

rEachING thE NExtlEvEl of opportuNIty:proGrEss rEport2015

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facEs of Impact

Zakaria Abdulle is the youngest member of the Escalator Champions Council. At 25, Zakaria has seen first-hand what systemic barriers look like for young people seeking employment. “I’ve seen a lot of family members, classmates, and friends have to travel to other regions and provinces to find work, despite being qualified for positions here in the GTA,” says Abdulle, who grew up in Toronto’s Dixon Road community.

Spurred on by the dramatic unemployment statistics for young people his age, Zakaria saw the personal impacts of these figures on people in his community. “I’ve seen a lot of young people frustrated that they didn’t have the right networks ... There is a barrier in being unable to access the social networks to connect to the hidden job market,” says Abdulle.

For Zakaria, sitting on the Champions Council has inspired him to unlock the potential of youth who are facing barriers. “Our privilege should be leveraged to help those less fortunate. It was a big eye opener for me that there are people in positions of privilege that are looking to tackle these challenges. The multi-sector collaboration exhibited on the Champions Council has been transformative. These collaborative approaches generate the greatest return on our region’s investment.”

As a result of participating on the Champions Council, Zakaria provided input on the development of the netWORKS networking and mentoring pilot and spoke about the value of a digital presence at Youth Connect, a large scale LinkedIn Train-the-Trainer session. Beyond the pilots, Zakaria has also identified opportunities in his own life to support other young people - for example, completing a recommendation for a young person applying for a scholarship and offering impromptu mentorship to a young person on the TTC.

“The number one thing young people can do is not to wait until you have it all figured out,” says Abdulle. “It’s okay if you haven’t figured it out yet. Take on a mentorship role for someone who is a few steps behind you. Look for agencies in your community where you can volunteer your time to review resumes.”

Zakaria’s words of wisdom to other young people are that it is okay to ask for help. Zakaria will graduate from the University of Toronto this fall. As he continues on his own career journey, he is certain to touch the lives of the people he works with with his unique brand of leadership.

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youNG champIoN brIdGEslEadErshIp wIth fIrsthaNd ExpErIENcE

2 Escalator: Jobs for youth facING barrIErs facEs of Impact

ZakarIa abdullE rEsEarchEr, polIcING lItEracy

INItIatIvEyouNG champIoN brIdGEs

lEadErshIp wIth fIrst

haNd ExpErIENcE

“The number one thing young people can do is not to wait until you have it all figured out,” says Abdulle. “It’s okay if you haven’t

figured it out yet. Take on a mentorship role for someone who is a few steps behind you. Look for agencies in your community where you can

volunteer your time to review resumes.”

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comING facE to facE wIth thEIssuE of youth facING barrIErsto EmploymENt

Equipping people with the skills that open doors to employment and economic opportunity is core to Accenture’s global approach to corporate citizenship. Here in the GTHA, that commitment runs deep.

Accenture Canada’s Managing Director, Digital and Escalator Champions Council Member Stephen Gardiner first became aware of the importance of the issue of youth unemployment while working alongside his team during the first phase of Escalator. “In looking at the number of people whose lives are personally impacted by this issue, and knowing that some elements of this problem are fixable, it struck me as critical that we take steps to make these changes.”

A few early experiences meeting one-on-one with youth facing barriers to employment opened Gardiner’s eyes to the challenges individual young people face. “It personalized the issue for me,” he says.

Looking inwards, Gardiner examined the opportunities to engage young people facing barriers to employment at Accenture. “We have a very young workforce and our employees tend to be highly qualified,” says Gardiner. “But we also have functions where these criteria weren’t so helpful in finding the best candidates.” Stephen cites Accenture’s recent experiences with interns from NPower Canada. “They’ve proven the case that individuals without the highest qualifications can be great performers.” Stephen has extended his leadership to NPower Canada by serving as the Chair of the Board.

Reflecting on his experience on the Champions Council, Stephen sees the unique value of a multi- sectoral approach. “There are myriad organizations from the private, public, and charitable sectors that need to come together to solve this issue. The Champions Council has been a great example of what is possible when this happens.”

