YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES MISSION As a not-for-profit organization, YES Montreal (Youth Employment Services) enriches the community by providing English-language support services to help Quebecers find employment and start businesses.
YES is a one-stop, English-language job search, entrepreneurship and artist service provider in Quebec, providing support to over 4,000 Quebecers annually. YES started in 1995 as a vehicle to stem the flow of young people from Quebec and in the past seventeen years has helped more than 40,000 Quebecers through its various programs. The number of clients served annually has increased from 120 since our inception to over 4,500 in 2012-2013, while client visits are over 14,000 per year. YES is heralded for its professionalism, long-standing record of measurable success and the exceptional service it provides the community almost entirely free of charge.
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YES STAFF, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS YES STAFF FULL TIME STAFF Fernanda Amaro Silvina Asurmendi Dalia Bosis Catherine Brisindi Leann Brown Colleen Bush Mario Clarke
Ellen Englert Sherifa El-Alfy Nadja Grabovari Paul Higgins Sherry Hollinger Annalise Iten Douglas Leahey Daniel Légaré Monika Majewski
Maria Pereira Gerald Silverberg Jillian Tanoja Iris Unger Anna Viegas Marc Wrobel Stephanie Zacharkiw
INTERNS, PART TIME & CONTRACT STAFF
FUNDRAISING EVENT COMMITTEE
ARTISTS’ CONFERENCE & EXPO PLANNING COMMITTEE
EMPLOYMENT ROUNDTABLE CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE
Elizabeth Ulin (Chair) Andrew Chen Emily Comeau Chris (Zeke) Hand Kim Hoang Jane Needles Lori Schubert
David Mendelson (Chair) Diane Brunelle Cynthia Homan Lori Rubinger
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE
Elisabeth Laett (Chair) Liesl Barrell Sophie Forest Chad Loevan Daniele Nascimento Cathy Nguli Elisabeth Vanderveldt Andrea Wood
Valérie Grosjean Isabelle Zimmerman
YES COMMITTEES ENTREPRENEURSHIP GRANTS & LOANS COMMITTEE Chad Loeven (Chair) Paulina Arroyo Gavin Correa CPA, CA, CFP Pino Di Ioia Michael Dos Santos Jose Miguel Fernandez-Busto Marvin Garellek Felice Meffe Christopher M. Minkoff Gabriela Nitu Tom Pound Robert Ste. Marie Martin Szpiro Marcie Weitzman
Marnie Blanshay (Co-Chair) Jordan LeBel (Co-Chair) Andrew Abdalla Marina Cutler Lorraine Klaasen George Mantzoros Caroline Nalbantoglu Andy Shatilla REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Gavin Correa CPA, CA, CFP (Co-Chair) Brent Walker (Co-Chair) John Aylen Nancy Cleman Pino Di Ioia Michael Eskenazi Jordan LeBel
Pino Di Ioia (Co-Chair) Chris Emergui (Co-Chair) John Aylen Louise Anne Côté Jose Miguel Fernandez-Busto Marvin Garellek
WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
YES BOARDS BOARD OF ADVISORS Lionel Blanshay Rob Braide Scott Conrod Charles B. Crawford John W. Dobson Peter R. Johnson Guy Laframboise
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Timothy Leyne Peter McAuslan Andy Nulman Philip O’Brien Hilary Radley Herschel Segal Robert Walsh
Harold Simpkins, Past President John Aylen, President Jordan LeBel, Vice President Roslyn Slawner, Vice President Gavin Correa, Treasurer Marnie Blanshay, Secretary
Pino Di Ioia Ron Drennan Chris Emergui Chad Loeven Coleen MacKinnon Barbara E. Oberleitner Simon Restall
