The HealthKick Huron program is ending after a failed last ditch effort to get support from Huron County and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The program began in 2005 under the Huron Business Development Corporation to help encourage medical graduates to work in the county.
HealthKick helped 226 residents train, graduate, and be certified as registered practical nurses, personal support workers, food service workers and pharmacy technicians through 1,700 instructional hours .
Over 130 rural youth were given work experience with local healthcare employers, and 341 youth got an in depth look into rural healthcare during the annual summer camp, and one day Spectrum forum.
“My business certainly benefited from it as many HealthKick participants are still working with me," says local pharmacist Michael Ibrahim. “The program was very successful in keeping young healthcare candidates in the county and it is a shame to say goodbye to it.”
Another 5,000 students were introduced to healthcare opportunities during class visits and career fairs.
“Six of my careers students attended Spectrum and came back with glowing accounts," says AMDSB teacher Kelly Payne. “As a result, all six job-shadowed at the local hospital, loved it, and now want to do a co-op placement there next year. Spectrum certainly sparked a movement and planted the seeds that has quickly grown into a keen interest in healthcare.”
Through some financial and administrative support from the Foundation for Education Perth Huron, Spectrum is developed and lead by HealthKick.
Project Manager Laura Overholt says it has been a wonderful ten year project, and they can be very proud of its impact on the community.
“Gateway has made remarkable progress with the help of HealthKick summer students," states Gwen Devereaux, president of Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health. “When we see a provincial and national award winning project that has been a fabulous youth retention and recruitment strategy in rural healthcare not receive adequate funding to continue it breaks our hearts.”
