Youth centre to hire contract coordinator
Clearview council has agreed to hire a coordinator for its new youth centre on a four-month contract.
“We are trying to create consistency,” said Deputy Mayor Barry Burton at the March 6 council meeting.
Burton, who spearheaded the youth centre, said the youth services committee, which manages the youth centre, is looking to fill the position on a trial basis and that they would like to hire one of the current volunteers, who has the proper qualifications.
“Up until now, we have been operating a 40-hour per week facility strictly with volunteers,” said Burton.
The job will consist of coordinating appointments for counselling and tutoring and running the centre during drop-in times.
Staff said they don’t want the coordinator reporting to the CAO of the municipality because the new hire will not be an employee of the township. The new hire will report to the committee but the job description and employment contract details have yet to be worked out. CAO Stephen Sage said this contract would be treated like any other, in that if the obligations were not met, the contract would be terminated.
Council agreed to hire using the single sourced contractor method as per the township’s procurement bylaw, instead of posting the job.
The compensation will be funded from community and corporate donations. Clearview Youth Services Committee, reported Burton, has raised $6,000 in donations and has commitments of another $7,000 for 2017, for a total of $13,000, which will cover the costs of the 30-hour a week contract position.
The bulk of the use at the centre is during drop-in from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Up until now this has been operated by volunteers.
The demands on the volunteers to meet these time slots is becoming more difficult as it takes away time from their employment and family time, said Burton.
“We are in desperate need of someone there to take control,” said Councillor Robert Walker, adding that volunteers have been doing the work but a paid position should be developed.
From Nov. 23, 2016 to Jan. 21, 2017 total attendance at the youth centre was 112 youth (including repeat visits), with 10 bookings for counselling and tutoring rooms.
From Jan. 21, 2017 to Feb. 21, 2017 total attendance was 139 youth (including repeat visits), with 16 bookings for counselling and tutoring rooms.
The youth centre, located at 7456 Highway 26 in Stayner, is running regular programing with drop-in six days per week, The Door’s programs on Wednesdays, Fridays and a biweekly movie night on Saturdays. Two Clearview Township staff members have also volunteered at the youth centre. Treasurer Edward Henley is running a games night on Tuesdays and manager of transportation and drainage Gerry LeMay is offering calculus tutoring.
Find the Clearview Youth Centre on Facebook. For more information, call 705-428-5500.