THANK YOU TO OUR 2012-2013 DONORS, SPEAKERS & VOLUNTEERS G. Shepherd Abbey Andrew Abdalla Gilda Abdulezer Jamal Abouzeid Ronald Abraira Sébastien Adhikari Susan Alper Nahed Alshawa Mirna and Saul Alter Amerilui Alvarez Herman Alves Fernanda Amaro Norma Andreu Pierre Archambault Diane Archibald David and Peggy Arditi Paulina Arroyo Jean-Paul Arsenault Leonard Assaly Silvina Asurmendi Reena Atanasiadis Stephen Atkinson Afaf Attalla Mike Avedesian Suzanne Aversa John Aylen Karen Aziz Nathalie Azoulay John Scott Bailey Roy Baird Vito Balenzano Lisa Barbieri Liesl Barrell Craig and Barbara Barwick Ellis Basevitz Cristelle Basmaji Shevaughn Battle Cesar Beauchamps Jacob Benedek Doug Bensadoun Marla Bercovitch Steve Bernard Neil Bernstein Jonathan Berthold Jean Bertrand Sonia Besner Kadriye Bilgic Sarah Bishop Charles and Diane Bissegger Gregg Blachford Danièle Blain Lionel Blanshay Marnie Blanshay Patricia Blanshay Stephanie Blanshay Michel Blier Chantal Blouin Dan Bohinc Beatriz Bolivar Genevieve Borne Betty Bosis Dalia Bosis Michael Boxer Jane Brazeau Robert Briscoe Catherine Brisindi Tony Brisindi John and Laura Brkich Deana Brockhouse Louise Brophy Robert Brouillette Leann Brown Bill Brownstein Elizabeth Brownstein Stephen and Veronica Brownstein Michel Brutti Brian Burke Raymond Busbridge Colleen Bush Evan Bush Art Campbell Aria Campbell-Kelly Canderel Management Inc. CanitaCorp Investments Jacques Cantin David Cape Nicolas Carbone Claude Caron Fernando Carreiro Marc-Andre Castagner Roberto Cefaloni Chadha Family Foundation Baljit Chadha Crystal Chan Frederick Charette Del Chatterson Chatterson Andrew Chen Samrida Chong Philippe K. Churn Gary Chute
Domenico Ciarallo Mario Clarke Nancy Cleman Wendy Clubb Valerie Coehn Kim Cole Philippe Collard Emily Comeau Richard Conrad Scott and Beverley Conrod Dave Cool Pierre-Andre Cormier Gavin Correa CPA, CA, CFP David Crevier Adam and Marina Cutler Angelo D’Amico Nancy Dandan Tayo Daramola Michael Darwish Krish Dasgupta Len Davidson Alfred and Marjorie Davis Michael Davis William Davy Paul Dawalibi Marc DeBlois Bryan Demchinsky Paul Dery-Goldberg Celine Des Marais Jacques Deschênes Claire Desjardins Anthony Di Ioia Pino Di Loia Agostino Di Maria Daniela Di Paola Jay Dickson Nelly Dimitrova Luciano D’Iorio Micheal Dos Santos Joan Dougherty Sterling Downey Sheri Doyle Ron Drennan Greg Dunning Amanda Eaman Ilana Edery Coral Egan Larry Elman Robert Elman Chris Emergui Ellen Englert Michael Eskenazi Frank Fabi Mario Fasciano Sam Feigenbaum Juan-Carlos Fernandez José Miguel Fernández-Busto David Ferrante Greg Field Ted Fletcher Fondation J. Daniel Lachance Sophie Forest Bettina Forget Marie-Ève Francoeur Holly Friesen Peter Gagliardi Mary Gallery Eric Gareau Marvin Garellek Jennifer Gasoi Eddie Gelber Julian Giacomelli Jacques Godin Jonathan and Alice Goldbloom Jonathan Goodman Anna Goodson Érik Goyer Nadja Grabovari Scott Grafton Cynthia Grahame Peter Green Ken Greenaway Adrian Greenberg Yvonne Gregory Karen Groom Louise Guay Mark Haber Anna Hakobyan Chris (Zeke) Hand Elke Hansen Tina Harari Michael Hartmann Raymond Harvey Alice Herscovitch and Robert Kleinman Paul Higgins Michael Hiles Neil and Barbara Hindle Kim Hoang Janyne Marie Hodder Robert Hoffmann and Elisabeth Laett
