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NewfoundJOBS is about providing income support clients who are interested in and ready for work with support to meet their employment objectives. It provides both funding supports and intensive one-on-one employment and career counselling thus allowing people to identify and address the current barriers to employment they are facing. NewfoundJOBS uses social assistance funding to support people going to work.
NewfoundJOBS is designed to provide specialized employment and career counselling, in addition to financial support, to help people implement their employment plans. Once clients have completed their employment plans with the support of a Client Services Officer(CSO) and/or a Career Development Specialist, a flexible envelope of money will be allocated on an individual basis. This can be used to fund the various "steps to employment" outlined in their plans, such as short-term training, job vouchers, wage subsidies, etc. These supports will enable clients to make informed career choices based on practical experience.
NewfoundJOBS advances the province's Strategic Social Plan unveiled in August 1998.
Through NewfoundJOBS HRE will help lead the way in setting up effective partnerships with groups such as community economic development agencies to identify and facilitate employment creation.
Purpose of the NewfoundJOBS Approach
- To assist Income Support (IS) clients prepare for, attain and maintain long-term employment.
- To focus on the individualized client services management model of assisting clients through a range of services and where needed, funded interventions.
- To use departmental resources in a manner that maintains cost-neutrality to the Income Support account. The investment of funds from the Income Support Program should be offset by the savings realized through clients exiting the program.
- To assist participants through a range of supports from pre-employment programming to employment planning/counselling and a variety of active measures.
Additional Measures include:
- allowing individuals and families to keep more of their earnings,
- allowing income support recipients to keep the first $500 of their income tax refunds and
- extending drug card coverage for six months for clients who leave income support for employment purposes.
The following programs are open to unemployed and underemployed people in general, not specifically to social assistance recipients, although recipients are encouraged to avail of these additional supports:
Linkages
Linkages is a client centered youth employment initiative which welcomes the involvement of community based agencies in helping youth from a variety of educational and social backgrounds achieve their career and employment goals. Expected client outcomes are: return to complete academic upgrading; enter skills training; continued employment; or self-employment. Eligible participants are youth aged 18-24 who have not completed post-secondary training, have not made a successful transition to the the labour force and who are currently non-EI eligible.
Sponsoring community-based agencies offer biweekly individual or group counselling sessions on such topics as preparing for the first day on the job, workplace communications, job maintenance and extended sessions on career planning. Linkages provides a 100% wage subsidy to private and non-profit employers toward the starting salary for the occupation for up to 26 weeks, a maximum subsidy of $5,150 per position of which up to $470 is provided in the form of a "Completion Bonus" to be used toward the cost of tuition, books etc. The department contracts with the community-based agencies, which find and monitor the placements.
Graduate Employment Program
This program is targeted to graduates of post- secondary training to help facilitate their entry into the workforce by providing a wage subsidy of 60% of the starting salary to a maximum of $10,000 over 52 weeks. Individuals and businesses complete a separate application process; approved applicants are then matched with approved employer placements. Income Support recipients completing post-secondary training or who have completed post-secondary training in the past 24 months are advised of this program and encouraged to apply.
Student Work and Services Program (SWASP)
This program is designed to assist students who plan to attend or return to a post-secondary institution within the next year. Students work in career-related placements in their communities while earning salaries and tuition vouchers for future education. There is no claw-back from a participant's income support eligibility. There are two components of this program:
- paid work. This component is open to all residents of Newfoundland and Labrador including social assistance recipients. Individuals conduct their own job search for a placement with a private-sector employer. A wage subsidy of $2.50 per hour is provided to the employer for 5 to 14 weeks. At the end of the placement, individuals also receive a tuition voucher based on $50 for each week of employment.
- community services placement . This component is open to all residents of Newfoundland and Labrador and is delivered by the Community Services Council. Individuals conduct their own job search for a placement with a non-profit community-service organization or group. Individuals receive a $50 weekly stipend and, on completion of the eight-week placement, a $1,400 tuition voucher.
Student Employment Program (level 1,11,111)
This provincially funded program is designed to provide employment for high school students to help them prepare for post-secondary education.
Program
NewfoundJOBS
Description
NewfoundJOBS assists recipients of Income Support in obtaining employment. It is focused on youth(aged 29 and under) who are ready to earn - individuals who through supports and services available through HRE are more likely to make a successful attachment to the workforce.
