Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre:

The Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre embraces, supports, and continually strives to reflect the rich diversity of our community. We are committed to demonstrating leadership in an inclusive workforce that creates a welcoming, safe space for our clients where professional working relationships are built on respect. We also understand the importance of, and Canada’s reliance on, newcomers to grow our economy, therefore our programs and services include facilitating their successful settlement in our communities.

The Staff

The Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre's professional Employment Counselling staff are dedicated to assisting job seekers in meeting their career objectives either through employment or building on their education/training.

Our team of dedicated Employment Specialists connect with employers daily to determine the skills and hiring needs of business to grow their organizations. Through Government grants our Employment Specialist can offset the cost of on-the-job training and formalized third-party training to ensure employees have the skill set required to maintain a 'competitive edge' in a fast changing economy.

The Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre embraces the diversity of our community. We understand the importance and reliance of Canada on newcomers to grow our economy. We are committed to demonstrating leadership in an inclusive workforce.

Our highly skilled, educated professional staff of more than >45 individuals originating from over 15 international countries collectively speaking >20 languages.

Meet Maralyn Tassone. As the Executive Director of the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre for more than 30 years, Maralyn has successfully led a growing team in helping job seekers and employers achieve their goals. Nominated by MPP, Drummond White in 1994, Maralyn was presented with the Canada 125th Medal for community work.

Hear Executive Director, Maralyn Tassone, speak about the impact that the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre has on the well-being of the local economy and community.

Listen to Maralyn Tassone on Customer Service Excellence and the high exacting standard of achieving ISO Registration since 2004.

Maralyn Tassone recounts a brief history of the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre. Click here.

Meet the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre's Management Team.  

Sharon Neumann (left), Senior Manager, has successfully led the employment service team at DRUHC's Pickering location for more than twenty years.

Michelle Campbell (right), is the new Program Manager for the Oshawa location. Formerly Michelle has served clients and employers of DRUHC for over ten years, building important relationships with Employers as an Employment Specialist.

Julie Marleau-Soucy (left), Program Manager at DRUHC's Oshawa location. As the former manager of the Durham French Employment Centre, Julie brings much experience and a wealth of knowledge of the French community in Durham to her role at DRUHC.

Pam DeWilde (right) is Manager of the Pickering Welcome Centre. Pam has been with DRUHC since 2012.  In her role as Manager of the Welcome Centre, Pam is well situated to serve as a mentor, advocate and liaison for settlement services to newcomers, and to their families and friends.  She also participates in the community in a voluntary capacity on committees and boards with organizations dedicated to building inclusive communities and assisting refugees relocate to Canada.

Meet Olajide. Jide has served as an Employment Counsellor for Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre-Pickering since 2006. Either working one-on-one or through the facilitation of workshops Jide effectively helps job seekers realize their employment goals.

Hear Jide explain how client's mood shifts from a negative to a positive outlook within one hour or less of meeting with an employment counsellor as they learn of the resources, support and assistance they will receive as the return to work action plan is developed.

Meet David. David has held several key roles at the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre since 2005 including Workshop Facilitator, Career Coach, Employment Counsellor.

We asked David, "Why participate in Job Search Workshops?" Hear David’s response.