Goodwill Toronto Launches "Community Works Report" with Mayor David Miller and Toronto Board of Trade

Report Calls for Increased Work Access for Marginalized: Access to Work is a Civil Responsibility - Corporate,

Community, and Individuals Must Work Together to Create More Jobs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Toronto, June 28, 2006) – With the support of Mayor David Miller and Toronto Board of Trade President Glen Grunwald, Goodwill Toronto today released its “Community Works Report,” a detailed look at the realities of today’s working society and the need for universal access to work for marginalized groups.

“Access to work is a fundamental right for all of our citizens and the lack of opportunities has a ripple effect on both individuals and society as a whole,” said Mayor David Miller. “I applaud Goodwill Toronto and The Toronto Board of Trade for their leadership on this issue and look forward to working together to improve access to work for all our communities.

A key determinant of societal health, access to work affects community participation, political engagement, health and the economy. “Community Works” shows that increasing access to permanent work for those who are marginalized is a civic responsibility that will serve to benefit individuals, as well as the community as a whole. Profound changes in the world of work have marginalized and excluded many other groups in society, including the “working poor” and immigrants, who historically have been upwardly mobile but are particularly vulnerable in the new labour market.

“When more people work, our communities work better,” says Dr. Ken Connelly, President and CEO of Goodwill Toronto. “The easiest thing to do is wear blinders and ignore the realities of unemployment and the changing landscape of work, but the costs are far too high, for all of society.”

The Toronto Board of Trade, one of the leading business associations in the country, is actively supporting this issue with Youth ONE, a program designed to create 1,000 new job opportunities for youth. The Board is calling on all of its 10,000 members and all 50,000 employers in Toronto to create at least one opportunity for a young person from an at-risk neighbourhood – whether it is a job, an apprenticeship, or a training opportunity.

“The Community Works Report raises a variety of important issues, namely, the lack of work opportunities for marginalized groups such as young people from disadvantaged communities,” says Board of Trade President, Glen Grunwald. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Goodwill, corporations and the city of Toronto to address this critical issue.”

The goal of the Community Works Report and today’s announcement is to continue the dialogue, spark debate, and incite action within the Ontario community on this very urgent, public issue of work access. Work access is not simply an individual issue.  It is the lifeblood of healthy, vibrant communities and can be a catalyst in revitalizing marginalized communities. 

“We must come together on various levels and take action which means thinking as a community and working as a community to create more jobs and opportunities, all with the same goal in mind: creating stronger, healthier, more cohesive communities,” says Dr. Connelly.

As a registered charity whose mission is to provide work opportunities and skills development to people facing barriers to employment, Goodwill has launched R.E.A.C.H. (Real Employment to Achieve Community Health). R.E.A.C.H. offers paid transitional employment to marginalized members of our communities, who face serious barriers to employment, including the young, the old, new Canadians and people with disabilities.  Goodwill’s goal is to create at least 1,000 Transitional Employment jobs annually by 2010.

Goodwill’s operation of retail outlets and donations centres and other lines of business is its means to deliver its mission throughout Greater Toronto, Central and Eastern Ontario.

For more information on Goodwill or to download a copy of “Community Works Report,” please visit www.goodwill.on.ca.

Media Contact:

Andrea Legato , Goodwill Toronto, (416) 362-4711