RBC to offer internships to graduating class of Pathways
to Education
February 25, 2005 - RBC Financial
Group will offer five summer internships to the inaugural
graduating class of Pathways to Education, a program designed
to support youth from economically disadvantaged communities.
These internships will help bridge between the students' high
school careers and their post-secondary studies.
"Pathways" was launched in Toronto's Regent Park
area in 2001 to reduce poverty and its effects by focussing
on the community's entire class of secondary school students.
The program provides support to students over their four years
of secondary school in the following areas:
- tutoring four nights per week;
- TTC tickets earned through attendance, plus a $4,000 bursary
to be used towards post secondary registration/tuition;
- group mentoring and specialty/career mentoring;
- Student Parent Support Workers who are a bridge between
the community, parents, students, schools and program.
Before Pathways to Education, Regent Park had a 56 per cent
high school drop out rate - twice the city average, and the
vast majority of young people who dropped out would end up
in low paying jobs, crime and/or homelessness. Since the inception
of Pathways, the drop out rate has decreased by 75 per cent.
June 2005 marks the first year that a cohort of Pathways
kids will graduate high school and pursue post-secondary opportunities.
RBC Financial Group has been a supporter of Pathways since
its inception nearly four years ago, as one of the first corporations
to support this innovative concept.
"Our goal for these internships is to provide students
with practical work experience in their field of interest
while offering them fair and competitive wages to support
their post-secondary studies," said Johanne Ardouin,
regional vice president, Toronto Downtown area, RBC Royal
Bank. "These internships will offer opportunities to
Pathways graduates that will assist them in achieving their
education and career goals."
In 2005, RBC will be the sole provider of recruitment services
to the Pathways graduates by offering work preparation seminars,
resume-writing experience and conducting mock interviews.
This will help prepare the students for the actual recruitment
process.
"One of the most wonderful things about our relationship
with RBC is its many facets," says Marni Schecter-Taylor,
Director of Development and Communications. "Working
together, we have found numerous ways to help over 600 Pathways'
kids. This Summer Internship Program stands as an example
of RBC's commitment to engaging with their community partners
in innovative ways."
Regent Park is the oldest and largest public housing project
in Canada, rich in diversity and a leader in community organizing
for change. Over 80 per cent of residents are immigrants and
English is a second language for nearly 60 per cent of Regent
Park adults. Regent Park has twice the number of single parent
families as the rest of Toronto and the average household
income in the community is $18,000 per year. Since there are
no local high schools in Regent Park, students are, therefore,
scattered among 37 schools and must use public transportation
to get there.
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