COMMUNITY & EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL PLAN Catchment #58 Stephanie Masun 2015
Table of Contents HVI COMMUNITY & EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL PLAN 2015...3 Summary... 3 HVI Community and Employer Partnership Plan Overview... 3 HVI Community and Employer Partnership Plan Goals... 4 Collaboration Partnerships and Community Links... 5 Partner Organizations...5 Community Linkages Established Presence and Reputation in the Community...5 Services for Specialized Populations...6 Employer Partnerships & Engagement...6 Stakeholders & Target Audiences...7 Area Demographics Communities within Catchment #58...7 Regional Opportunities and Challenges The Local Labour Market...7 Strategies & Approaches... 8 Skills for Labour Market Success Training & Opportunity Alignment...8 Accessible & Responsive Employment and Labour Market Programs and Services Engagement & Awareness...9 Partnering to Address Labour Market Needs Increasing Community Partnerships...9 Proactive Programs and Services Enhancing Information Sharing & Collaboration.. 10 Responsiveness Addressing Labour Market Changes... 11 Communication... 12 Marketing... 12 Evaluation of CEP and Measured of Success... 13 Evaluation of Stakeholder Experience & Engagement... 13 2014 Outcomes... 13 Monitoring... 14 Closing Remarks... 14 Contact Information... 15 Page 2
HVI COMMUNITY & EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL PLAN 2015 Summary has been successfully delivering the Employment Program of British Columbia for Catchment 58, Ashcroft since April 2012; and has been building many excellent, mutually beneficial relationships with clients, service organizations and businesses. Our client centered services are designed to assist unemployed individuals prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment by providing them with services such as employment counselling, instruction in job search techniques, and Labour Market information. Our goal is to empower clients to take charge of their job search by equipping them with the tools necessary to organize, present and promote themselves effectively to prospective employers. Our mission is to ensure that the services appropriate to the needs of the communities we serve are facilitated according to contract objectives and that outstanding, professional services are provided through these contracts. Our vision is to exercise innovative thinking and approaches to all our services that result in financially viable programs which meet client needs. Our values include being client focused, essential, and relevant by adapting to the individual needs of our clients to produce their employment objectives. HVI Community and Employer Partnership Plan Overview The Community and Employer Partnership plan identifies effective communication channels with stakeholders, supports timely reporting of local Labour Market information, and ensures a coordinated approach with community based organizations and employers to promote sustainable community and Labour Market attachments. HVI commits to collaborate, coordinate and network with community organizations and employers to increase opportunities for employment and work experience within Catchment 58, Ashcroft communities. This commitment is documented in the Community and Employer Partnership Plan as specific goals for the 2015/16 year; including priorities documented in the Labour Page 3
Market Development Agreement (LMDA) Annual Plan for British Columbia 1, and the identification of key stakeholders, strategies, approaches, actions, and measures for success. British Columbia s Labour Market Priorities for 2014/15: 1. Investing in training to better align British Columbians with sustainable job opportunities and meet employer needs 2. Continual development of strategies to engage all British Columbians, including underrepresented groups 3. Continue partnering with local communities and organizations to further develop community based partnerships across the province 4. Enhance EPBC program supports through continued improvement of research and innovation, measurement and reporting capabilities. HVI Community and Employer Partnership Plan Goals The goals of the Community and Employer Partnership Plan are to serve clients, local area employers and organizations within the larger community. HVI aims to support British Columbia s Labour Market Priorities and strengthen the Labour Market by remaining responsive in delivering programs and services which align skills training opportunities with local Labour Market requirements: Identifying and assessing client skills and funded training opportunities to correspond with Labour Market opportunities and employer needs Working to develop strategies to respond to the unique and individual needs of the communities including Specialized Populations (underrepresented groups) within the catchment Promoting community based partnerships and establishing employer and community solutions and activities to address local Labour Market needs Targeting proactive, responsive programs and services to address local Labour Market changes in a timely manner, reporting successes and sharing information These goals will be carried out through implementing approaches as outlined in the following sections of the plan and incorporating four key principles: Collaboration Responsiveness Communication Evaluation 1 The Labour Market Development Agreement Plan for British Columbia 2014/15 can be found here and is the most current plan available June 2015. Page 4