Looking forward, Stephen emphasizes the need to build on the sustainability and scalability of the three pilots to ensure that they are meeting the magnitude of the challenge. Speaking to other senior leaders, Gardiner says: “Get into the trenches and talk to young people. The experience of rubbing elbows with these individuals will be a powerful lesson in why we’ve all got to do more to improve outcomes for these folks.”

stEphEN GardINEr maNaGING dIrEctor, dIGItal, accENturE

caNada youNG champIoN brIdGEs


haNd ExpErIENcE

“Get into the trenches and talk to young people. The experience of rubbing elbows with these individuals will be a powerful lesson in why

we’ve all got to do more to improve outcomes for these folks.”

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For Caroline Booth, Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer at TD Bank Group, community involvement is a must have, not a nice to have. “As a newcomer to Canada, I was looking for a way to get more involved in my community. I had the opportunity to tour several community agencies and met some of the young people seeking support in their search for meaningful employment. I was struck by the huge dedication of the youth workers, and the ambition of the job seekers. I wanted to find a way to help make a difference.”

As a member of the Champions Council, Caroline has had the chance to look inward at TD’s operations to see where opportunities lie. “We see a lot of highly qualified people competing for a smaller number of entry level roles,” says Booth. “Part of unlocking opportunities in the financial services sector requires engaging our suppliers to make their opportunities available to youth facing barriers to employment.” In the last year, TD has taken some steps to carve out opportunities for these youth, taking on graduates from NPower Canada and creating positions in a call centre.

For Caroline, the Champions Council has been a unique opportunity to move quickly from talk to action. “Right from the get go, there was a focus on identifying opportunities, taking action, and seeing results,” says Booth. “One of the strongest elements of the Champions Council has been having a diversity of industries and agencies engaged. We heard a lot of best practices that could then be shared or adapted to new industries – spreading what works more broadly.” Caroline has also loaned her expertise to inform the development of netWORKS, our mentoring and networking pilot.

“It is a huge challenge to have so many youth that are excluded from society when they aren’t able to find meaningful employment,” says Booth. “Across industries, as members of society, we need to take this issue seriously and commit our help.”

sENIor lEadEr uNlocksINtErNal opportuNItIEsfor youth facING barrIErs

carolINE booth sENIor vIcE prEsIdENt aNd chIEf

procurEmENt offIcEr, td baNk Group

youNG champIoN brIdGEs


haNd ExpErIENcE

“Across industries, as members of society, we need to take this issue seriously and commit

our help.”

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“Youth unemployment requires a co-operative approach between the private

sector, communities and government. Our partnership with CivicAction is opening

the door of opportunity so that at-risk youth can overcome barriers, pursue their

dreams and realize their potential.” Minister Tracy MacCharles, Minister of Children & Youth Services,

quoted in NationTalk, “Creating New Paths to Employment for Youth,” 8 Sept, 2014

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NEtworkING wIth purposE

At 23 years old, Brooke Write is a burgeoning entrepreneur, writer, marketing director, and mental health advocate who loves meeting new people and going to new places. After hearing about the first netWORKS group networking event hosted at Virgin Mobile in June 2015, Write says she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend. “I knew I was going to meet some pretty cool people.”

Like many young people, Brooke has faced some barriers in her career journey, “I’ve applied to and been to many interviews where I didn’t get the job because I didn’t have a certain degree - even though I had the experience.”

At the Virgin Mobile group networking session, Brooke had the opportunity to speak with a variety of Virgin employees, from store managers to HR specialists. “I loved hearing the mentors’ stories,” says Write. “Some of them I could really relate to, for example, the stories of their determination and passion. I had something in common with almost all of them.”

The experience gave Brooke the opportunity to practice her approach to networking. “I plan to be attending networking events with high profile attendees. When the time comes, I’ll be ready. At the netWORKS group networking session, I made a couple of connections, made my appearance and career known. I believe I left my mark.” Brooke plans to follow up for a one-on-one coffee with a Virgin mentor who works in marketing. “I would love to connect with her in hopes she can offer me some marketing tips.”

Looking forward, Brooke is looking to take her career to the next level. “I don’t just have one plan, one idea or one goal. This beautiful brain of mine never stops creating and this passionate heart of mine never stops caring. I plan to change the world, one life at a time.”

