Essential Skills IT Technical Support Program Participants.

Vancouver ACCESS BladeRunners Launches New Essential Skills for Aboriginal Futures IT Technical Support Program From September 8th to November 27th 2009, six participants were trained in essential skills and IT Technical Support. The training program curriculum was designed to meet the partnering employers’ requirements and all six youth were successfully placed in jobs upon completion! Training highlights included BCIT call centre training, World Host, customer service, operating a small business, and financial management.

BladeRunners Celebrates 15 Years of Success

BladeRunners salutes its partners,
supporters and sponsors with messages on the Jumbotron at GM Place.

Minister George Abbott makes a major funding announcement.

CSETS drummers and BladeRunners participants Edward Johnson,
Jackson Swan and Gordon Seymour perform at GM Place.

BladeRunners participant Gilbert Morven at Concord Pacific.

Group shot in front of Vancouver city model identifying many sites that BladeRunners have worked on.

CSETS hosts BladeRunners Celebration

On July 16th, 2009, ACCESS and the BladeRunners delivery agents had a day of celebration in Nanaimo celebrating a successful completion and submission of a joint proposal submission for future BladeRunners funding. ACCESS was the lead proponent along with the John Howard Society of Victoria, the Coast Salish Employment and Training Society (CSETS), The Nuu-Chah-Nulth Training Council and Sto:lo Human Resources Nation Development. In recognition of a successful past and secure future, a cake was cut. Mark Seeley, BladeRunners Manager for the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development was present for the celebration and the event was graciously hosted by CSETS.

Creative Industries BladeRunners Program Pre-launch Announcement

In partnership with the Government of British Columbia, Bell Canada, the Vancouver Agreement (city of Vancouver) and ACCESS, three new Creative Industries BladeRunners pilot programs are set to launch in the fall of 2009. The Fire Hall Arts Society, Intersections Media Opportunities for Youth Society and W2 Community Media Arts Society will become the new delivery agents delivering high tech BladeRunners media arts, film and fine arts customer service training programs.

Vancouver ACCESS staff (from left to right): Peter Nolan, Garry Jobin, Darcy McDiarmid and Eddie Taylor welcome and support Irwin Oostindie (second from the right) of W2 Media Arts Society

Irwin Oostindie, Executive Director of W2 Community Media Arts Society

Nanaimo Youth Services Association (NYSA)
BladeRunners Security Guard Training Program

With the upcoming 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games just around the corner, employment professionals have indicated that the demand for security guards is expected to increase.  Nanaimo Youth Services Association (NYSA) recently began addressing this forecast by offering a security training component, Basic Standards Training (BST), as part of a pilot project that targets the ever increasing demand for certified security personnel throughout British Columbia.  Twelve BladeRunners participants enrolled and successfully completed their training in June, 2009.

The first graduating class of the Nanaimo Youth Services Association (NYSA)
BladeRunners Security Guard Training Program.

Sto:lo Nation BladeRunners Early Childhood Education

Sto:lo Nation BladeRunners ECE and RCA participants spring 2009

Sto:lo Nation Human Resources Development Society successfully launched the 6 month Sto:lo Nation BladeRunners Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Resident Care Attendant (RCA) in Chilliwack in January 2009. 14 participants completed the program which in addition to the industry specialized training included Service Plus, Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), driver’s training and drivers licensing assistance, employment readiness, life skills and cultural teachings. The participants completed a minimum of 30 hours work experience practicum. 6 participants will be completing further RCA training at the University of the Fraser Valley in the fall. Three of the participants are working part time as resident care aid assistants and six participants are currently working in child care.

3rd Trip to New Orleans: April 20-26, 2009

The BladeRunners team tours the 9th Ward to witness housing improvements and
meet with founder Ward "Mac" McClendon and staff at the Lower 9th Ward Village community centre to share the BladeRunners Model.

Vancouver ACCESS BladeRunners recently made its third trip to New Orleans from April 20th to 26th, 2009 after being referred there to help share their internationally award winning BladeRunners Model after Hurricane Katrina.
BladeRunners continues to strengthen existing and build new partnerships with inner city community and youth groups.  The BladeRunners Model has already partially been implemented, especially around incorporating a more hands-on 24/7 support system for local youth. Local partner youth group organizations currently face significant challenges with the local enconomy, a lack of jobs and a lack of adequate resources. Two key youth group partners that Vancouver ACCESS BladeRunners are working closely with include the Youth Empowerment Project and Cafe Reconcile. While in New Orleans, BladeRunners youth participant Gerald Green shared his story and keys for success with participants from Cafe Reconcile. It is hoped that some of our partners from New Orleans will participate in our upcoming 15 year anniversary celebration.