Program Activities:
- Pre-employment programming:
- Life Skills
- Motivation/Self Esteem Building
- Behaviour/Attitude Change
- Available through community agencies funded through Human Resources and Employment to provide these services.
- Employment planning/counselling:
- Job Search
- Resume Writing
- Employment Counselling
- Labour Market Information
- Active Measures:
- Wage Subsidy
- Work Supports
- Short Term Training
- Placement Support Allowance
Program Design and Implementation
The Department of Human Resources and Employment will utilize Client Services Management in the delivery of all services designed to assist clients achieve self-sufficiency. It will apply the Client Services Management Approach using the following guiding principles:
Client Services Management will:
- be client-centred.
- be viewed as a means to enhance service quality.
- be used as the foundation of a cooperative relationship between the client and the service provider.
- function in a partnership environment within the community while strictly adhering to the principles of confidentiality of client information.
- seek to eliminate duplication of services offered by Human Resources and Employment and its partners in the community.
- provide a means to determine results for the accountability framework by identifying which clients have benefited from Human Resources and Employment investment and require long term tracking to calculate Savings to the Income Support Account.
Client Management Services are directed to specific clients who meet the eligibility criteria for a given intervention including:
- wage subsidies,
- summer programs,
- work supports; and
- Human Resources and Employment funded initiatives delivered by third party agencies.
Anyone who meets the eligibility criteria as defined by a specific active measure will be followed under one or more of the elements of Client Services Management.
Core Elements
To facilitate the progressive movement of clients through a continuum of services, Employment and Career Services will apply a three-element system entitled Client Services Management or CSM.
The three elements will provide structure to the client flow and permit the appropriate level of supports to be targeted to clients. The elements, which are not mutually exclusive, are described as follows:
- includes the basic monitoring systems, either paper or electronic, that:
- track clients and provide useful information to Human Resources and Employment,
- analyse individual or collective client data for identifying, planning, evaluation, and accountability purposes.
Essentially Employment and Career Services staff use these systems:
- to identify potential clients,
- confirm eligibility,
- determine duration on Income Support, and
- track reductions of or termination from Income Support.
Tracking and Monitoring
- begins with Identification and Referral and continues to the point where a successful transition has been achieved and/or independence from Income Support is confirmed.
- is applied to Income Support clients and Employment and Career Services clients not in receipt of Income Support. All programs and services that fall into the "Range of Measures" offered by Employment and Career Services are subject to some form of Service Coordination.
Service Coordination:
- includes paper files, the Employment and Career Services Program database in Winframe, and Codes used for various supports to Income Support and Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities clients.
- begins with the Enhanced Screening and Assessment. The data capture process used for the Enhanced Screening and Assessment is part of Service Coordination.
- currently consists of:
- preliminary career-related assessments,
- wage subsidy contracts,
- training interventions,
- employment supports, and
- electronic financial monitoring systems that are used in the administration and delivery of Employment and Career Services funds.
- utilizes all the information sources and the tools described under Tracking and Monitoring within its function; and
- coordinates the delivery of a range of measures that are the primary responsibility of the Client Services Officer.
Intensive Planing
- begins at the point where a client meets with a Career Development Specialist and enters into the (CAP) process.
- requires that:
- "the client is the manager of their own plan" and
- the Career Development Specialist use the tools available through the Collaborative Action Plan methodology while drawing on Service Coordination and Tracking and Monitoring to facilitate the clients progression towards financial independence.
- Includes both Tracking and Monitoring and Service Coordination within its function
- coordinates the delivery of a range of measures within the Collaborative Action Planning Process.
- is the exclusive responsibility of the Career Development Specialist/Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities worker.
Descriptors of Client Flow Elements
Below are a series of descriptors of key elements of client services and active measures. The descriptors briefly describe these elements and how they relate to Client Services Management.
Career and Employment Information Services
- Career and Employment Information Services are not subject to Client Services Management as are the other elements of client flow. Individual clients who use the services provided by the Career Development Specialists at the Newfoundland and Labrador Work Information Network are not subject to tracking or monitoring. However it should be noted that a client who is engaged in Intensive Planning with a Career Development Specialist may be referred to some service or activity offered by Career and Employment Information Services and the Career Development Specialist will capture that activity as part of Client Services Management.