To other young people seeking opportunities, Brooke offers this advice, “Don’t give up, take risks, trust the journey, and choose you. If you really want something, you will work beyond your means to achieve it.”

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>“I loved hearing the

mentors’ stories,” says Write. “Some of them I could really relate to,

for example, the stories of their determination

and passion. I had something in common

with almost all of them.”


brookE wrItEENtrEprENEur

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Virgin Mobile Canada was excited to be the first employer participant in netWORKS, a networking and mentoring initiative that connects youth facing barriers with their staff.

All Virgin companies strive to use business as a force for good by looking for ways to make a genuine impact in the communities they’re a part of. Virgin Mobile RE*Generation is focused on helping at-risk and homeless youth gain skills to get jobs. Along with the necessary skills and experience, connections, networks and mentors can unlock opportunities for youth facing barriers to employment.

netWORKS is appealing because it’s a regional initiative that has the potential to be more efficient and sustainable for community agencies serving youth than standalone volunteer mentoring programs delivered by individual agencies. For employers like Virgin Mobile, the scale of a regional initiative has the potential to connect many employees with community volunteer opportunities and provide a larger pool of volunteers to help youth.

In late June, following an orientation and training session for their staff, Virgin Mobile hosted a group networking session with staff and young people from Community MicroSkills. The event featured small group discussions where both mentors and mentees shared their career interests and experiences.

As they planned the event, the team at Virgin Mobile worked to ensure there was a mix of staff with different jobs and backgrounds that helped youth see that there were a range of career paths at Virgin Mobile. As well, Virgin Mobile worked to keep the meeting casual and reflective of the Virgin brand so youth would feel comfortable and welcomed.

The young people gave feedback that hearing about these career journeys helped them relate to and connect with the Virgin Mobile Canada staff. As well, youth felt the discussions helped them build confidence in their networking abilities while giving them a better understanding of the range of career opportunities that exist at an employer like Virgin Mobile. The key to this was how open Virgin Mobile staff were in sharing how they started their career, including some of the unexpected twists and turns, and challenges they overcame to get to where they are now.

Both Virgin Mobile staff and the youth reported the event was a positive experience. While some of the youth followed up to meet for one-on-one coffee meetings with staff, for Virgin Mobile a key learning from the first netWORKS event was that it is important to have a program manager encourage the youth to connect with professionals for one-on-one meetings.

Moving forward, netWORKS and the community agency partners will work to support young people to take the leap from group networking to reaching out for one-on-one coffee conversations and eventually longer term mentoring relationships leading to improved employment outcomes.

vIrGIN mobIlE caNadayouth coNNEctING aNd NEtworkING, oNE busINEssat a tImE


buIldING carEEr ExpErIENcEat vIrGIN mobIlE caNada

Virgin companies strive to use business as a force for good by looking for ways to make a genuine impact in the communities they’re a part of. In Canada, Virgin Mobile RE*Generation was created to empower a generation to help its own. Virgin Mobile RE*Generation is a founding partner of NPower Canada. Through this partnership, NPower Canada students have access to IT work experience through a paid internship on Virgin Mobile’s IT team.

When first approached by the Virgin Mobile Canada HR lead about hosting an intern, the IT team were motivated to be a part of the brand’s commitment to being a force for good, and were passionate about helping youth with their education and career opportunities.

The Virgin Mobile IT team, led by manager Jelena Ivanisevic, identified an opportunity to provide a unique experience for an NPower Canada student. This student would get to experience all aspects of IT work, from project assessment and delivery to operations in both software development, as well as infrastructure upgrades for storage and servers, network and telephony. In addition to building on the foundation of IT basics learned through NPower Canada, the IT team sought to design an internship where in-demand “soft” skills like communication, teamwork, time management and customer service could also be developed.

After an application process, NPower Canada student Leonie McCleary was selected as the right fit for the internship. Before starting the NPower Canada program, Leonie was re-evaluating her career path. She had recently left her post-secondary studies to be with her family while they overcame a trauma. While interested in healthcare, Leonie realized her initial goal of becoming a nurse wasn’t the right fit. NPower Canada fostered her interest in IT, leading to Leonie identifying a path in health informatics, which combines

health and technology. In this path she sees the opportunity to contribute to advancements that will support people by adding convenience, flexibility, and mobility to someone’s user experience.

