The YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce and Grey County were presented an “Innovation in Community Resiliency” award at the annual Economic Developers Council of Ontario Conference for their Local Workforce Development Initiative.

The EDCO Awards of Excellence recognize unique ideas that lead economic development best practices of the future.  

This workforce development initiative is a collaboration between YMCA Employment Services, Grey County Economic Development, Georgian College, Adult Learning Centres, and all 19 public and private long-term care (LTC) homes in Grey and Bruce Counties. It identified real barriers to employment while addressing the local struggle to attract and retain staff into the Long-Term Care (LTC) sector.

This initiative provided 137 participants with free pre-employment support and access to Essential Skills Supportive Care training and Personal Support Worker training. Graduates of these programs are equipped with the skills employers require to meet the critical LTC workforce development needs and are now working in a fulfilling career in healthcare.

Funding for this training was provided by the Ministry of Labour Immigration Training and Skills Development through the Skills Advance Ontario and Skills Development Fund.