Media Release For immediate release July 6, 2018 Opinion Survey Finds Most British Columbians Unaware That Children Allowed to Work at 12 Years of Age Vancouver – A June public opinion survey commissioned by First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition found that only 6% of British Columbians could MORE
In First Call’s 2017 Child Poverty Report Card, we recommended the provincial government work with local governments and transit authorities to develop a plan that will provide free public transit for minors (ages 0-18) and free or reduced-fee transit access for low income families. This week, Fresh Voices and Vancouver MORE
The Province is looking for applications for their one-year opportunity that is led by the BC Public Service Agency. The program is for Indigenous youth ages 19-29 to be supported through nine months of work in a ministry and three months of work at an Indigenous organization in BC. The MORE
The first-ever Youth Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver will take place April 4-12, 2018. The count is anonymous, and will provide a picture of youth homelessness in our communities. The data will assist with creating policies, understanding causes of youth homelessness, and raising awareness of the issues and needs. The MORE
National Observer: BC working on big changes for Indigenous child welfare Times Colonist: Victoria sobering centre to start taking older teens Province: Dylan Cohen: More educational support needed from government for kids leaving foster care Castlegar Source: OP/ED: BC Poverty Reduction Coalition says minimum wage hikes inadequate Global News: Foster parents say contract terminated after MORE
First Call has made a robust submission to the Fair Wage Commission regarding the 2017 BC Child Poverty Report Card, recommendation 1, which states that the provincial government should raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour and index it annually to the cost of living and ensure all workers MORE
A conference held in September 2017 at the Centre for Labour Management Relations (CLMR) and the Better Way to Build the Economy Alliance brought together over 20 speakers from academia, community, government, health, and policy and many participants for – Smart Employers Talk – Building a Better Economy One Job MORE
Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) has released the finding of the Métis Youth Programmingresearch project. The research on youth programming was conducted to create effective and culturally-relevant employment and education programs for Métis Youth that are delivered to and by MNBC’s Métis Chartered Communities. Over 350 Métis Youth participated in the MORE
The BC Employment Standards Coalition released a report on Labour Day titled Workers’ Stories of Exploitation & Abuse: Why BC Employment Standards Need to Change that cites previous research and reports by First Call on the deregulation of child labour in BC and its impact on children and youth (pages 32-33). The MORE
The Frames Film Program is looking for referrals for their upcoming session and seeking youth ages 16 to 30 living in the Lower Mainland. All youth who face a barrier of any kind (such as homelessness, mental health challenges, unemployment, marginalization) are welcome to apply. The program starts October 4 at Drive Youth Employment Services. Further MORE
MOSAIC’s Fast-track to IT-Youth program helps eligible participants find work placements ranging from 16 to 24 weeks in the IT sector, including support from a workplace mentor. You are eligible if you are: 15 to 30 years of age (at time of selection) A post-secondary graduate from an IT program Out MORE
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2016, set ambitious targets that apply to rich countries as well as poor. The most telling sign of a nation’s progress towards meeting those goals will be how well it meets the needs of its children. The June 2017 UNICEF report card, Building the Future: MORE
The next episode of As Word Spreads, the podcast hosted by youth in and from care in BC, is now online! Recorded before Katrine Conroy was announced as the new Minister of Children and Family Development, the expectations and hopes many youth in care have for the ministry have not MORE
WorkSafeBC has two campaigns to try to prevent youth workers from injury this year. Listen to Your Gut, is aimed at young workers, and What I Know Now targets their employers. According to WorkSafeBC, more than 32,000 workers aged 15 to 24 were hurt on the job between 2012 and 2016, and of these, 3,600 were injured seriously. MORE
Youth with lived experience in government care are frustrated by dominant narratives about BC’s child welfare system, and want less stereotypes and more hope. In recognition of this desire to take an active role and change these narratives, Discourse Media is offering a media fellowship for two such individuals this MORE