While not directly related to healthcare, Leonie chose the internship at Virgin Mobile Canada because it offered the opportunity to explore IT through a project management perspective. As well, she knew this hands-on experience with a mobile phone business would give her a competitive edge in the job market of her chosen career path.

At the beginning of the internship, Jelena and Leonie worked together to make a plan outlining the needs and work of the IT team, Leonie’s interests, and the skills she wanted to develop. Leonie attended weekly project management meetings, collected information, communicated with Project Managers regarding the status of their projects, and produced status updates for the IT Director/Management team. She also supported the team by helping to ensure compliance with project management and maintained the team’s e-space site. Leonie’s responsibilities evolved as her communication and reporting for Project Management skills advanced. Leonie was also exposed to IT in the context of daily operations of business, including front end development, live network incident management and reviewing and prioritizing problem tickets.

Jelena and other members of the IT team dedicated part of their day to coaching and supporting Leonie. In turn, the team was impressed with how fast she flourished. She quickly looked for ways to help the team and sought out new learning opportunities. In fact, with the support of Leonie, the team found they were able to complete necessary tasks and focus on key project priorities that made them more efficient and effective.

Leonie’s internship was extended as a summer student which provided her with the opportunity to use her skills in project management administration to contribute real value to Virgin Mobile’s IT team. Upon completing her internship this summer, Leonie will be re-enrolling in post-secondary education to pursue studies in health informatics, combining her interest in health with her hands on IT skills and experience.

For the Virgin Mobile IT team, being able to help Leonie move forward in her development of a career path was a very powerful and positive experience to “walk the talk” of being a force for good. Virgin Mobile Canada hopes to help more youth develop their careers as IT professionals.

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lEoNIE mcclEaryGraduatE, NpowEr caNada


Doing what’s right. It is a principle that guides RBC employees in their workplace, with their clients, and in their communities. So when the opportunity to hire graduates from NPower Canada presented itself, RBC leaders immediately identified it as the right thing to do.

According to RBC Vice President of Human Resources, Technology & Operations Doug Berquist, “RBC is always looking for strong talent, especially in the technology arena where the demand for skilled workers is high. We need individuals who can adapt to rapid change. It’s not always easy to identify pools of potential candidates that meet both the technical and adaptability skills criteria we’re after. Because NPower is oriented towards providing technical skills to youth who have already overcome or are working to overcome life challenges, they’re a natural source for the kind of talent we value.”

Through RBC’s Technology and Operations Campus Recruitment program led by Tiffany Smye, RBC has hired two graduates from NPower Canada’s first cohort who are now working in service desk functions to support the technical needs of their business colleagues and their clients. Smye, a Campus Recruitment Manager who engages with students from across Canada, has been very impressed by the individuals graduating from the program. “The quality and enthusiasm of the graduates has been remarkable. These are young people who have the drive and desire to succeed in the face of adversity.”

Berquist and Smye are keen to make RBC’s Technology and Operations organization even more accessible to young talent. According to Berquist, “We’re also working to find ways to make our job descriptions and skills requirements more flexible so that we can more easily match transferable skills and skills learned through volunteer and community work with career opportunities. Lack of work experience is often the biggest barrier to employment for youth. We want to bring talented young people into our organization ahead of immediate needs. Once hired, our culture and talent processes encourage them to manage their careers with support in the form of work experiences and training.”

When asked for advice for other senior leaders about participating in a program like NPower, Berquist says, “Just do it. It’s ‘doing what’s right’ on so many levels.”

RBC’s commitment to youth facing barriers to employment runs deep. Through various initiatives and volunteer work by a number of RBC leaders, including Chief Human Resources Officer Zabeen Hirji who chairs Escalator, RBC is working to help smooth the transition into the workplace for young people.

rbcdoING what’s rIGht: hIrING NpowEr caNada GraduatEs at rbc


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Michael Dzura is passionate about technology. 24 years old, Michael connected with Spinal Cord Injury Ontario to seek support. As a student at Seneca College studying Computer Programming, Michael says his job search has at times felt hopeless.

