Growing up can be a hard process and most times during our youth, it’s nice to get some help to push us through the difficult times. When we moved to Naples, I had no prior work experience and with that, no hopes really at getting a regular job like back in Canada. Because of the YEP program, I was able to get a full-time job in a country where I don’t even speak the language. The YEP program provides the Canadian youth that are stationed in Europe with the opportunity to learn the basics about the working market as well as the basic tools and steps necessary to approach it. Because of the YEP, I got the chance to experience firsthand what it is like to be in a work environment. While working as a YEP participant, I learned what it is like to have a job and I realized just how unprepared I really was. The YEP offered me an environment in which I could learn and grow at the same time.
During my time with the YEP, I had the chance to experience two different types of “work” in a sense. For about half of my placement, I got to work in an office environment with a supervisor, a pretty typical workplace setting. For the remainder of my time, I had the chance to work from home which opened the possibility to work in a more independent fashion. Because of the time I spent alongside the NPF personnel, I personally believe that I have learned more about myself, from a worker’s perspective and the kind of workplace I want to join and/or create for myself one day.
Naples YEP participants Ian Graham and Joshua Nguyen. Photo by Sandra Nielsen
The YEP program is offered to youth across Europe. Following my experience, I would encourage all my peers who are eligible for the program to take advantage of this opportunity.