Tel. 985-2131

a

uilding a future for the

street people of North Van

Finding jobs for the unemployable

By PAT RICH

“I think the North
Shore can no longer
ignore the problems of
the North Shore,” says
Wilma Douglas-Dung-
ey, employment
coordinator at the

North Vancouver
probation office.

Problems, what
problems?

“We've got a tot and North
Vancouver hkes to pretend
they don't

What Dungey is talking
about are the problems of a
class of people that) most
North Shore residents like to

pretend don't exist on this
side of the inlet = the street
people

“Theyre living with
friends six to a room - if (hey
can) find one They're
slecping in Mabon Park and
they have no resources ”

They are an average of 17
to 19 years old and have an
average education of Grade
4 not completed

And as an additional strike
againal them, the group that
Dungey deals with are also
on probaton

For the last two years in
North Vancouver Wilma
Dungeys yob has been to
find employment for people
on probation who are
Classified as “special needs
chents” those who yust

don't have the resources to
find employment for
themself

Eighty per cent of them
are unskilled, have little
education and are
sometimes physically 9 or
mentally handicapped, and
most of them are not cligible
for unemployment insurance
or welfare

Dungey is one of seven yob
finders in the tower
mainland and they all work
for the BC | Correcthons
Association which provides
a contracted service to the
goverament

The chents that Dungey
deals with are screened first
by thei probation officer
and then by heesctt

“Lb dont need anybody
coming in who doesn't really
want to work” she says
“If somebody just wants to
go out and get a yob and
that’s it, they can do that on
ther own They don't need
me But if they want lo get
some good gainful cm
ployment that's) going to
keep themina yobthen | can
help them °

One quickly reahzes that
Dungey is doing for more
than acting asa job finder

NO RESOURCES

“If you have someone who
is really bnight then | want to
cncourage them to go back
tosechool 9 she says

CONTINUED ON PAGE C2

FRONTIER DAYS
was the theme for this
years day outing at
Camp Paddlefail for
all Seymour District
Beavers. A total of
340 boys were joined
by 135 adults for a day
of fun and learning.
(Terry Peters photo)

't June Sale !!
of Floor Samples

Come early for great reductions

Sotas
Chairs
Lamps

e Loveseat
¢ Tables
¢ Area Rugs

Brass Accessones

Oyen TaCerbowrs 100.

3044 Kdgemont Blvd.,
North Vancouver

* 985-0022

985-0184 vee

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