“Almost all meaningful job listings require three to five years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree. How can you get that experience if no one gives you the time to gain experience? Unless you know someone who can put in a good word for you, you are up against the hundreds or thousands of other people who meet the job posting criteria.”

Taking matters into his own hands, Michael signed up for a LinkedIn Training Workshop at Spinal Cord Injury Ontario. His instructor, Lubna Aslam, attended a LinkedIn Train-the-Trainer workshop in the fall and was thus equipped with up-to-date knowledge on the power of LinkedIn for youth facing barriers to employment.

“The learning and support that I received while participating in the LinkedIn training workshop gave me the tools needed to build and create a portfolio out of my profile and to showcase my skills, attributes, and projects to help me find employment down the road,” says Dzura.

Michael’s profile so impressed the folks at LinkedIn, he was selected as an Escalator Profile Contest winner and invited to meet LinkedIn’s Toronto team.

“Being a part of the LinkedIn training workshop made me realize how powerful social media can be, if used properly, to connect you with the right people. I was surprised to see how many people actually use LinkedIn. I thought it was just another Facebook and didn’t realize how many people and businesses were using it daily to get connected up with the right talent. It’s cool how you can see if someone in your network or a mutual connection works for a company where you’re eagerly trying to get your foot in the door.”

Michael’s well-crafted profile will be an asset to him as he grows his network and continues down the path of his career journey. Michael encourages young people to get involved with a professional social media platform like LinkedIn. “I know that down the road these connections could lead to other future possibilities,” he adds.

oNE youNG pErsoN dIscovErs pEoplE IN busINEss arEcoNNEctING oNlINE

mIchaEl dZurawEb aNd softwarE dEvElopEr

“Being a part of the LinkedIn training workshop made me realize how powerful social media

can be, if used properly, to connect you with the right people.”


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Finding the right talent is a constant challenge for nearly every business. This is all the more true for businesses with many entry-level positions. Finding the right people to fill these positions is a challenge that hiring coordinator Karla28 faces every day. As the Talent and Training Coordinator at a fast-growing childrens catering company, she is always on the hunt for new additions to their production team. A company of 80 people, many of their entry-level positions are held by individuals under age 25.

“I became motivated to seek out youth facing barriers for these jobs because of a personal interest,” says Karla. Karla became aware of the tremendous needs of young people in their community. “We pride ourselves on being well connected to our neighbourhood,” says Karla. “It seemed like the logical place to look for new talent. In the past, we’ve hired graduates with multiple degrees for production jobs. They get bored and as a result, we experience high turnover.”

In spite of their positive motivations, the company encountered some challenges in hiring and retaining young people facing barriers to employment. “Finding the right people in the

volume we need remains a challenge,” says Karla. “We use platforms like Craigslist and Kijiji and have even begun to develop relationships with local community agencies to more effectively source young people.” For many of the young people the company hires, this is their first job. As a result, Karla and her team tend to invest more time in training and recruitment for these types of hires. Her team has used realistic job previews, showing candidates the facilities and offering a more hands-on approach to explain the responsibilities of the job, very effectively.

“While we may invest more in training,” says Karla, “we also get more back. These individuals tend to be very loyal to our organization and stay with us longer than other types of employees.” Karla notes that young people facing barriers to employment who join the production team tend to bring great energy and enthusiasm to their work as well as a willingness to work hard-to-fill shifts such as weekends. These factors have helped to convince the company’s management team that hiring young people facing barriers to employment is a worthwhile strategy. “For many young people, this is more than a workplace. They grow and make friends here,” says Karla. She notes that a recent hire was promoted to team lead, with additional responsibilities, after just a year of employment.

Karla and her team work hard to ensure that young people facing barriers to employment have all that they need to be successful at the organization. Her hope is that the company reaps the rewards of a committed and loyal workforce.

smE sEEks EmployEEs, NEEds a suItE of tools to succEssfully hIrE youth facING barrIErs


28 - Names have been changed to maintain the anonymity of the organization and individuals.

