Social hiring initiative develops work skills with DTES residents > Participants earn soft skill badges instead of making resumes Bernice Puzon The Peak (Simon Fraser University) hose who have ever hunted for a job know how hard it is to find one all too well. That struggle is 10 times greater for low-income individuals living in the poorest neighbourhoods in East Vancouver, many of whom are physically unable to work in full-time positions and are often dismissed by employers. SFU MBA Candidate Anna Migicovsky is hoping to make that job search a little easier. She is the project coordinator of an employment platform called Knack, which aims to connect businesses with those who are looking for employment in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Migicovsky developed the program along with two others as part of her internship at LEDLAB, a social innovation lab that is a branch of RADIUS SFU and EcoTrust Canada. Knack was created as a community program in partnership with the Potluck Café Society, which has been providing good food and employment opportunities for the community for over 15 years. Migicovsky and her team also work with other non-profit organizations within the Downtown Eastside, such as Union Gospel Mission, an organization that provides career advising as part of the services it offers. According to Migicovsky, around 7,000 people in the Downtown Eastside are currently collecting social assistance, and these individuals are not necessarily working. “The Downtown Eastside is currently very volunteer-focused, but these volunteers are actually doing a lot for the organizations [of which they are part],” explained Migicovsky. “We want to create more income- Opportunities for those from near and far > International Day and Student Engagement Awards coming to Douglas Mercedes Deutscher News Editor International Day March 15 D ouglas hosted its annual International Day on March 15 at the New Westminster campus. The day is meant as a celebration to recognize the accomplishments of its international student population. A similar event is hoped to take place at the David Lam campus in the fall. International students make up about 15 per cent of the student population. These students also pay an average of 10 per cent more to attend Douglas than domestic students. International Day was an opportunity for students from all over the world to share their ideas and culture with the student body. Student Engagement Awards While International Day may have passed, both international and domestic students and faculty alike will have an opportunity to nominate and receive recognition for actions that have improved campus and community life. The awards available are two for Leader of the Year, one for Outstanding Contribution to Student Engagement by a Faculty/Staff Member, and one for Outstanding Contribution to Student Engagement by a College Department. Students and faculty may be nominated until March 23 at midnight. After the group of finalists are selected by the College Life Department, they will attend a gala on April 20, where the winners will be announced. Candidates may be nominated by anyone, be it staff, students, or those from outside of the college. generating opportunities for these individuals. We're trying to use the knowledge and wisdom that Potluck has in order to increase the number of employment opportunities.” Knack focuses on educating employers about inclusive employment, and that people are coming from unstable backgrounds and might be Evergreen Line stations demand Photo via Anna Migicovsky unable to work 40-hour weeks. The program also offers several workshops to develop soft transferrable skills such as time management, teamwork, and conflict resolution, to name a few. Upon completing these workshops, participants earn digital badges that act as certifications of the skills they have developed. They are accessibility, and soon > Coquitlam’s City Centre Public Parking Management Strategy Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter any transit commuters who drive to their nearby SkyTrain station know that parking spots can be rare and valuable. With the upcoming Evergreen Line slated for full operation by February 2017, all eyes are on Coquitlam in anticipation for what the parking situation will look like. Luckily, Coquitlam is on its toes, ready to face the challenge head-on with what they call the City Centre Public Parking Management Strategy. The plan will direct the city on what measures are needed to be taken to meet the needs of residents, commuters, and businesses, focusing on the Coquitlam Central, Lincoln, and Lafarge Lake-Douglas stations. Such an intricate plan, expected to meet the needs of everyone in the City Centre area, has been placed in the hands of city officials, who have proposed a handful of solutions. Many aspects, such as the distance from stations to local land use, have to be considered when thinking about how to effectively integrate a parking strategy around such a dense area, especially during peak times. Research from Coquitlam city officials shows that commuters tend to prefer parking anywhere between 5-10 minutes from any given station. Thankfully, the Parking Strategy accounts for the expected demand and plans to expand upon the West Coast Express parking lot by approximately 300 spaces, and potentially remodel nearby parking lots currently being underused, providing up to 170 more spaces. For those who don't drive but want to use another form of transportation, the strategy has got residents covered on all fronts. Improved cycling access and secure bike lockers are being implemented, car share spaces are being integrated, and pick- similar to badges that one would earn by being part of a Scouts Canada troop, and veer away from qualifications one might include on a traditional résumé. Essentially, Knack wants to create a mutually beneficial relationship between employee and employer. “There is an untapped labour market right now that is about providing low-skill jobs at affordable rates. This program is not just about educating individuals, but also about understanding what the employer wants,” said Migicovsky. “It'll increase quality of life for the individual and also create casual part-time work positions for the employer.” Most importantly, what Migicovsky wants individuals to take away from the Knack program is a better quality of life. “Employment isn’t only for people who are healthy and stable,” Migicovsky said. “Tt is also a pillar of health.” Image via thinkstock up/drop-off locations are being sorted out in the coming months. Before Evergreen construction, the province was determined to build around 100 spaces for Port Moody, and 400 in the Coquitlam Station transit exchange expansion, bringing the total to 500. However, after consulting the public the city realized the need for more stalls at the end of the line at the Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station. “The opening of the Evergreen Line... will bring new demand for parking along this transit corridor,’ stated the proposition to city council on the subject, which was unanimously- approved. “As the city is the primary landowner in the area of this station, the province has asked the city to consider accommodating park and ride on its lands.” A smooth success is all that the Parking Strategy is hoping to accomplish. Will the supply meet the demand along the Evergreen Line? Only time will tell.