Minister: Faith Community Outreach Programme

At a press conference held this morning [Mar.23], Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kim Wilson announced the ‘Faith Community Outreach Programme’, which will see Government partner with the churches.

Minister Wilson said, “I stand before you today to launch our Faith Community Outreach Programme. Through this programme, participating churches will provide support services to those in their community who are seeking employment and in turn they will work closely with an Employment Officer from the Department of Labour and Training.

“The churches will provide unemployment registration on behalf of the Department of Labour and Training, as well as training and other support services at their facilities, right in their communities. What’s more, they will also provide spiritual counseling.”

“By partnering with the churches, this Government is doing its best to ensure that we are taking a holistic approach to assist persons affected by job loss. The churches are right there in the various neighbourhoods and they understand the needs of the people in each of their communities. We believe that the churches are well positioned to effectively provide the kind of incremental support services that would be of value.”

Minister Wilson’s full statement follows below:

Good afternoon and thank you for joining me today.

You will be aware that the Government’s main objective during these difficult economic times is to facilitate and stimulate economic activity in order to sustain employment levels. To this end the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has been working with a number of stakeholder groups to advance ideas and concepts designed to ensure Bermuda’s long term success.

In February, the Department of Labour and Training, in conjunction with the Bermuda Hotel Association, held a hospitality job fair. More than 800 people participated and I’m advised that while interviews continue to take place some participants have already been the recipients of job offers.

Certainly, the number of participants at the hospitality job fair far exceeded expectations and while there I personally took the opportunity to speak with many of the participants to better understand the challenges that they were facing. Likewise, I engaged in similar discussions during the landscaper’s job fair.

You will recall that on March 17th, the Department of Labour and Training co-hosted a landscaper’s job fair where more than 200 participants met with 33 landscaping companies. I expect that as a result of this job fair many of the participants will also secure employment.

It’s very clear that despite the trying economic times, partnership between Government and the private sector is working and I believe that it is an effective tool in helping us to collectively address some of the challenges that we are facing here in Bermuda.

While the job fairs are bearing some fruit, it goes without saying that there are several persons who continue to seek employment and the job market continues to shrink. Many unemployed persons register with Labour and Training, and the Department continues to provide amongst other things, job placement, training and career counseling services.

In January, I announced that this Ministry reached out to the Island’s churches. We asked church leaders, and many agreed to participate in a sustainable programme aimed at providing incremental support for unemployed persons in their communities.

I stand before you today to launch our Faith Community Outreach Programme. Through this programme, participating churches will provide support services to those in their community who are seeking employment and in turn they will work closely with an Employment Officer from the Department of Labour and Training.

The churches will provide unemployment registration on behalf of the Department of Labour and Training, as well as training and other support services at their facilities, right in their communities. What’s more, they will also provide spiritual counseling.

By partnering with the churches, this Government is doing its best to ensure that we are taking a holistic approach to assist persons affected by job loss. The churches are right there in the various neighbourhoods and they understand the needs of the people in each of their communities. We believe that the churches are well positioned to effectively provide the kind of incremental support services that would be of value.

In fact, at this very moment there is a workshop being conducted at Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity which will assist participants with skills such as resume’ writing and how to prepare for an interview and on Saturday, March 26 from 11 a.m. to 1pm, the Church of Christ at Brighton Hill will host an Employment Transition Training and Counseling event.

I encourage the community to take advantage of all that the churches will offer over the next few months. And I take this opportunity to thank all of the participating churches for their support.

I am pleased with this community partnership and with the work that the churches are doing now and in the future, in this part of the vineyard. It is vital that we stick together during these challenging times for the good of all Bermuda.

I will now ask Rev. Charly Franks from First Baptist Church to share a few words on behalf of the church partners and then Rev. Richards can perhaps tell us a bit about Saturday’s event.

Thank-you.

Event Schedule Outline:

March 23 Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity – 12 – 2 Workshop for the Unemployed – Canon Norman Lynas 292-5039/292-6987
March 26 at Church of Christ at Brighton Hill – Employment Transition Training and Counseling – 11 am – 1 pm (Second and fourth Saturday of each month)

Job/Career Services Provided by the Faith Community

Mondays

• GED Programme at Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:30 – 8:30 pm
• GED Programme at Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:30 – 8:30 pm
• GED Programme at Midland Heights Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:45 – 9:00 pm

Tuesdays

• GED Programme at Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:30 – 8:30 pm
• SOS Free Clothing, Job Placement and Counseling, First Church of God – 10 am – 2 pm
• GED Programme at Midland Heights Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:45 – 9:00 pm

Wednesdays

• GED Programme at Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:30 – 8:30 pm
• SOS Free Clothing, Job Placement and Counseling, First Church of God – 10 am – 2 pm
• GED Programme at Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Thursdays

• GED Programme at Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Church @ 6:30 – 8:30 pm
• SOS Free Clothing, Job Placement and Counseling, First Church of God – 10 am – 2 pm

Saturdays

• *Church of Christ at Brighton Hill – Employment Transition Training and Counseling – 11 am – 1 pm (Second and fourth Saturday of each month)

Support Services Provided by the Faith Community

Mondays

• Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church Community Service Feeding Programme Breakfast and Lunch for Students
• Destiny Centre – youth drop in centre for help, spiritual counseling, recreation and advice – 5:50 – 7 pm at St. Monica’s Hall
• Daily Bread Feeding Programme run by Christ Church in Warwick

Tuesdays

• Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church Community Service Feeding Programme Breakfast and Lunch for Students
• Receive free clothes and Special Prayer Time at Pembroke Seventh Day Adventist Church at 1-2 pm
• Spiritual Counseling and Prayer at Grace Methodist Church, North Shore Rd. 5:30-7 pm
• Children’s Homework Club, Supper and Prayer Meeting at Pembroke Seventh Day Adventist Church
• SOS Free Clothing, Job Placement and Counseling, First Church of God – 10 am – 2 pm

Wednesdays

• Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church Community Service Feeding Programme Breakfast and Lunch for Students
• Soup Kitchen at St. Mary’s Anglican Church – 12 noon
• Computer Centre and Homework Club – St. Monica’s Hall – open to students and seniors – 5:30 pm
• Spiritual Counseling and Prayer – Grace Methodist Church – 5:30 – 7:30 pm
• Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Church Community Service Feeding Programme @ 5:30 pm

Thursdays

• Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church Community Service Feeding Programme Breakfast and Lunch for Students
• Clothing Drive. Receive clothes. Pembroke Seventh Day Adventist Church
• SOS Free Clothing, Job Placement and Counseling, First Church of God – 10 am – 2 pm

Fridays

• Southampton Seventh Day Adventist Church Community Service Feeding Programme Breakfast and Lunch for Students
• Soup Kitchen at Marsden First United Methodist Church at 5:30 pm

Saturdays

• Loads of Love Laundry and Shower Service at Christ Church in Warwick 8:30 am – 1 pm

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