Marvene Layte
Marvene Layte is a teacher, a mentor and a volunteer, because she believes in the potential of people to reach goals they never knew they could reach.
First with the PGNAETA and now with the Prince George Native Friendship Centre, Marvene facilitated youth and adults, assisting with the developing of life changes, developing foundation skills, adding of certifications, and helping participants find jobs in entry level, construction and trades.
She made connections across the business community at all levels to find meaningful roles for the participants of her programs.
She also served as an employment coordinator with GT Hiring Solutions, the Disability Counsellor for Employment Action.
As a teacher, Marvene developed a certification course for life skills coaches at the College of New Caledonia and is working on another course in the near future through her company Life on the Run Training.
She also was the instructor for a CNC course on human relations for administrative assistants. As a certified trainer, she is frequently called on to develop instructional courses on employment.
She has provided instruction on a variety of programs, everything from SuperHost, service excellence, fundraising, sex education, self-esteem strengthening, seniors with disabilities, to managing workplace conflicts and making workplaces suitable for staff with disabilities.
Away from the job, Marvene continues her work as an advocate for disadvantaged members of the community. She has served as executive director and treasurer of the OnTrac Independent Living Society, a persons with disabilities group.
She has also lent her efforts to the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres, the JET Program Advisory and Persons with Disability Council at CNC, the Housing for the Homeless Coalition and the City of Prince George's Special Needs Advisory Council.
Health is important to Marvene, as well. She has led fundraising and public relations efforts in the past to the Diabetes Association, the Kidney Foundation, the Cancer Society and the Arthritis Association.
She is a long-time leader and area captain for TOPS, the Take Off Pounds Sensibly group.
Finally, Marvene has a 30-year volunteer relationship with Girl Guides of Canada, from the five-year-old Sparks to the 12-year-old Guides.
In 2006, Marvene was the transportation supervisor for the national camp in Guelph, Ontario, along with working on various positions from public relations, training and facilitating.
A tireless advocate for many organizations working on meeting the needs of Prince George residents, to improve themselves and their lives, Marvene Layte is a superb and deserving nominee for the 2011 Citizen of the Year.
Published by The Prince George Citizen October 3rd, 2011
