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Delta businesses wanted for summer employment program

Delta Community Living Society wants to find summer jobs for youth with developmental disabilities
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LEAP participants worked as Community Ambassadors for the Tsawwassen Business Improvement Association in 2017. The trio completed beautification projects throughout Tsawwassen, including a refurbishment of the planters outside the Return-It centre. (Contributed photo)

The Delta Community Living Society is searching for local businesses wanting to provide summer employment for youth with developmental disabilities.

The LEAP youth mentor project, now in its fifth year, sees the society partner disabled youth with peer mentors to help improve their employment skills. The youth are then hired by local businesses in either part-time, full-time or temporary positions.

“Many local employers have partnered with us during the first four years of this project, including Delta Golf Course, South Delta Physiotherapy, and Tsawwassen Business Improvement Association,” said the society’s employment strategy manager, Annette Borrows. “It really proves to be a win-win for the people we support and for the businesses that have partnered with us.”

“In 2015, B.C. had an unemployment rate of approximately 84 per cent among people with developmental disabilities. There is evidence that the rate of unemployment among youth with developmental disabilities is even higher,” she continued.

“We aim to change that here in Delta with our LEAP project.”

Any employers interested in partnering with the Delta Community Living Society for their LEAP program this summer should contact Emily Wheatley at 604-946-9655 or ewheatley@dcls.ca.



grace.kennedy@northdeltareporter.com

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