A new pilot project is being launched in Windsor thanks to support from the federal government.
The Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor (WEST) is getting $310,000 to start the new project to help immigrant women find jobs.
The agency provides counselling, mentoring, networking and work placements for newcomer women to help them find employment tailored to their skills and education.
“As part of the Visible Minority Newcomer Women Pilot, I’m happy to announce additional funding for the Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor’s employment services,” said London West MP Kate Young who made the announcement in Windsor on Tuesday. “This increase in funding will allow this organization to increase their capacity to serve more visible minority newcomer women in Windsor.”
The Visible Minority Newcomer Women Pilot will offer an eight week in-class program followed by a five-week hands-on work placement.
“Connecting women to the workforce is a WEST priority,” said Rose Anguiano Hurst, the executive director of WEST. “Each year, our organization assists more than 3,000 women find employment and understands the value in creating opportunities that enable women experiencing barriers and/or challenges to explore their potential. This program will positively impact our participants, as well as the Windsor-Essex County business community by affording our organization with the opportunity to expand our services to visible minority newcomer women.”
Windsor is one of only ten communities in Canada and only one of three in Ontario to receive funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
According to government data, visible minority newcomer women have the lowest median annual income of all newcomer groups at $26,624, compared to non-visible minority newcomer women ($30,074), visible minority newcomer men ($35,574), and non-visible minority newcomer men ($42,591).
Stats also show the unemployment rate of visible minority newcomer women is 9.7 per cent.
