Indigenous young people across British Columbia are making great strides in their personal and professional development with support from a team of committed and dedicated career development professionals. CFBC’s All Roads team is on a mission to hack old systems and create new pathways to employment for members of First Nations communities in BC.
“Success is different for everybody,” shared Career Catalyst, Patsy Greyeyes. “The people we work with are incredibly courageous and determined. Many have dealt with mental health issues, including addictions, yet they continue to persevere in their efforts to gain employment and continue to contribute to their communities.”
By emphasizing the value of short-term goals and wins, the All Roads Catalysts focus on helping their participants progress toward their path to viable and lasting employment.
All Roads Catalysts hope to ignite a spark in the lives of the people they serve. They share stories of hope and heartbreak. But amongst all the stories is optimism. “We show up for our participants,” shared Justin Young. “Developing trusted relationships with participants, who might not have large circles of support is significant in so many ways. Staying in touch and walking with someone at the pace that they can move is what makes All Roads successful.”
All Roads is participant centred. The All Roads Catalysts each have their own individual experiences and can share the lessons they have learned with their participants. They recognize that no one formula can be applied to their process and work to develop pathways that are as unique as the people they work with.
Shane Roy, Career Catalyst and former All Roads participant shares, “We don’t want our participants to just go to work for any job for 3 months, we want our participants to get to a job that they can grow into a lifelong career that they love – and in many ways apprenticing in a skilled trade career offers them that.”
“The All Roads Catalysts partner with First Nations communities in a wholistic manner to develop pathways that are inclusive, celebratory and community-based,” shared Michelle Canaday, CFBC Director of First Nation Initiatives. “We celebrate our participants’ commitment to themselves and their communities and are excited by the successes we are seeing. It truly shows that Indigenous youth have unlimited potential in life and that all roads are available to them.”
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