New Gold is providing 100 thousand dollars in financial support for the new Quesnel Dakelh Education & Employment Society.
Karsten Henriksen, the Interim CEO, says the money will empower the society to move forward to meet the needs of it’s community members in a more timely manner…
“The resources will actually be used to help with some of our initial start-up costs but as well as helping us roll out with our intake and assessment strategy for community members.”
Henriksen says New Gold, like West Fraser, will have a representative on the Society’s board in the near future.
He says this is all part of a new approach to addressing education, training and employment needs for community members that include the Lhoosk’uz Dene Nation, the Lhtako Dene Nation and the Nazko Nation…
“There will be opportunities for community members to be employed in the mine if it does go forward. We’re hopeful that it does, but that being said, the society is looking at community members from a holistic perspective. So we’re looking at where they’re at today and where they want to be tomorrow and helping them to create a customized pathway to help them achieve those goals.”
Henriksen says the Society will be launching it’s office on Anderson Drive in West Quesnel in early November.