Sherry Hollinger and Aldo Tomassini Fred Horowitz Gerry Hughes James Hughes Tara Hunt Kim-Tien Huynh Ernest and Gisélle Iarrera Coby Ingham Ian Irvine Annalise Iten Stephen Jacobson Simon James Michel Jasmin and Patricia Lafleur Dickson Jay Peter R. Johnson Sara Johnston Cynthia Joy Leisa Joy Danny Kane Sonali Karnick Fran Katz Anna Kaufer Judith Kavanagh Shermin Kazemkhani James Kellett and Pamela Darragh Jeanette Kelly Suzanne Kennedy Gail Kerzner Kenneth Khoury Remy Khouzam Kenny King Richard King Kim Kinkead Anne Kline John Kobel Christine Koehnlein Tom Kouri Susan Kruger Magda Kuskowski Alyssa Kuzmarov Derek Labell Sam Lackman Stuart Ladd Elisabeth Laett Guy Laframboise Stephane Lagrange Kerry and Allan Lanthier Genevieve Latreille Lorraine Laviolette Simon Law Anthony Layton Barry Lazar Douglas Leahey Jordan LeBel Paul LeBlanc Elisabeth Lecavalier Bernard Leebosh Jan Lefevre Hilary Leftick Daniel Légaré Linda Leith Michael Lenczner Peter Letko Darryl Levine and Caralee Salomon Brian Levitt Chantal Levy Lenore Lewis Peter Lewis Timothy Leyne Elaine Lim Chad Loeven and Melodie Sullivan Alex Low Rob Lutes Coleen MacKinnon Mark MacLeod and Kristine Matulis Sam Mahmoody Monika Majewski Sam Makarios Fred Malone Sandy Mamane Peter Mann Angelique Mannella Eric Marchand Paul Marchand Toni Marion Jackalyn Marsh Rosemarie Martin Marvin A. Drimmer Foundation Raffaele Masella Benjamin Masse Rod Matheson Lidija Matic Lissa Matyas Robin Mayes Adele McAlear John McAleer Peter McAuslan Wayne and Janet McCartney Sharon McGee Ian McGillis
Felice (Phil) Meffe Robert Meldrum Guy Melhuish Sylvain Ménard Robert Mendelson Deborah J. Mercier Sophia Metaxas Joshua Miller Gavin Mills Christopher Minkoff Michelle Moller Cornelia Molson Lisa Monacalieri Mary Monaco Elisa-Line Montigny Serge Morel Louis Morissette The Morris & Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation Craig Morrison Karen Morrison Ean Murphy Denise Nahas Caroline Nalbantoglu Catherine Nalbantoglu and Garabet Sofuyan Josephine Nalbantoglu Jane Needles Cathy Nguli Gabriela Nitu Jacques Nolin Andy Nulman Annemarie Oberleitner Barbara E. Oberleitner, CA Sara O’Brien Rory Olson Kathy Osgood David Ostroff Maria Owczarek Peter Palmer Roger Paquin Linda Paradis Brian Parnass Fabien Paroutaud Howard Pate George Paulez Michèle Paulin Kevin Peacock Gerald Pekeles Maria Pereira Richard and Louise Pesner Ric Peterson Joanne Photiades Pnina Pinchevsky Dominique Pirolo Michel Poirier Martin Pollmueller Robert Porrello Charles Porteous Tom Pound Dean Proctor Nathalie Proulx Francine Prud’homme Richard Prytula Fred Pye Hilary Radley Stephanie Raudsepp Veronica Redgrave Jeff Reid and Irene Bohinc Simon Restall Michael and Cheryl Richards Todd Richards Will Richards Laura Rietveld Brian Riordan Georges Robichon Lynne Robson Guy Rodgers Spyro Rondos Matthew Rosenberg Larry Rossy James D. Roumeliotis Ted Rozenwald Stephane Ruah Linda Rutenberg Jean-Francois Saine Julia-Anamaria Salagor Burt Saleh Nunzio Salvati Frank Santillo Brian Schor Lori Schubert Harvey Schwartz Rabih Sebaaly Stephen Sebag Shari Segal Daniel Seligman Laurence Sellyn Michael Sendbuehler Tina Serrao