Collaboration Partnerships and Community Links As an EPBC contractor, HVI commits to collaborate, coordinate and network with community organizations, employers, industry sectors, and training institutions to work together; effectively increasing employment and work experience opportunities within Catchment 58, Ashcroft communities. Through contracts with four community based Service Providers, HVI enhances client services; providing supplemental and additional support to specialized populations, maintaining the integrity of the EPBC one stop concept. Partner Organizations HVI partners with the following organizations as identified as Approved Service Providers in their EPBC contract: Community Futures Sun Country Elizabeth Fry Society South Cariboo Canadian Mental Health Association Cariboo Chilcotin Branch Trabajo Consulting Community Linkages Established Presence and Reputation in the Community Horton Ventures has a strong background in working through economic and community hardships. Established partnerships and working relationships with employers, organizations and resource agencies respond to Labour Market changes and opportunities facilitating delivery of employment services in the Ashcroft area. HVI is well represented in the following groups: Aboriginal Training & Employment Centre Ashcroft Fall Fair Committee BC Corporate Program Advisory Committee BC Industry Training Authority Bonaparte Indian Band Bridging to Literacy British Columbia Construction Association & Skilled Trades Program Cache Creek Chamber of Commerce Clinton Economic Development Society High Bar First Nations Logan Lake Chamber of Commerce Lytton Chamber of Commerce Lytton First Nation School District 74 Village of Ashcroft Economic Development Office Page 5
Communication with groups is coordinated regularly. Outcomes and involvements are reported through EPBC Quarterly Marketing Report submissions. Services for Specialized Populations HVI identifies the need to address requirements of Specialized Populations 2 in this catchment. Targeted resources including itinerant services, specific software, modified workspaces and multilingual staff, case management, and referrals are available and are monitored for effectiveness. Additionally, HVI advocates for staff continuing education and encourages professional development to aide in building a supportive environment across the catchment and province. In moving forward with addressing the needs of Specialized Populations in this catchment, HVI is dedicated to engaging clients to determine satisfaction levels with services and experiences through evaluative processes and reports. Employer Partnerships & Engagement Employers are invited to participate in HVI open house, job fair and community events to collaborate and share information. These forums provide a venue for serving employer needs through identifying labour shortfalls and skills deficits, and highlight EPBC program and service solutions. Services continue to include free job postings, meeting rooms for interviews and recruitment, access to resources and supports through HVI WorkBC Employer Services. HVI initiated the first stage of the HVI Employer Engagement Strategy in November 2014 to measure engagement with HVI services, awareness of EPBC programs and HVI s annual Community and Employer Partnership plan, with stages two and three planned for implementation throughout 2015. Outcomes will assist in determining 2016 communication strategies and approaches to achieve partnership and engagement goals Services continue to include free job postings, meeting rooms for interviews and recruitment, access to resources and employer supports HVI posted 137 jobs for 59 employers over 2014 in catchment 58 2 Specialized Populations (or Specialized Population Groups) include Aboriginal people, new immigrants, mature workers, people with disabilities, women in non-traditional occupations, youth, people with barriers to employment, Francophones, those living in rural and remote areas and survivors of violence or abuse more information can be found here. Page 6
