Eden Health Care has a program to help young adults who are facing a variety of challenges, such as job uncertainty, rising cost of living, and increasing anxiety.
The program is called Wellness U30, and it’s for people ages 15 to 30 years old who are looking for encouragement and supports.
Program Coordinator Natalie Dueck says the purpose behind Wellness U30 is to help people move forward from where they are today to where they want to be tomorrow.
“We're a program that offers people a connection to network with other organizations in the community, and we're a team that has tools to help.”
Dueck finds that many young people are struggling due to a number of factors like entering the workforce and rising inflation.
“People in this age category, a lot of them are new to the workforce, maybe don't have a lot of experience,” she says. “There's been a lot of shifts in the marketplace for jobs. Some jobs totally disappeared for a while, so people weren't able to get experience that maybe they normally would have.”
They want to support young people in times where they feel a lot of pressure.
"We're just wanting to be a support to people, give them encouragement to help build them up with some confidence so they feel they've got what it takes to go out and succeed,” she says. “We just want to help them see the possibilities they have.”
Dueck says the program is focused on employment and offers wellness sessions.
“Wellness sessions tend to be more peer-connections where people can connect with other people in the program if they so desire,” she says. “We can meet one-on-one with people regarding employment or discussing things like goals, how we're going to actually move people forward to employment.”
She notes there can also be online learning, and possibility for work experience in certain situations.
They can also assist with helping people obtain necessary employment related certifications.
“It's personalized, so it’s depending on the individual, what direction they're heading. We try to work with the individuals and try to go at their pace.”
They like to meet with the participants one-on-one at the start so they can find out where they want to head, their interests, and what they've taken in school or previous job experiences.
Then they can go forward from there.
“The program might be a little bit different for different people in the program, it just depends on what their needs are. But we do try to bring them together with other peers.”
Dueck wants young people to know that there are people in the community that are willing to meet them where they’re at and help them find work that will build their confidence and abilities.
“This program will give them the tools that they need to move forward in their lives, to try to find things to help motivate them, to let them see that they're a very important part of the community and that they have a lot to offer people in the community.”
She notes there are a few things they ask of people wanting to be part of the program.
"We ask that participants come to engage with the program as well as themselves, and that they be open to growing and that they're ready to make a commitment to their success and wellness.”
If you would like to sign up for Wellness U30, you can check out our events page, or call 204 320 6034 and leave a message.
If you don’t feel comfortable calling, you can also text Dueck at 204 381 1162.
To learn more or apply for the programs at Eden Health Care, visit their website edenhealthcare.ca