Gerry Shadeed Stewart Shaefer Mark Shalhoub Elizabeth Shapiro Andrew and Grayce Shatilla Yona Shtern Lonn Shulkin Sandy Sidhu Gerald Silverberg Nina Silverstone James Simon Harold Simpkins Brian Sinnott Damian Siqueiros Roslyn Slawner Simon Slawner Magda Slezak Larry Smith Patricia Snow Ezra Soiferman Elliott Solomon Annabel Soutar Ian Soutar Sandie Sparkman Ben Sperer Katherine Standish David Star Robert and Susan Stefanison Leesa Steinberg Robert Ste-Marie Rachel Stephan Brenda Stermer Matthew Stern Wayne Stone Sandra Stupp Frank Sullivan Martin Szpiro Grace Tan Jillian Tanoja Aki Tchitacov Barbara Teboul Maude Theroux-Seguin Robert Therriault Charles Tibshirani Nicole Tisch Martha Townsend Neil Stephan Tryansky Elizabeth Ulin Iris Unger David Usher John C. Van Toch Jacob Varghese Lynn Verge Nancy Vervuurt Anna Viegas Marlène Vigneau Ronald Vincelli Dana Vocisano Geoffrey Wagner Daniel Wald Brent Walker Robert A. Walsh Juliet Waters Michael Watson Esther and Rob Wearing Marcie Weitzman Carrie Wertheim Jim West Dov Whitman Marlene Whittome Warren Wilansky Elvira Winkler George Wiseman Andrea Wolff and Eric Maldoff Andrea Wood Ian Wooden Colin Worrell Marc Wrobel Brian Wrong Gordon Yapp Diana Yazidjian Jeffrey Youster John Zacharias Stephanie Zacharkiw Cherine Zananiri David Zelniker Isabelle Zimmermann Franco Zullo
We have made every effort to include all donors, speakers and volunteers and we sincerely regret any omissions.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR Focus Group for New Arrivals In April, 2012, we launched a first-of-its-kind series of focus groups designed to improve employment outcomes and help new arrivals overcome the challenges they face when seeking employment in Quebec. Held once a week for six weeks, the peer-to-peer networking groups are specifically geared to new arrivals who wish to meet on a regular basis to discuss their challenges and difficulties in finding a job as well as share their experiences and network with others who face similar situations. The focus groups are facilitated by a professional psychologist who is familiar with issues of the immigrant experience and has the cultural sensitivity to facilitate the support groups alongside a professional YES Career Advisor. Over 30 new arrivals participated in the focus groups. Funded by the Foundation of Greater Montreal and Canadian Heritage.
15th Annual Entrepreneurship Conference: From Inspiration to Creation and Beyond YES celebrated the 15th anniversary of our Entrepreneurship Conference this April by assembling a powerhouse of panelists and high-profile speakers to speak to this year’s theme From Inspiration to Creation and Beyond, giving hundreds of novice and established entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from and directly interact with some of Quebec’s top business leaders and motivational speakers. This year’s retrospective event included past keynote speakers such as Guy LaFramboise, President of Subway Quebec, Rory Olsen, Founder of Total.Net and Andy Nulman, Co-Founder of Just For Laughs who reflected on the ever-evolving environment of entrepreneurship in Quebec and shared their insight and experience on what it takes to create, sustain, and successfully evolve an enterprise. An impressive gallery of speakers - all volunteers - from BAM Strategy, Dale Carnegie Group, Scotiabank, Reitmans and Boutique Jacob Inc. provided tips and guidance on marketing, branding, social media, sustainability, accounting and financing for small-business owners. Over the past 15 years, more than 500 volunteers have willingly given their time and talents to our Entrepreneurship Conference and we thank them for their generosity.