Stakeholders & Target Audiences Stakeholders and target audiences in Catchment 58 (Ashcroft, Clinton and surrounding area): Job Seekers, Managed and Non Case Managed clients Specialized Populations Employers Business Partners Ministry of Social Development & Ministry of Jobs, Tourism, Skills Training and Responsible for Labour Staff and Sub Contractors Training Institutions Area Demographics Communities within Catchment #58 Ashcroft Village is located 10 kilometers from Cache Creek on Highway 97C. Ashcroft is a thriving community with its economy based in mining, forestry, ranching, transportation services and tourism. With a population of 1,664 (2006 Census), the village itself covers 51.45 sq. km. Median age is 53.1 years with approximately 7% of its residents of Aboriginal descent. The Ashcroft Indian Band has four reserves hosting 245 Registered Aboriginals and the Skeetchestn Indian Band is home to 484 First Nations people (figures not included in the population data from the 2006 Census). This office serves the region s populations from Clinton to Logan Lake and including Lytton. Major Economic activities in the Ashcroft Catchment area include: Mining Tourism & Hospitality Forestry Waste management Ranching Healthcare Transportation Services Regional Opportunities and Challenges The Local Labour Market Catchment area 58 supports a region comprised of numerous small towns serviced by the centre of Ashcroft. Residents and employers of the area face several accessibility challenges imposed by environment, rural living, internet limitations, access to information, and long commutes. Healthcare, trades, transportation and equipment operation related industries are dominant Labour Market sectors providing employment for this region. HVI staff monitor local job posting trends and job seeker skill sets to maintain current Labour Market information on opportunities and shortfalls. Page 7
Itinerant services provide additional community outreach, access to programs and services, face to face communication, and community linkages with rural employers, supporting local needs and ensuring access to EPBC services. Strategies & Approaches HVI has targeted specific strategies and approaches to meet plan deliverables by identifying the following areas; Skills for Labour Market Success, Accessible Labour Market Programs and Services, Partnering to Address Labour Market Needs and Promoting Labour Market Information Services. The HVI CEP will incorporate supports to enhance these important key elements in response to British Columbia s Labour Market Priorities in 2014/15 and emerging priorities for 2015/16. Throughout the year, HVI will connect with Community Service Providers and other Community Linkages to ensure that services and approaches are functional, effective and responsive to individual client and sector needs. Skills for Labour Market Success Training & Opportunity Alignment Goal Identifying and assessing client skills and funded training opportunities to correspond with Labour Market opportunities and employer needs. HVI Strategy Coordinate resources to assist in identifying skills gaps and opportunities to close them Approach Make evaluation tools available and offer assessments in-house to monitor skills and gaps Approach Offer career decision making resources and workshops to assist in sustainable alignments with Labour Market opportunities Approach Refer to community service providers for basic skills development, offer basic skills development opportunities in-house Approach Offer and refer to Employer services ( HVI job postings and volunteer postings, Customized Employment services, Opportunities Fund, Job Match, Get Youth Working, TOWES testing, Wage Subsidy and Job Creation Partnership coordination) to assist in identifying opportunities, increase skill levels, and address Labour Market needs Strategy Facilitate access to and awareness of training opportunities and sector needs through collaboration and relationship building Approach Identify skills training and development resources and opportunities Approach Maintain training and education resources in the ESC Self Serve area Page 8
Approach Promote Provincial online resources and publications like BC s Skills for Jobs Blueprint and the WorkBC website, trades and apprenticeship information and applications Approach Conduct Employer Engagement strategies to increase communications to assist in aligning programs and services with emerging Labour Market needs Accessible & Responsive Employment and Labour Market Programs and Services Engagement & Awareness Goal- Working to develop strategies to respond to the unique and individual needs of the communities including Specialized Populations (underrepresented groups) within the catchment. HVI Strategy Coordinate with partners, community service providers and Province to maintain awareness of current employment programs and services Approach Liaise with APA and CAPA on community networks and opportunities, participate at CPAC meetings and collaborations Approach Communicate internally, and externally with Community Linkages on opportunities and resources to maintain responsive and client centered approaches Approach Host Partners meetings, include as agenda item, to encourage partnerships that assist underrepresented groups achieve success in Labour Market attachments Approach Ensure that information links to WorkBC, Canada Job Grant, Matching Canadian to Available Jobs and HVI EPBC locations are accessible in HVI resource centres Strategy Increase awareness of employment and Labour Market programs and services Approach Promote and market services and programs to community, clients and employers Approach Refer eligible clients and organizations to available programs and services to match skills with Labour Market needs Approach Provide access to information through a toll free number and web resources Approach Provide itinerant, satellite and online services to maintain accessibility for rural/remote populations and underrepresented groups Approach Monitor and report outcomes to ensure services and programs achieve client and employer success in matching Labour Market needs with skills development Partnering to Address Labour Market Needs Increasing Community Partnerships Goal Promoting community based partnerships and establishing employer and community solutions and activities to address local Labour Market needs. Page 9
