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December 7, 2001
Chanukah Issue
Employment crisis hits JFSA
Community members go hungry as the availability of jobs decreases.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
When the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 knocked down the twin towers
of the World Trade Centre in New York, the already struggling economies
of the United States and Canada took a significant hit. Unfortunately,
few organizations see the impact of the economic recession more
than those like the Jewish Family Service Agency (JFSA), whose mandate
is to help others.
Ron Goodine, a vocational counsellor for the JFSA, told the Bulletin
that his workload has increased at least threefold since this time
last year.
"A year ago, we would have had five or six people a month coming
to us looking for work," he said. "Now we're dealing with five to
seven a week. Some of them are people who have lost jobs and some
of them are newcomers to Canada who can't find jobs."
In the past, the JFSA has taken pride in a 75- to 80-per-cent
placement rate for qualified job hunters. Goodine said it is too
early to offer any current figures.
"There are fewer jobs available right now," he said, before suggesting
that the trend was showing no signs of reversing anytime soon. "In
the end of 1999 and in 2000, I would send out a broadcast e-mail
of star candidates to prospective employers with usually 20 people
on the lists and I would get 70 requests for résumés. Employers
would be gobbling up people as quickly as possible. Now, I've got
a lot of [Internet technology] people that can't find anything."
One year ago, the unemployment rate for the entire Lower Mainland
was at 5.9 per cent, compared to the current rate of 7.1 per cent,
which Goodine said translates into tens of thousands of jobs.
Goodine said the JFSA is now looking for any type of part-time
or temporary work for many of his clients so that they can survive
during this tough time.
"Recently, the Combined Jewish Appeal hired 20 people for temporary
work with their telethon," he said. "For some of those people, who
did a day or two of work, it meant the difference between eating
and going without food.
"We may not be able to change the outside world, but I believe
that we can begin to ensure that members of the community don't
fall into despair," he added.
Charlotte Katzin, the co-ordinator of resettlement, vocational
and job match services for the JFSA, said she is afraid that the
recession will soon result in an increased number of clients suffering
from mental strain or family breakup.
"Clinical depression has been something of a great concern to us
but more concerning than that is suicide," she said, noting that
one of their clients recently ended their life. "We are very concerned
about what's going to happen with people who aren't going to be
able to find work."
Katzin said she has also been taking a lot of calls from former
clients who had been placed in jobs by the JFSA a year or two ago
but are out of work again.
The JFSA's vocational services feature one-on-one counselling,
which includes teaching people how to find work, and job search
workshops for groups. Their counselling services also include ongoing
emotional support for those in need.
If you are an employer looking to hire skilled, qualified workers
or if you have any part-time or temporary work available, call the
JFSA at 604-257-5151.
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