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Keynote Speaker: Yona Shtern, CEO of Beyond the Rack
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR 12th Annual Business Skills for Creative Souls Artists’ Conference The Annual Business Skills for Creative Souls Artists’ Conference was a full day of lectures, panel discussions, and workshops that provide an in-depth look at smart business practices for artists. The topics are designed to respond to the issues artists are facing. Held in June, 2012, at the Montreal Science Centre, the 12th annual conference was hosted by Jeanette Kelly, arts reporter on CBC Radio’s Daybreak and the host of CBC Radio’s provincial arts and culture show, and featured a keynote address from award-winning singer/songwriter Coral Egan. Eighteen other accomplished Quebec artists and industry experts from Pop Montreal, the Quebec Drama Federation, the Conseil des Arts de Montréal, the Ballet Ouest de Montréal and more shared their stories of making it in their respective professions and provided valuable tips and guidance on marketing, finance and funding for artists. Coral Egan (Singer/Songwriter) interviewed by Jeanette Kelly
Thanks to the support of The Counselling Foundation of Canada and Canadian Heritage, over 100 artists came away from the event inspired and better equipped to succeed.
YES Art Expo: Tap Into the Arts This year’s YES Art Expo drew an audience of over 1,500 to the Montreal Science Center to celebrate the talent of independent emerging artists from the English-speaking community of Quebec. Held in tandem with the Business Skills for Creative Souls Conference, this 2-day event provided participants and attendees insight into the business of making art a career. With the support of the Forum jeunesse de l’île de Montréal (FJÎM) and Canadian Heritage, 60 young and talented emerging Quebec artists were selected by a panel of industry experts from more than 115 applicants to showcase their unique artworks to the public. Peter McAuslan of McAuslan Brewery and Andy Nulman of Airborne Mobile were among those in attendance at the special preview evening for donors, funders and arts professionals, and shared why they support the arts and the importance of art to the community. The preview evening was hosted by Ann Lang from CBC Radio One 88.5 FM. and featured live performances from selected clients in music and dance.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR Summer Job Campaign YES’ annual Summer Job Search and Holiday Job Rush Campaigns offer University, CEGEP and High School students an easy and free way to find temporary employment during the summer and winter seasons. YES actively searches the city for companies and organizations in need of staff and links them to youth seeking employment. To help keep job-seekers motivated, organized, and effective in their search for employment, YES provides them with the tools and resources they need to secure these jobs including free workshops and career counselling services. 119 positions were made available through this year’s holiday and summer job postings.
Women In Technology Program With the support of the Status of Women Canada, we embarked on a three-year initiative to increase the number of women working and succeeding in Quebec’s technology industry and created a new program that prepares women for careers and business opportunities in the fields of technology. The Women in Technology Program seeks to encourage, inspire and empower more women in the tech field through networking, mentoring, partnering and professional development. In-house and online services include one-on-one sessions with a specialized dedicated coach; thematic workshops by industry professionals; mentorship services; networking opportunities as well as consultations with career counselors, business coaches, accounting professionals and legal interns. Participants in the program also have access to the YES resource library with an extensive range of industry books and magazines, job postings, free phone, internet, Wi-Fi and computer access. The official kick-off event, Tech Talk, was held at the YES Centre on Monday September 24th.
