International Journal of Social Work and Human Services Practice Vol. 2(1), pp. 35 - 42
DOI: 10.13189/ijrh.2014.020105
Reprint (PDF) (256Kb)


Professional Employment Assistance Practices in Quebec's Carrefour Jeunesse-emploi: Bonding with Youths Distanced from the Labour Market and Leading Them to Action


Provenche Ysabel *, Tremblay-Roy Julie
School of Social Work, Laval University, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada

ABSTRACT

Our article reports part of the findings of research conducted in Québec (Canada) with professionals employed by Carrefours jeunesse-emploi, a network of community organizations dedicated to employment participation of young people aged 16 to 35 (Provencher, Émond & Tremblay-Roy, 2010). The study was an effort to generate knowledge about employment coaching, a practice that is now shared by the different professionals attached to public, private and community employment assistance networks in industrialized nations, against a ground of activated social assistance henceforth focused on the sustainable labour market participation of excluded populations. The study sought to document the practices of professionals in community employment assistance agencies and their influence in achieving the objectives of Quebec’s participation policy. Analysis performed on 24 interviews conducted in the administrative jurisdictions of Quebec City and Charlevoix brought out three attitudes that are favoured when implementing coaching practices: helping young adults increase their self-knowledge and identify what they wish for themselves; respecting their pace in defining and reaching their goals, and being careful not to take action in their stead. These attitudes translate into two types of professional know-how or competencies: (1) creating a bond, and (2) leading young clients to take action. Findings from this research mirror conclusions in other studies showing that public employment policies are making front line workers responsible for developing, for each of their clients, the specific process that will best help them become labour market participants, and in effect, for building new social practices. On the whole, these findings confirm the pertinence of increasing our knowledge about the influence of employment services professionals in implementing public employment participation policies in industrialized nations.

KEYWORDS
Youth Employment Services, Job Insertion, Employment Professionals

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Provenche Ysabel , Tremblay-Roy Julie , "Professional Employment Assistance Practices in Quebec's Carrefour Jeunesse-emploi: Bonding with Youths Distanced from the Labour Market and Leading Them to Action," International Journal of Social Work and Human Services Practice, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 35 - 42, 2014. DOI: 10.13189/ijrh.2014.020105.

(b). APA Format:
Provenche Ysabel , Tremblay-Roy Julie (2014). Professional Employment Assistance Practices in Quebec's Carrefour Jeunesse-emploi: Bonding with Youths Distanced from the Labour Market and Leading Them to Action. International Journal of Social Work and Human Services Practice, 2(1), 35 - 42. DOI: 10.13189/ijrh.2014.020105.