ThirdQuarter News Stories
Spreading the Word
"I only have good things to say about ThirdQuarter."
Janice Sherry,
P.E.I. minister of Community Services,
Seniors and Labour
Prince Edward Island Minister Janice Sherry believes ThirdQuarter is the whole package and she's spreading the word.
At a meeting in Hamilton, Ont., in late June with federal, territorial and provincial ministers responsible for seniors, the P.E.I. minister of Community Services, Seniors and Labour made a presentation.
Sherry highlighted innovative projects in her community aimed at improving the wellness, productivity and lifelong learning of older adults.
ThirdQuarter, which has a pilot in Summerside, was one of those projects.
"I only have good things to say about ThirdQuarter," Sherry said in a recent interview.
"Really and truly, I think that for us and the East Prince Seniors Initiative (EPSI), it has been an extremely positive portion of the program."
EPSI is a non-profit organization that opened a storefront location last year in a local recreation facility. Working with numerous partners, EPSI offers a central information point for residents to learn about community services and programs.
ThirdQuarter's community co-ordinator visits the centre to pass on information about the national pilot project.
Sherry said her counterparts at the Hamilton meeting were interested in learning more about ThirdQuarter.
"It really caught everybody's attention," she said. "Afterwards, people were asking me how it works, who would be the contact person.
"They just thought it was very impressive to have a program that engages employers and seniors who are looking to supplement their income and still give back to the working community, not just through volunteerism, but through paid employment."
She likes that ThirdQuarter considers a person's range of skills gained from work, life, hobbies and volunteerism when it connects them to employers.
"I really feel that a lot of the skills that people have acquired in their life are still valuable," she said.
"It's not just about whether or not you can type. It's also about work ethic, all those types of qualities that people gather through various aspects of their life as well – dependability, professionalism, working as a team."
She also recognizes the mentorship mature adults can bring to the workforce.
"A lot of our older workers have developed such wonderful skills through their life experiences, and those are skills that are sometimes the things that need to be honed in our younger people," Sherry said.
"When you have older employees who exemplify the job of working, who take pride in being on time, who take pride in delivering excellent service or product, all of those things are then taught to younger people who may be just coming into the workforce."
Seniors are one of the fastest growing segments of the population on Prince Edward Island, representing 15.3 per cent of the population. In Summerside, the second largest community located in Prince County, seniors represent 17.3 per cent of the population.
Sherry said many people from P.E.I. have a background in the military or moved away. They're returning to the island to retire at a younger age than in the past and are more active, healthy and want to contribute to their community.
ThirdQuarter can help them do that while benefitting local businesses.
"It fills a niche for some employers who perhaps are looking to just have somebody work a couple of days a week, maybe not looking for necessarily permanent full-time employment," she said.
"So it gives the opportunity for the employer to hone in and capitalize on some of the skills and the willingness that are in our retired people, and also then in turn it gives them an opportunity to get out and still stay connected in their community through viable work."
The ministers concluded their meeting agreeing to focus on four priorities: the needs of seniors in the areas of housing and transportation; identifying and helping to prevent elder abuse, especially financial abuse; promoting active participation in the community through employment or volunteering and improving access to government services and benefits.
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Archives
November 2011
October 2011
- ThirdQuarter is a Great Resource
- National Seniors Council Report to Federal Government Promotes ThirdQuarter
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
- ThirdQuarter Presents Inaugural Employer Recognition Certificate
- ThirdQuarter Launches in Portage la Prairie
May 2011
- ThirdQuarter Fills Hiring Needs
- ThirdQuarters Are Reliable and Flexible
- ThirdQuarter Fills a Niche and Needs
- You Talked. We Acted.
- Portage la Prairie Launch Postponed
- ThirdQuarter 2.0 to be released May 17
April 2011
- ThirdQuarters Have Talent for Tutoring
- A Refreshing Change
- Bill Denyar - President - Atlantic Chambers of Canada
March 2011
- When Jim King talks about transferable skills, he speaks from experience
- Wanting a ThirdQuarter Encore
February 2011
- ThirdQuarter Hires Make an Impact
- ThirdQuarter Hires Make an Impact
- Steve McLellan - CEO - Saskatchewan Chambers of Commerce
- Don Anderson found his perfect match in ThirdQuarter
January 2011
- Office of Literacy and Essential Skills
Bureau de l'alphabétisation et des compétences essentielles