HVI Strategy Identify local and regional Labour Market trends and needs of Employers and Organizations Approach Monitor regionally, provincially and nationally (externally) produced statistics Approach Monitor locally posted job openings and trends (employer skill requirements & job seeker skill sets) Approach Identify gaps and correlations in local skill levels and employer needs Approach Assist in local coordination and implementation of Job Creation Partnerships and Labour Market Partnerships Strategy Encourage communication with community and employer partnerships to address Labour Market tends and emerging issues Approach Expand employer services and employer engagement strategies to increase awareness and use of program to mitigate staffing and skills shortfalls and staffing reductions Approach Communicate trends with community through local meetings, round table discussions and existing communication channels to address employer needs and forge partnerships Approach Make the HVI CEP available to local organizations and job seekers to assist in strengthening Labour Market and employment outcomes Strategy Make local and regional Labour Market Information easy to find and accessible to stakeholders Approach Increase resources in self-serve area Approach Maintain paper copies of resources Approach Communicate resources and opportunities to target audiences Approach Promote services to improve Labour Market participation at the community level Proactive Programs and Services Enhancing Information Sharing & Collaboration Goal Targeting proactive, responsive programs and services to address local Labour Market changes in a timely manner, reporting successes and sharing information. HVI Strategy Identify opportunities for continuous development of local area Labour Market Information Services Approach Communicate with Employers about local LMI collected through Employer Engagement strategies Approach Seek out new partnerships and linkages to access emerging Labour Market information Approach Offer information sharing tools like the HVI job and volunteer posting services Approach Promote EPBC programs and services to increase accessibility to information Page 10
Strategy Make Labour Market Information easy to understand and use at the community level Approach Develop audience specific communication tools for new and existing partners Approach Refer clients to LMI workshops and resources in the community and ESC self serve area Approach Conduct LMI workshops for Clients and address LMI as a Special Topic through Employer services Approach Promote use of the WorkBC website as a source of up to date Labour Market information Strategy Partner at the community level to develop relevant services, continue information sharing and report outcomes Approach Engage with local business and community partners regularly encouraging consultation and feedback Approach Distribute copies of the CEP to community linkages and program partners and make it available through the HVI website Approach Report outcomes and success stories Approach Evaluate service quality and feedback Responsiveness Addressing Labour Market Changes In support of the BC Jobs Plan, and in recognition of local area Labour Market resources and trends, will be prepared to respond to workforce expansions and reductions in conjunction with local employer and worker needs. Workforce Expansions: Human Resource Supports Through Case Management and Resource Area staffing, HVI can accurately identify job seekers with the skills that Employers require for short term needs and long term solutions. Venue HVI provides space to accommodate meetings, interviews, specialized training, tutoring and skills development. Employer Services Establishing and building relationships with employers by offering information sessions, organizing guest speakers and supporting labour force changes. Opportunities Through the monitoring of local Labour Market trends, the ESC can identify and communicate resources to job seekers that are up to date and fit with job seeker skill sets. Page 11
