October Newsletter

Connecting Newcomers – Esther’s Journey

For newcomers to the country, and to our city, finding work can be daunting.  For Esther, the need was immediate.  She is a mother of three and she needed to start generating an income right away.  

Having only been in the country for a few months, Esther reached out to YES for support. Her journey began with Employment Coordinator Emmanuel Ogbu, who met with her to assess her needs and create a tailored action plan. Communication was a challenge, as Esther was still refining her English skills.  Ogbu focused on roles that were task-oriented and hands-on, minimizing direct client interaction. This was the perfect starting point for Esther.

Ogbu turned to Derland Otu, one of our Employer Relations Coordinators to assist with potential job leads for Esther. Through his connections with local businesses, Derland learned that Eddie Lee’s was seeking kitchen help. When he discovered that Esther had a passion for cooking, he knew this could be a good match.

Thanks to the Integrated Employment Service program at YES, Esther began a nine-week placement with Eddie Lee’s, supported by a training incentive to make her onboarding seamless. From the very first day, Esther impressed. She was punctual, dedicated, and quick to master new kitchen tasks. Her strong work ethic, paired with a calm and approachable personality, quickly won the trust of the staff. They knew they could rely on her and count on her commitment.

We are thrilled to congratulate Esther on her success and wish her continued growth in her new role. A heartfelt YES thank you goes to Eddie Lee’s for providing this incredible opportunity. We look forward to continuing to support your recruitment needs.

Personal assistance to pursue your career goals is free through Employment Ontario programs. Request an appointment online, call or visit to get started.

Celebration of Services

What an evening! It was a night of reflection and recognition as YES leadership, staff, board of directors, clients, employers and community partners came together to celebrate the success of our programs and services. Thank you so much to our guests and particularly our speakers for sharing their heartfelt stories; IM&M client Jane Stackhouse, RFDA Operations Manager Mark Kmill, Tommy Warden, co-owner of Tommy’s Barber Shop, Paul Basalyga and his team from BAS Firewood and Koral Hamilton from Feathers of Hope. Together we are truly better. We are so proud to be part of a community that is diligently working toward workforce development, and inclusion.

We love being out and engaging with our community so September is one of our favourite months. We participated in the City of Thunder Bay Pop-Ups at Dease Street Park and Patteson Park. Our Employer Resources team met with employers at CEN CAN. We participated in the KA NA CHI HIGH Safe Walk and Community Fair. Staff members attended the “Workplace without Limits” AETS Conference. We also participated in the final BBQ Sizzler at County Park sponsored by the Youth and Family Support team at the City of Thunder Bay. We hosted a booth at the NAN Student Orientation and hosted our own event: The YES Celebration of Services. Finally, our team, along with the participants in our Empower You(th) program joined community members at the Youth Hub Grand Opening. It was a busy month of making new connections and fostering existing ones. We look forward to keeping up this exciting momentum!

Testimonial alert. We are so grateful for all of the local businesses who work recognize the value of the programs we deliver. Visit the Employer information page of our website to read the full testimonial from Eddy Lees. Take advantage of the Employment Ontario programs that can help you recruit, onboard and retain staff!