A Centretown youth program hailed as a model for steering new Canadians towards jobs and away from crime is searching for a permanent sponsor now that its initial City of Ottawa funding has lapsed.
LASI – Local Agencies Serving Immigrants – was highlighted in a recent report to city council that underscored the need for Ottawa to invest in social programs that curb crime at a time of heightened economic uncertainty.
Crime Prevention Ottawa, a city-backed initiative to combat youth gangs and other criminal activity, funded several community crime -prevention programs in 2007. LASI received a one-year funding contract, and officials say the program successfully steered dozens of young residents away from trouble.
LASI offers an education program called World Skills run out of an office on Argyle Avenue. The primary focus is helping immigrant and visible minority youths prepare for employment.
In 2007, 32 youths participated in LASI World Skills, all of whom showed improvement and most of whom found jobs.
With many cities in Canada and other countries bracing for a global economic crisis, a CPO report presented this month to city council stated that, historically, “hard economic times and financial uncertainty have been associated with increases in crime and disorder” – making programs like LASI more important than ever.
However, LASI – despite its record of success so far – is still without long-term funding. CPO funded LASI in 2007 as a pilot project, but the city agency does not have the budget to be a long-term backer of such programs.
LASI’s executive director, Mengis Tsegaye, says the city’s contribution to the program through CPO was instrumental.
“The city helped us demonstrate that there is a need (for the program), but we are still looking for something long term.”
Tsegaye says LASI faces two major problems in the search for funding.
First, LASI’s clients are immigrants and visible minorities who have been in Canada more than five years – many are even citizens. Most agencies that support immigrant programs have criteria that focus on individuals who have been in Canada for less than five years and lack Canadian citizenship.
Tsegaye maintains that the youth in LASI World Skills have the same barriers as new immigrants and need the same help.
The second challenge deals with LASI’s focus on employment. Funding agencies often want statistics that show immediate results. Because LASI deals with some youths who face several employment barriers, finding a job is not realistic in the short term, she says.
For those with multiple barriers, more training is required to get the individual to point where he or she can be successful and productive in a job.
Yet despite facing these challenges, LASI was very successful in integrating its clients into the workforce in 2007.
Of the 32 youths entered in the program, 21 were able to find jobs, nine continued their education and two entered a LASI mentorship initiative. In addition, all 32 youths completed life-skills training, which focuses on productivity and making good personal and career decisions.
LASI program coordinator Susan Chapiro says the program is successful because each participant gets personal attention.
“The great thing is that it tailors to the individual, and uses the community as a mechanism.”
The LASI World Skills program ran two days a week for seven hours in 2007. It also offered contract services to other community centres and programs.
“The Door” at the Dalhousie Community Centre had Chapiro run a seminar for its youth aged 12 to 20. Chapiro also helped youth from the Somali community run a workshop at Glebe Collegiate Institute, focusing on taking steps towards employment, such as language classes.