“For many young people, this is more than a workplace. They grow and make friends here.”

local smE

H&M is the world’s second largest fashion retailer with a strong presence in the GTHA. Known for its fashion and quality at the best price, in a sustainable way, H&M has 18 stores in the GTHA and employs approximately 700 people in this area. Laura Hammond, Country Human Resources Manager at H&M, is constantly on the hunt for employees who fit with the company’s values to meet their stores’ demand. This is not an easy task – the retail sector has 57% turnover in the hourly category, meaning there is a constant need to recruit and retain good people. “As a company,” says Hammond, “we’ve held a lot of recruitment events that haven’t always been fruitful... It was time to recognize that our current approach isn’t working.”

Hammond heard about Escalator during a radio segment on the CBC. She decided to call CivicAction to learn more and earned herself a seat on the Champions Council. “We were immediately struck by Laura’s passion and enthusiasm,” says Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO of CivicAction. “Not only for H&M but for creating opportunities for young people facing barriers.”

Working with the CivicAction team, Hammond identified an opportunity to host a recruitment activity targeted at youth facing barriers to employment. After learning about the values that H&M looks for in its employees, CivicAction brokered a relationship between H&M and Success Beyond Limits, an education program in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood that supports the success of young people. “We aren’t an employment agency,” says Executive Director Chris Penrose, “but we try to help our youth with whatever they need to be successful. One of the most common requests is a job.”

After initial conversations and some shared learning about what each partner was looking for, H&M staff travelled to Success Beyond Limits’ home base at Westview Centennial Secondary School. H&M staff gave a presentation to interested students on opportunities at the company. “We tried to give them a taste of our culture by bringing elements of our space into theirs,” says Hammond, who brought some sample clothes to show the youth. “We also tried to make it a fun and interactive process,” she adds. Her team brought passports where students could jot down notes on the presentation. Students were invited to enter their completed passport into a draw for a $100 H&M gift certificate.

Following the information session, Success Beyond Limits selected 20 young people to participate in a Realistic Job Preview at H&M’s Toronto Queen Street store. H&M staff broke the ice with a question to students about their fashion icons and a team building “Tallest Tower” exercise. The youth then underwent a series of assessments related to the real tasks that H&M employees do on a daily basis – folding clothes, interacting with customers, and working in the fitting room.


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h&mfINdING talENt IN NEw ways


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“We are trying to use this assessment model in more of our recruitment efforts,” says Hammond. “It gives us a better sense of the person – their values and team spirit - than traditional methods. This was a really successful use of that model.” H&M generously gave each young person a gift as a token of thanks and ultimately provided feedback to both successful and unsuccessful candidates so that they could learn from the experience. H&M made seasonal employment offers to nine young people and eventually hired one more. For the time invested in planning and executing event, it yielded a higher return on hires than the traditional recruitment process.

Reflecting on the experience, Hammond notes that she had to convince her colleagues of the value of this new model. “H&M has a unique culture – we had been relying on standard online posting and screening for so long that we needed to push ourselves to try new things. I saw some trepidation from my colleagues about what we were going to get out of this experience. Would we get the good quality candidates we were looking for?” The experience helped Hammond to identify where baggage and bias may be filtering out good talent in the recruitment process. “Once the team saw the pace and enthusiasm of these candidates, they got excited. It really showed my colleagues that we can look in unconventional places for great candidates.”

With the ten youth just starting their contracts, it is too early to tell whether the return on investment will bear out. Hammond will analyze drop off rates to better understand how effective the process was and the ways that she and her team could better support these employees. “We’ll continue to build a relationship with Success Beyond Limits and look to generate interest in careers in retail amongst youth.” CivicAction is interested in learning more about how a relationship-based approach such as H&M’s contributes to successful outcomes for youth facing barriers to employment.

“You need to have a Laura,” Penrose says of other companies looking to replicate this model. “Someone who knows the culture of their organization, has the influence to be able to try something like this, and respects their partners.” Hammond encourages other HR leaders to try similar models in their own organization: “It has helped me to look at people and recruitment and even my colleagues in a different way.”

By meeting youth in their own spaces, providing realistic examples of the job during the interview process, and challenging unhelpful internal practices, the H&M story provides a helpful example of the ingredients for successful hiring practices for youth facing barriers.

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thIs work was fuNdEd by:

aNd proGram spoNsorshIp provIdEd by:

escalator - civicaction...5 escalator: jobs for youth facing barriers faces of impact “youth...

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