Tune In To YES6 Benefit Concert and Silent Auction Our 6th Annual Tune In To YES Benefit Concert and Silent Auction was held in October 2012, at the Olympia Theatre, a fitting venue for the 325 guests who came to help YES clients build meaningful and successful futures in Quebec and help us raise the much needed funds for our programs. This annual fundraising event - an important part of sustaining our programs into the future - attracted 9 new sponsors and, by virtue of the generosity of our community and our partners, raised a record $95,000.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR 10th Annual Quebec Employment Service Providers Conference: Connecting Employment and Career Counsellors: Building Competencies through Training The Quebec Employment Service Providers Conference, hosted by YES each year, is a full-day event addressing issues specific to non-profit employment organizations that provide English-language services in Quebec. The event provides a forum where colleagues from across the industry can share best practices and expand their networks to best meets the needs of the Official Language Minority Communities. Held in November at the Holiday Inn Midtown-Montreal, over 82 directors, managers and employment counsellors took part in professional development workshops to learn best practices, build competencies through training and network with others who provide these services in Quebec in English. Participants also had the opportunity to showcase their employment organizations and get an interactive and educational look at what is happening within their community network.
Volunteer Appreciation and Mentorship Evening In March, 2013, YES hosted an event at the Galerie Gora in downtown Montreal to show appreciation to its many valued volunteers while shining the spotlight on its mentors and mentees. YES Board member, Jordan LeBel, Associate Professor at the John Molson School of Business, spoke of the success of YES’ Pay It Forward Mentorship Program which is designed to foster career and business development in Quebec. Since its inception in 2001, more than 200 mentoring matches have been established. With funding from Service Canada, YES also launched a one-year program entitled New Horizons for Seniors which focuses on recruiting experienced professionals over the age of 50 with a passion for helping the younger generation. With the help of the New Horizons for Seniors Committee, 30 new mentors and volunteers have been recruited since the new program launched, many of whom were on hand at the event.
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JOB SEARCH PROGRAM The YES Job Search Program is designed for youth aged 16-35 who are looking to jump-start their careers, find employment or return to school. Offering over 290 workshops annually, professional employment and career counsellors facilitate and guide participants in strategic job search activities and provide individual counselling. In addition to scheduled appointments, YES also offers fifteen-minute drop-in sessions with a Job Search Counsellor. YES offers an intensive French course for job seekers, translation services for résumés and cover letters, free access to our computer lab with Internet, fax machine, photocopier, scanner and courtesy telephone. YES also has an extensive job search library with all of the essential resource materials for everyone’s employment needs. In the past year: • Over 9,148 visits were made to the centre by job search clients. • YES career counsellors received 3,719 visits and saw 2,198 clients for one-on-one sessions throughout the year. • YES held 296 day and evening job skills workshops with 2,285 attendees. Clients learned interview skills, cold-calling, résumé and cover letter writing techniques and more. • The French for Job Seekers Program had 187 enrolments. • Over 611 positions were made available through YES’ job postings, an increase of almost 15% from last year.
JENNIFER ZIMMERMAN , YES Job Search Client Jennifer was an undergraduate student when she first heard about YES. She was job hunting for a Marketing internship and happened upon their need for a “stagière”. When she learned that YES’ raison d’être was to help English-speaking youth—just like her—find meaningful employment in the province of Quebec, she knew she had found home for the semester. Jennifer became a member of the YES staff for four months as she helped them with their fundraising, community outreach and planning of their annual Entrepreneurship Conference. Naturally, when Jennifer graduated and was looking to enter the workforce full-time, she sought YES’ services. Anja Vroomen, a YES counsellor at the time, recommended an entry-level Marketing Associate position at Revision Military. Anja helped Jennifer get her foot in the door through YES’ internship program which encourages companies to hire new grads by providing financial assistance and other forms of support. Through YES’ broad network, they helped Jennifer by exposing her to Montreal’s hidden Anglophone job market. They directed her to a good company—scratch that, a GREAT company—and helped her launch her Marketing career. Jennifer enjoyed over 7 years at Revision Military, a once small protective eyewear company that YES first introduced her to, where she reached the role of Marketing Communications Manager. She played a leading role in the planning and execution of the company’s many internal and extern communications including advertising development, public relations and newsletters. Jennifer continues to climb in her career path, and is now Marketing Director at Gleener Marketing Inc.
