LIFT is a collaborative framework to give young women who have been left behind, a lift out of their diminishing circumstances. Approximately 34% of all newcomers to Canada are under age 25 (Statistics Canada 2011), and the challenges faced by these newcomer youth at a very formative period of their lives are huge. As we know that current social services and programs have been divided into children and adult services, there is a growing recognition that young people’s needs are distinct from both children and adults.
Though youth-specific programs are becoming more common, but the biggest challenges they face is failure to succeed in education system. They not only face difficulty in entering the regular school system, with limited options through night school, they also face difficulty in course structure, understanding the new grading system, negative peer pressure and lack of information about options for future career choices.
LIFT project will serve newcomer women 19 years of age and older, those who are contemplating a second career and recent graduates as they lose further advisement after finishing school.
LIFT has two streams;
1) Peer Leaders Seminar; Peer education group training sessions for students
2) Facilitated mentorship/coaching for 6 months.