Left to Right: John Webster, Ward "Mac" McClendon, Garry Jobin and Eddie Taylor
at the Lower 9th Ward community centre in New Orleans

CSETS BladeRunners Spring Training

CSETS BladeRunners spring class
with instructor Mike Braun in Duncan, B.C.

Nanaimo launches All-Female contstruction training program - October 2008.

The Nanaimo Youth Services Association launched a 5 month all female BladeRunners construction training program in Nanaimo in October 2008 with great success.

Partners Solving Youth Homelessness Conference

Vancouver BladeRunners was asked to present at Partners Solving Youth Homelessness which is co-ordinated by BladeRunners national partner Raising the Roof. The conference was a catalyst for knowledge-sharing and collective action on youth homelessness in Canada and was attended by front line service workers such as BladeRunners co-ordinators, researchers, corporate leaders, policy makers and government represenatives from across the country. BladeRunners is known for best practice work in the area of youth homelessnes and one of its star youth Gilbert Morven shared his very moving and unforgetable personal success story with the Tornonto audience.

Garry Jobin, Vancouver ACCESS BladeRunners Manager and BladeRunners youth/iron worker, Gilbert Morven

Garry Jobin, Vancouver BladeRunners Manager and John Webster, ACCESS CEO

Community Forum & Graduation

Lil'wat First Nation BladeRunners
It was a beautiful turn out on July 18th, 2008 as youth, elders, business community members and representatives from the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development and ACCESS came out to show support for the new BladeRunners program.  This new program is being delivered by Lil’wat First Nation in Mt. Currie, Pemberton and Whistler.    The highlight of the event was when one of the recent graduates Annie Peters did a presentation about her new work accomplishments in the field of construction safety and attested to the new found confidence she has developed as a result of participating in BladeRunners.  Larry Miller, one of the attendees and general manager of the Lil’wat  Business Corporation said “I am excited about working and supporting the BladeRunners program.”  Lil’wat First Nation has many promising upcoming developments in which BladeRunners will play a role including the building of a new recreational centre and local residential housing.  One of the BladeRunners signature sites of the new program is the 2010 Games Athletes Village in Whistle.

[ view the pictures ].

NYSA Single Mothers Pilot Projects

The Nanaimo Youth Services Assocation (NYSA) recently launched a successful pilot project for single mothers. This was a specialized 28-day modified skills enhancement, training/certificate program that was offered to a small group of five at-risk pregnant and parenting adolescent mothers.

[ view the story ] [ view the pictures ].

BladeRunners revisit New Orleans 2008

The successful first visit to New Orleans last year was revisited this past month as several BladeRunners representatives returned to New Orleans and with continued interest from the hosting agencies to create similar programs following the model of BladeRunners; this trip was a big success.

[ view a summary report ] [ view the pictures ].

Woodward's Grand Prix 2007

BladeRunners and Strathcona Health Society were the proud beneficiaries of a donation of $5,000 each from the pooled funds raised at the Woodward's Grand Prix on September 9, 2007. The event was coordinated and delivered by Friends of Ferrari who worked in partnership with New Way Forming Ltd., Urban Solutions and Woodward's Redevelopment Group Inc.

Friends of Ferrari's mission is to raise funds using the enthusiasm of Formula 1 and Ferrari.fans, to assist the most needy organizations in our communities and to help medical research centers. Local community children, including our own junior BladeRunners Tavan Jobin and Eddie Taylor Jr. played a key role by racing the Ferrari miniature replicas around a mock racetrack outside the Woodward's Redevelopment site.

BladeRunners would like to acknowledge all the sponsors that contributed to make this a fun and exciting event. These include: Allan Window, Chambers Electric, Henriquez Partners, IBEW Local 258, ITC Group, Lower Mainland Steel, McFarlane-Green, Moscone Landscaping, Peter Ross, Tanti Interiors and Westbank Corporation.

[ view the pictures ]

New Orleans & Miami Visit 2007

Staff from Vancouver’s BladeRunners program traveled to New Orleans and Miami during September 23rd thru Sept 29th 2007 to share the internationally recognized award winning program model with local community and youth groups.

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