“YES helped me get to where I am today by training me for the job market while I interned at their office. They then helped me land my first dream job at a fastpaced dynamic company.”
ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM YES’ Entrepreneurship Program offers workshops and seminars that help entrepreneurs refine their ideas, start or grow their business and locate the resources needed to succeed. Specialty coaching services are also available including branding and sales coaching as well as legal and accounting clinics. Entrepreneurship clients have free access to a computer lab with Internet, a fax machine, photocopier, scanner, telephone, and resource library filled with the latest magazines and books. The program has continued to grow and evolve, adding interactive video services and a Consultations for Small Business Program. In the past year: • Entrepreneurship clients visited the YES centre 5,696 times. • The legal intern held 118 free legal information sessions. • YES clients received 2,839 business coaching sessions including specialty branding, sales and accounting services. • There were 2,078 client visits to our day and evening workshops including Jump Start Your Business, Meet the Experts and Start Your Own Business Seminar Series. • Almost 150 entrepreneurs participated in the 15th Annual YES Entrepreneurship Conference: From Inspiration to Creation and Beyond.
DEBBIE DONNELLE, DEBra Lingerie, YES Entrepreneurship Client Debbie had spent over 20 years as a chartered accountant to assist other businesses with their finances and management, but that had little prepared her to become an entrepreneur herself. That was until she walked into the offices of YES Montreal. Now, less than a year later, she has opened up her own innovative new lingerie boutique called DEBra Lingerie on Monkland Ave. in Montreal. Her dream started to really get off the ground after she attended the Jump Start Your Business seminar offered by YES. Up until that point, she had been doing lots of reading but the seminar gave her the concrete steps to get everything out of her head and into action. It all started with YES Business Coach, Douglas Leahey – his knowledge, direction and insight were keys to getting DEBra Lingerie from an idea into a successful working business.
“It helped to have someone to be accountable to and bounce ideas off of and the coaching also realistically prepared me for the first few years of entrepreneurship so I am less reactionary to the highs and lows of small business ownership. Many thanks to YES!”
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ARTISTS’ PROGRAM YES’ Business Skills for Creative Souls Artists’ Program is uniquely tailored to the specific needs of artists and artist-entrepreneurs. Artist clients have access to a range of services, tools and services to help them develop their business skills, including one-on-one meetings with YES’ Artists’ Coach, workshops, an annual conference and an art expo. In the past year: • YES’ Artists’ Coach held 551 one-on-one coaching sessions. • Our Annual Business Skills for Creative Souls Conference was attended by 117 local artists. • YES held 32 day and evening workshops for 837 attendees. • YES Artists’ Program had 544 active clients with 1,436 visits to the Centre.
Again this year, YES awarded $1,000 through the Artist Project Grant Contest. The money goes towards the realization, promotion, and/or presentation of an artistic project or initiative. This year’s winner was Pilar Aqueci, a contemporary jeweller and goldsmith, living and working out of her studio in Montreal, where she creates unique productions for galleries and boutiques, nationally and internationally.
ATHENA HOLMES, YES Artist Client Athena first came to YES at the end of 2009 with an unsteady work situation and a lot of questions about how to present herself to the public as an artist. She then met with YES Artists’ Program Coordinator, Monika Majewski for one-on-one coaching and attended the grant-writing workshop. At the same time, YES’ Career Advisor, Ellen Englert found several job opportunities for her and helped her to build her résumé. She also kept in touch and made her realize her potential in the workforce. “YES helped me by giving me the opportunity to perform at the YES Art Expo,” Athena says. “I met many artists there such as Melina Soochan (Acoutstic Nights) and Leila Stambouli (City of Saints) who I have since had the pleasure of working with.” YES provided Athena a place where she could present her ideas and receive real feedback. Athena has found the experience to be very motivating. In the past few years, Athena has applied for several music grants and has a much clearer idea of how to approach the process. Athena has honed her skills of connecting with her audience by performing for years with Via Rail Canada as an on-board musician and has been voted one of the top 10 best singer/songwriters in the Montreal Mirror’s “Best of Montreal” Poll, alongside Leonard Cohen and Sam Roberts.
