Key priorities we need to consider...

• Newfoundland and Labrador has been undergoing a significant transformation in the last few years. This has fueled a growing sense of optimism and a new attitude that has been described as bold, confident, energized, and proud.
• Although many of the youth in the Deliberative Dialogue process reflected this new attitude, there are still significantly more youth leaving the province each year relative to those who move in, resulting in continued net out-migration among youth.
• Despite the province's strong economic performance, especially in the five years prior to the recent global economic downturn, increasing competition for young skilled workers from other jurisdictions across Canada (Alberta in particular), has continued to attract the province's youth.
• A lack of awareness about current and upcoming opportunities, as well as long-held attitudes about the need for young people to move away to find a decent job, have played a role in driving out-migration.
• Combined with the impacts of natural population decline, local employers have faced pressures in trying to find and keep the workers they need. Communities, especially in rural areas, have been challenged to keep the young residents they need to maintain and develop their services and local economies.
• As the global economy begins to recover, competition for workers will increase once again. This will also be a critical turning point in the province's labour market as the bulk of the baby boomers become eligible for retirement.
• Many of the ideas and priorities raised by youth during the Deliberative Dialogue sessions and the Provincial Youth Summit are already being addressed within the province. However, it became apparent that there was not a strong awareness among youth of government's current initiatives and youth programs and services. This indicated that there are challenges to reaching youth using traditional approaches.

• One of the most frequent strategies referenced by youth and partners during the Strategy development was the need to implement an awareness campaign for Newfoundland and Labrador. More specifically, youth and other stakeholders identified a critical need to:

  • improve the province's image among people inside and outside the province;
  • provide information about local opportunities;
  • highlight the benefits of living in our province - including education, lifestyle, and environment;
  • highlight diversity and cultures, including the provincial culture; and
  • emphasize a modern, energetic Newfoundland and Labrador as an exciting place to live.

We have a strong foundation to build on...

• Participants in the Dialogue sessions demonstrated a strong attachment to "home", or Newfoundland and Labrador. They also expressed a highly favourable impression about aspects of living in the province.
• The Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation has been undertaking a comprehensive, award-winning marketing campaign to attract tourists to the province. Other Provincial Government departments have also implemented marketing activities for their services. These initiatives provide a foundation of experience within the Public Sector to support a large-scale marketing effort on behalf of the province. Some, such as the Getting the Message Out program and the Public Service Commission's "We're Hiring Campaign", also directly support the Strategy priorities.
• The Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment (HRLE) will begin actively marketing its suite of employment and training supports in Fall 2009.
• The Department will also just launched www.JobsinNL.ca, a free, provincial job bank for employers to post job advertisements and for job seekers to quickly access information about local employment opportunities.

• We will implement a comprehensive marketing campaign to highlight the opportunities and benefits of living and working in Newfoundland and Labrador as a critical measure to support the retention and attraction of workers in the province, particularly young workers; to better connect job seekers with local employers and career opportunities; and to highlight current government initiatives and other actions included in the Strategy.

  We will also ensure HRLE's marketing activities for employment and training supports and services include youth as a target audience.

Download the CPRN Report "Making Newfoundland and Labrador a Province of Choice"

• There is a need to review communications practices and update the communications strategy in support of youth retention and attraction in order to build awareness of government's policies and programs and increase take-up of services. Many of the government's recent youth-related initiatives were not known or recognized by participants.

  • Use the Internet to appeal to young people by delivering information and conducting interactive dialogue and exchange.
  • Outreach and dissemination of information through the education system and community organizations serving young people.
  • Earned media campaigns demonstrating program take-up and benefit.

"There is hope! Knowledge is power. Learning the ideas of the youth and how they coordinate with what's already existing. Now let's find the link."

Youth Participant

"This was a very enlightening experience that definitely changed my life in terms of my perspective of myself, NL and Newfoundlanders as well as of people from away."

Youth Participant

"There are so many young people who are concerned and care about this province. Up until this point, I thought this province was doomed to one big retirement centre. Now I see differently!"

Youth Participant

"A strong marketing campaign for tourism turned the sights of many foreigners to view this landscape. The same approach can be used to attract youth; build the sense of adventure both professionally and socially."

Stakeholder

"More education regarding the opportunities available. An information campaign to inform youth, parents and schools of programs available and of career opportunities."

Stakeholder

"This Summit has made me extremely proud of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as a people. Seeing citizens of various communities from across the province come together to work for a common cause is truly a great undertaking."

Youth Participant