OTTAWA - On December 17; the Minister for Youth Jean Charest announced that the Canadian Jobs Stategy will provide $10 million for a na- tional job creation project for young people.

The project, which comes under CJS’s Innovations Pro- gram, is being co-ordinated by YMCA Canada, and will set up eight Youth Enterprise Centres across Canada in Vancouver, Edmonton, Win- nipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Mon- treal, Saint John (New Bruns- wick), and St. John’s (New- foundland), and a general centre in Glace Bay (Nova Scotia).

Mr. Charest said: “This un- precedented and innovative project is in keeping with the federal government’s priority to improve the employment situation for young people by finding ways to make the labour market more accessible to them.”

“I am pleased to note that this three-year project is the result of a concerted effort on the part of the federal govern- ment, YMCA Canada and IBM Canada Ltd. Their efforts will

YMCA to Aid Job Strategy Program

ensure that Canadians in all parts of the country will be able to take advantage of this youth initiative,” added the Minister.

The project’s main objective is to assist unemployed young people between 16 and 30 years of age by creating centres for entrepreneurs in nine com- munities.

“The Youth Enterprise Cen- tres reflect two major priorities of this government — youth and entrepreneurship”, Mr. Charest explained. “We are determined to provide access for youth into the labour mar- ket and to promote entrepre- neurship as a means of creat- ing jobs.”

Two projects that reflect these priorities have recently been announced by my col- leagues - the allocation of $1.3 million to youth native entre- preneurs and a $1 million pro- ject called “Operation Youth -- Enterprise for Youth Develop- ment.”

“The project we are launch- ing is an initiative aimed at the segment of the youth popu- lation that seeks to be self-

employed and provide jobs for others”, said the Minister.

YMCA Canada will receive federal funding for the crea- tion of 849 jobs and the expec- tation is that 2,000 jobs will be eventually created. In his speech, the Minister empha-

sized that the YMCA hasa great deal of experience and exper- tise in youth training and employment. IBM Canada Ltd.

is an active partner in this pro- . ject. They have provided expert advice and $245,000 for the purchase of computers for the

centres.

The Youth Enterprise Cen. tres wil provide participants with training and businegs technical assistance, market research and help in acquiring financial assistance. Attheend

Con’t on Page 10

Student Press not Covering Gay Issues

(CUP) — Former Canadian University Press Features writer Samantha Brennen claims that there isn’t enough coverage of gay and lesbian issue in the student press.

Brennen, along with Nigel Crawhall, were coordinators of a gay and lesbian resource room at the recent Canadian University Press national con- ference in North Bay. In a seminar, Brénnen outlined some problems of coverage of gay and lesbian issues.

Brennan said what coverage there is is often “ghettoized” in supplements received through CUP as part of its “social change” mandate. In addition, says Brennan, this once-a-year coverage makes the student press feel it has done its job in advocating social change.

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Furthermore, Brennen says that writers often write about gay and lesbian issues without consulting a gay or lesbian. Because gay and lesbian issues don’t usually happen at a spe- cific time and place, Brennan claims that the news editors refuse to give coverage to these issues.

Mary Louise Adams, contri- butor to magazines ‘Rites’ and ‘Herizons’ claims that the stu- dent newspapers, as alterna- tive media, should open them- selves up to other issues.

Adams claims that special issue suppliments do not suffi- ciently address the problem of lack af coverage. Rather, Adams advocated regular col- umn space in student papers for “coming out of the closet”

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Crawhall stressed the im. portance of staff members on student newspapers not rely. ing on individual gay and les. bian writers to cover these

issues. Rather, Crawhal] recommended that all staff become educated enough so that anyone could cover gay and lesbian issues.

Crawhall also stressed that importance of heterosexual reporters covering gay and

lesbian issues to add a differ- ent perspective. Coverage should be expanded beyond the campus to give it a broader focus, he said.

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