A full house of youngsters, elders, art enthusiasts and some of Toronto’s emerging singers, poets, rappers and dancers united on January 26 at York Woods Library to celebrate Freedom Fridayz’s seventh anniversary.Many artists including C-Flava, a dance group specializing in Afro-Caribbean dance, inspired five live painters to create full canvas paintings in a matter of hours. The live performances showcased the incredible talent that we are fortunate to have in the Jane-Finch community.“Freedom Fridayz is always dope and it’s a good environment that supports the youth”, says Sheldon, one of the young community members.Freedom Fridayz is an initiative of Black Creek Community Health Centre and The Spot, a youth-friendly space in the Jane Finch Mall.During the Freedom Fridayz showcase, Passport to Employment (PTE) held their Ontario Trillium Foundation Recognition event, acknowledging three years of funding for a youth employment project.Neighbourhood Action Youth Employment Committee (NAYEC), a collaboration of community and employment organizations, recognized the need to increase the employability of youth in Jane-Finch. Passport to Employment (PTE), a project of NAYEC, was created to tackle the issue of youth unemployment.Sheldon believes the program is important for young people, saying, “The Passport to Employment program doesn’t leave anyone behind. That’s what I like about it.”PTE works with five high schools in the Jane-Finch/Black Creek area which includes C.W. Jefferys, Westview, Downsview, Emery and McGuigan. Youth participate in training sessions to learn skills in a fun and interactive way. The trainings include customer service, food handling, HIGH FIVE and first aid/CPR.PTE also serves youth between the ages of 15 and 29 who are out-of-school and out-of-work, assisting them with Smart Serve, fork lifting, first aid and food handling training. The program also offers job readiness workshops to assist youth with their online job applications, resume writing and interview skills.The project is dedicated to increasing future economic opportunity and stability for high school students and out-of-school and out-of-work youth in the Jane-Finch community.For more information, contact Faduma Mohamed at 416-747-5616 ext. 106, or at pte.coordinator@gmail.com.