ACCES Employment has launched a mobile service designed to bring employment resources directly to underserved communities across the Greater Toronto Area, where unemployment rates continue to climb.
The ACCES Employment Street Fleet, unveiled Thursday, consists of a retrofitted van equipped to deliver job search support, skills training and career guidance to vulnerable populations who face barriers accessing traditional employment services.
“This initiative will allow us to better serve jobseekers facing barriers to employment by meeting them directly in their communities,” said Allison Pond, president and CEO of ACCES Employment.
The launch comes as Ontario’s unemployment rate rose to 7.5 per cent in March, with Toronto recording the province’s second-highest rate at 8.7 per cent.
Community partnerships
The Street Fleet project received backing from several organizations, including United Way Greater Toronto, which has supported ACCES Employment since 1990.
“By being nimble in their approach with Street Fleet, they will improve job opportunities and financial security for people facing multiple barriers so that no one gets left behind,” said Adaoma Patterson, director of community service investments at United Way Greater Toronto.
During the launch event, Sheref Sabawy, parliamentary assistant to Ontario’s minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development, emphasized the importance of bringing employment services directly to communities.
Toronto Pearson International Airport, a major employer in the region, also contributed to the initiative.
“We’re proud to support ACCES on the launch of Street Fleet – a mobile innovation that brings job opportunities directly to the community,” said Ruba Al-Nazer, associate director of social impact at Toronto Pearson.
Reaching vulnerable populations
The launch event at the Malton Youth Hub included a demonstration of the Street Fleet in action, with local youth participating in a workshop on using LinkedIn for job searches.
The mobile unit is scheduled to visit 10 events across the GTA this summer, including workshops at community hubs and libraries.
ACCES Employment has operated in the region for 38 years and currently provides services through seven physical locations. The organization serves more than 56,000 jobseekers annually and maintains relationships with over 4,200 employers.
HP Canada contributed technology for the mobile unit, which will help extend ACCES’s reach beyond its traditional service areas.