Workforce Reductions: Case Management In response to changes in Major Industry production levels, employed persons working less than 20 hours per week can benefit from the full range of EPBC case managed services. Targeted Workshops Workshops are available to groups who are facing a change in their employment status, addressing the Programs and Services provided through the WorkBC ESC. Information The ESC refers to local Service Canada Representatives to deliver information on Service Canada Programs and Services such as Employment Insurance applications. Employer Services Establishing and building relationships with employers by offering information sessions, organizing guest speakers, preparing and submitting EPBC program and service information packages in support of labour force adjustments. Communication Communications objectives for the 2015/16 CEP Annual Plan and Annual Marketing Plan include the following key messages: Relevance of ESC collaboration with Community Partners Community Based Employment Service Supports and Labour Market Services Location and Services provided by the ESC HVI implemented an Employer Engagement Strategy in the fall of 2014 to directly engage employers with the CEP, measure the effectiveness of information channels, to gauge employer interest in EPBC programs and services and to gather local Labour Market information. This survey is ongoing through 2015 and includes face to face, phone engagement and online tools for information gathering and feedback. Marketing Marketing activities for the year will be reported quarterly, and follow a strategic plan. See the HVI 2015/16 Marketing Plan for full details. will continue to celebrate client successes in each Employment Services Centre, encouraging testimonials and documenting individual achievements on the Success Board. Collateral materials include: Page 12
Newsletters Fact Sheets Employer Engagement Surveys Information Packages Labour Market Information Statistics Website & Social Media Copy Success Stories Evaluation of CEP and Measured of Success CEP Plan Evaluation Outcome: Effective implementation Method: Continuous monitoring of responsibilities and implementations Measure of success: Strategy and Approach items implemented effectively Evaluation of Stakeholder Experience & Engagement Additional evaluative measures moving forward Client Satisfaction survey results Employer Engagement survey results CEP Awareness and Engagement survey results HVI is committed to evaluating client experiences and community and employer engagement through a series of surveys and internal reports. Feedback gained will support HVI in addressing service gaps and emerging client needs, remaining responsive and flexible as individual populations require. To gauge employer and community awareness and engagement in context to the Community and Employer Partnership plan, HVI has made the CEP available on its website and will continue to develop and conduct surveys to measure the effectiveness of the planned strategies and approaches. 2014 Outcomes HVI met its 2014 CEP goals and achieved regional deliverables including: Coordinating local Labour Market strategies between job seekers, employers, training providers and EPBC program components Increasing awareness of skills development opportunities at a local and regional level Page 13
Meeting target service levels: Serving over 390 3 clients since program start Successful marketing of EPBC program components Delivery of accessible, effective and high quality participant-centred programs Monitoring Review and adjust the 2014 CEP on an ongoing basis after initial submission: June 30, 2015. Additional changes and updates will occur as directed by HVI Management, the CAPA, and APA Requested changes will be addressed in a responsive and timely manner With review of additional Provincial resources as they become available LMDA Plan 2015/16 Closing Remarks strives for continuous success in its delivery of Employment Services to the people and communities of Catchment 58, Ashcroft; supporting employers and each client s individual employment goals, facilitating long term Labour Market attachments through the implementation of the Community and Employer Partnership Plan. HVI intends to remain responsive to emerging Provincial and local community objectives and is currently Participating fully with the Employment Program of British Columbia s Corporate Program Advisory Committee to assist in the development of the Province s Labour Market Development Agreement Plan priorities for 2014/15 Developing opportunities for training and skills development in support of Liquefied Natural Gas sector Labour Market needs and the BC Jobs Plan Adopting evaluative measures to reflect community participation and engagement with HVI s delivery of programs and services and with the Employment Program of British Columbia 3 As reported in the Employment Program of BC Monthly Report, March 2013. Monthly reports and archives can be accessed here. Page 14
Contact Information For more information please contact: Anny Horton, CEO 808 Alpine Ave. 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 250-395-8457 a.horton@hortonventures.com Copies of this plan are available online at www.hortonventures.com or in print through the Ashcroft WorkBC Employment Services Centre: Ashcroft Employment Services 124-4 th Street Ashcroft, BC V0K 1A0 (250) 453-9421 Approved by Anny Horton, CEO,, June 17, 2015 Page 15