Visionary Voices
Visionary Voices is a social enterprise focused on empowering individuals and communities through storytelling and advocacy. They offer a range of services including public speaking training, storytelling workshops, and community engagement initiatives. Visionary Voices aims to amplify diverse narratives and foster social change by providing platforms for underrepresented voices to share their stories and experiences. Additionally, the social enterprise provides employment opportunities for youth at risk in marketing, videography, photography, and project management.
Supporting activities through the Social Enterprise:
Job Readiness Training for Youth:
- We provide workshops on resume writing, job search strategies, and interview skills.
- We offer career counseling and guidance.
- We conduct mock interviews and job shadowing opportunities.
- We connect youth with local employers and job placement programs.
- We offer training in soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
- Support youth in obtaining certifications and qualifications.
Mentorship Programs Connecting Youth with Professionals:
- We pair youth with mentors from various professional fields.
- We facilitate regular mentoring sessions and check-ins.
- We provide career exploration and guidance.
- We encourage professional development and networking.
- We offer opportunities for job shadowing and internships.
- We support youth in setting and achieving career goals.
Financial Literacy Workshops:
- We educate youth and families on financial management and planning.
- We provide workshops on budgeting, saving, and investing.
- We offer guidance on understanding credit, loans, and banking.
- We partner with financial institutions to provide expert advice.
- We create resources and tools for financial education.We promote economic independence and responsibility.
The Uniqueness of our Economic Development Programs:
- Youth-Centred: We meet youths where they are and provide an environment where they feel in control of their careers and futures.
- Mentorship Strategy: Our unique “Employment Incubator” spaces allow for skills sharing, peer mentorships, career-oriented connections, and entrepreneur skills development in setting where relationships are established on a more equal footing, as opposed to a hierarchical basis.
- Encourage Jobs that Support Progress: We don’t push our youths into just any job. Our goal is to equip youths with the skills and confidence they need to obtain and attain a good, long-term career with opportunities for growth and development.
- Focus on Motivation: We work with closely with youths, using the resources of our social enterprises to harness and cultivate their existing skills, motivating them towards a brighter future.
- Skills and Training: While many employment programs focus on pushing “hard skills” that are teachable and measurable, our team also focuses on developing “soft skills”, which focuses on helping youths, especially newcomers, effectively communicate and become more aware of
cultural norms in Ottawa, so they have a greater chance of succeeding in the workplace.
- Building Connections: We connect youth to local community resources to promote healthy and productive social relationships, and to increase access and awareness of support and resources that are available to them.
Gun and street violence is a multi-dimensional issue and therefore requires multi-dimensional interventions. Research has shown that standalone interventions (like just employment support, social activities, or outreach alone) are less effective than multi-dimensional ones. Our combination of pre-employment support, employment training and support, community connections, and youth development/leadership provide a holistic support system, which addresses multiple facets of the participants’ lives, increasing the likelihood of positive outcomes.
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