“YES Montreal has provided me with confidence and a place where my words were expected to be accountable actions. It also inspired me to simply continue following this path. I intend to work with YES in the future when I am ready to pursue a new stage of my life and career.” 11
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE With support from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED-Q), the regional Development Initiative continues to implement English-language entrepreneurship services within the regions of Quebec. With the completion of the Regional Development of English Languages Entrepreneurial Services report, YES was able to use the community’s recommendations to launch its online services province-wide and pilot an on-site service delivery model in the Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-madeleine. YES partnered with the Council for Social Action (CASA) a non-profit community organization dedicated to serving the English-speaking population of the Gaspé Coast, by representing the community’s interests and designing and delivering programs that respond to its needs. Within the year, YES provided 6 on-site visits to the region which included the town of Gaspé, New Carlisle and New Richmond. With the success of the pilot on the Gaspé Coast, an additional on-site service delivery model was developed in Quebec City with the support of Voice of English Speaking Quebec (VEQ), a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of a dynamic English-speaking community in the Greater Quebec and Chaudière-Appalaches regions and to the promotion of its interests. Together with the online and on-site entrepreneurship support services, YES and its community partners collectively impact the vitality of communities across Quebec by assisting aspiring and existing entrepreneurs grow or start their business. In the past year: • YES provided access to speciality coaching, legal and accounting clinics, custom workshops and its annual entrepreneurship conference online. • Regional clients have received 244 business coaching sessions as well as participated 227 times in our day or evening workshops. • YES conducted 15 outreach visits across the province to provide on-site business coaching and workshops. • YES has supported 202 active regional entrepreneurs resulting in 54 businesses being created or grown.
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM Our “Pay It Forward” Mentorship Program aims to facilitate the transfer of skills and wisdom from an experienced professional (a mentor) to a less-experienced individual (a mentee). The YES Mentorship Program assists the transition from school to work or self-employment through the transferring of knowledge from mentor to mentee. This year, YES successfully matched 25 mentees with mentors.
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YES FUNDERS & PARTNERS
THE JOHN DOBSON FOUNDATION • THE HAY FOUNDATION • THE HYLCAN FOUNDATION THE TAUBEN FOUNDATION • THE ZELLER FAMILY FOUNDATION
STATEMENT OF REVENUE & EXPENDITURES 2013
2012
Grants $1,333,599
$1,185,352
For the year ending March 31
REVENUE Donations and Fundraising Events
$171,681
$183,316
$52,582
$66,811
Conferences $36,333
$43,739
Workshops and Services Interest
$3,891
$2,276
$1,598,086
$1,481,494
EXPENDITURES
$1,182,815
$997,651
$100,524
$96,941
$81,190
$80,996
$1,463
$3,075
Regional Project
$16,948
$47,367
Women in Technology Project
$21,780
–
Advertising/Promotion
$60,115
$59,918
Workshops and Services
$26,780
$23,887
Conferences
$46,627
$46,738
Fundraising
$34,253
$40,643
Sales Tax
$29,491
$27,991
Amortization
$17,817
$13,560
$5,011
$6,013
$1,624,814
$1,444,780
($26,728)
$36,714
Salaries and Fringe Benefits Rent Office Administration Professional Fees - database and website
Bank Interest and Charges
Excess of Revenue over Expenditures
A copy of the audited financial statements is available upon request.
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