Story co-created with Polina Popovych, Paul Toner, Trevor Rivoche, and Alison Homer
Pathways for Youth Employment in Moncton, New Brunswick
Youth in Moncton are building the skills, relationships, and confidence needed to find work and explore career opportunities. Through Pathways for Youth Employment (PYE), young people have gained access to supports that many identified as missing from their employment journeys, including employment workshops, leadership opportunities, and direct connections with local employers.
Many youth in Moncton report feeling unprepared for the job market, being unsure where to find support, and having limited opportunities to build relationships with employers. Conversations with youth highlighted three common barriers: age-related bias during the hiring process, a lack of response from employers after job applications are submitted, and language requirements that can create challenges for youth who do not speak both official languages.
These challenges helped shape local priorities. Moncton's youth project lead, Polina Popovych, focused on bringing youth and employers together while helping young people strengthen their employment skills. Through workshops, leadership opportunities, and community engagement activities, youth connected with employers, explored career paths, and developed skills that support their employment goals.
Approximately 60 youth participated in activities focused on résumé writing, cover letters, financial literacy, and professional development. Participants reported feeling more confident in their skills and experiences and better prepared to search for employment, with one youth sharing that this program has “indeed been very helpful.” Ten youth specifically reported that the program improved their outlook on their career journeys.
Canada's Quality of Life Framework highlights the importance of social connections, future opportunities, and a sense of purpose. Youth in Moncton identified these same themes as important to their employment journeys. Building relationships with employers, gaining access to mentors, and exploring career options became important parts of preparing for work.
Supporting Youth Leadership
Youth helped shape the work as well as participate in it. Eight youth were involved in leadership tables, and three youth took on leadership roles that contributed to planning and decision-making. Their perspectives helped ensure activities reflected the realities young people face while creating opportunities for youth voices to influence local employment initiatives.
Connections between youth and employers grew through presentations, leadership table participation, and community conversations. Youth had direct access to employers and opportunities to discuss hiring, workplace expectations, and employment barriers. Employers gained a better understanding of the experiences of young people entering the workforce while providing practical career advice and guidance. For one participant, those conversations led directly to a new direction. After speaking with employers, the youth decided to pursue welding as a potential educational and career pathway.
Local partners also strengthened how they work together to support youth employment. Leaders developed a collaborative governance structure, built a shared understanding of local employment barriers, and created tools to track participation and learning through workshops. A new five-week employment program focused on practical job-readiness skills is being developed in response to needs identified by youth.
What We’ve Learned
Consistent leadership has played an important role. Having a dedicated youth lead created continuity and helped maintain relationships with both youth and employers. Polina adapted activities based on participant feedback and created opportunities for youth to take on leadership roles.
Support from The Tamarack Institute also helped strengthen local capacity. Through coaching, mentoring, peer-learning opportunities, Communities of Practice, practical resources, and participation in the national PYE cohort, Polina strengthened her leadership skills and brought new ideas back to the community. Financial support and honoraria also helped support implementation and youth engagement activities.
Community partners learned that flexibility is essential. Employer availability is often limited, and youth participation can fluctuate depending on school, work, and other commitments. These experiences reinforced the importance of creating multiple ways for youth and employers to participate.
The benefits extend beyond individual workshops. Youth have gained new skills, stronger professional networks, and a clearer understanding of the careers they want to pursue. They have also built relationships with peers, employers, and community supports that they can continue to draw on throughout their employment journeys.
Next, the Moncton team will continue delivering skills-development workshops, hosting leadership tables, and creating opportunities for youth and employers to connect. Youth feedback will continue to shape programming as the community builds on relationships, leadership opportunities, and practical employment supports already in place.
This project is funded by the Government of Canada's Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program.
Resources
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View the Guide to Meaningfully Engaging Youth in Your Community
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View the Guide for Navigating the Future of Work for Youth and Employers
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Check out the DEVlab Report - Building Bridges: Connecting Youth Skills to the Future of Work
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View the Building Economic Resilience: Skills Development in Indigenous and Northern Communities
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