Train for Trades staff complete several training courses that are required for their COR™ certification. These include Standard First Aid, Fall Protection, WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), Power-line Hazard, Ramset, Asbestos Abatement and Fire Extinguisher training. These courses are taught at the Carpenters Millwrights College and are the same courses the youth take when beginning work.

T4T staff also complete training required by Choices for Youth including: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), which is taught by staff at C4Y and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community (LGBTQ) training, which are taught by community members.  Other training is completed based on the interests of the staff.

Homeless Hub Thoughts:

While most staff employed at Train for Trades and other youth-serving agencies are usually graduates of a college or university program for Child and Youth Workers (or a similar field of study) it is important that certain training is provided centrally for all staff. This helps create a unified perspective and can explain how a specific issue or area is dealt with by the agency. While colleges and universities cover the topics generally, the agency can drill down on a specific topic and explain its relevance to staff.

We recommend that agencies working with homeless or at-risk youth offer training on as many of the following topics as possible with a specific focus on youth:

• Homelessness 101 (with a specific focus on homeless youth)
• Standard First Aid and CPR
• Harm Reduction
• Working with People with Mental Health Issues/Addictions/Concurrent Disorders
• Motivational Interviewing
• Trauma Informed Care/Service Provision
• Working with Victims of Violence
• Self-Care for People in Helping Professions/Stress Management
• Case Management (and specific training on any case management software or tools)
• Training on any theories or approaches used by the agency
• Communication and Active Listening
• Conflict Resolution
• LGBTQ and Gender Non-Conformity
  • Crisis Response and Management
  • Non-Violent Crisis Intervention
  • Understanding and Managing Aggressive Behaviour
  • Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression
  • Suicide Risk Assessment/Intervention or ASIST
  • Foundations to Criminal Justice
  • Measuring Success/Evaluation Strategies
  • Sex Workers and Victims of Human Trafficking

Job-specific training (such as the safety training T4T has their staff complete) is also important. Other trainings may be relevant as well depending on an individual’s role within the staff team (i.e. leadership, supervision, team-building). The Toronto Hostels Training Centre provides a very in-depth list of courses available.