Identification and Referral
- Includes all processes that identify potential clients for the programs and services offered by Employment and Career Services.
- These processes include:
- self-referrals,
- targeted identification through database analysis,
- identification through application for Income Support, and
- application for specific active measures such as wage subsidy programs.
These forms of identification and referral occur primarily during intake when information is gathered for determination of eligibility for Income Support. For Employment and Career Services these types of initial client contacts fall under Tracking and Monitoring.
Enhanced Screening and Assessment
- The Enhanced Screening and Assessment(ESA) is a process which:
- seeks to match interested clients with appropriate services.
- involves a directed interview of the client by Human Resources and Employment field staff that determines the service needs of the client.
- describes a successful Enhanced Screening and Assessment as one in which the outcome is a referral decision with client concurrence.
- is the beginning of Service Coordination and
- is primarily the responsibility of the Client Services Officer.
Collaborative Action Planning
- Collaborative Action Planning (CAP) is a process which:
- ensures the provision of effective employability/career counselling services to individuals experiencing labour market difficulties
- ensures the documentation of such services.
- ensures that clients play an active role in identifying and resolving their own problems.
- uses an approach of empowering clients to take responsibility for their decisions.
- is synonymous with the Intensive Planning element of Client Service Management and;
- is the exclusive responsibility of the Career Development Specialist.
Range of Active Measures
- The range of active measures describes the various interventions that Human Resources and Employment will deploy to assist clients achieve financial independence from Income Support.
- These measures include;
- Pre-Employment Training ( Third party ),
- Long Term Training,
- Short Term Training,
- Self-Employment Initiatives,
- Employment Supports,
- Employment Measures wage subsidies,
- External Counselling Services, and
- Work Orientation
- All the above active measures (except the SWASP, Graduate, Seasonal and Employment Generation Programs which will use review committees as the primary method of determining the appropriate of the client and employer match) require that an Enhanced Screening and Assessment be completed.
- All active measures are subject to coordination of services and are the primary responsibility of Client Services Officer.
Transitional Phase
- After participating in one or more of the various active measures, a successful client will obtain gainful employment without any subsidy from Human Resources and Employment. At this point the client has entered a transitional phase.
- For many clients long term success is dependent upon their first couple of years experience in non-subsidized employment. It is essential that Human Resources and Employment encourage clients to avail of its services when they experience problems in maintaining their job. The duration of the transitional phase will depend on the level of client need and Human Resources and Employment involvement will be guided by the particular maintenance issue.
- The transitional phase is a part of service coordination.
Independence From Income Support
- When a client has been employed in a non-subsidized placement for a period of two years he/she is deemed to have successfully completed the transition and are independent of Income Support. This particular outcome is significant for accountability purposes as savings to the Income Support Account can be calculated through effective tracking and monitoring.
- In order for Client Services Management to be truly effective, the guiding principles and key elements must be communicated to community partners who serve mutual clients. This will promote the use of a common language in the coordination of services to clients.
Within the range of active measures funded by Human Resources and Employment, the Employment and Career Services Division contracts with a variety of third party agencies to provide counselling services, pre-employment training and employment measures. Client Services Management must be applied to these contractual relationships in a way that reflects the specific services offered and the intended outcomes for mutual clients. Due to the variance in these relationships and the clients served it will be necessary to define who is the primary manager of Client Services. A good rule of thumb would be to base this decision on who originated the referral to the community service and whether the referral is part of a larger plan. In all instances Human Resources and Employment and the agency must establish a relationship that is reflective of the Guiding Principles of Client Services Management outlined above.
Funding and Program Costs
Funding is available for the following program components:
Short-term Training
- the cost of application fees for clients - where not covered through student aid.
Generally, a person would have conducted a job search and identified an employer who will hire them but they need a short term training course in order to secure the job, eg., first aid training or a survival course.
NewfoundJOBS Short Term Training Component Guidelines
I. Definition of Short Term Training
Short term training relates to training that is not covered under the Student Loan Program. Training must be directly linked to immediate employment needs of the individual. Normally a person would have conducted a job search and identified an employer who will hire them. The individual needs some special training in order to secure the job. For example: a two day Red Cross Life Saving Course; or a two week Survival Course needed to qualify for work in the off shore marine or oil industry.
As the Student Loan Program does not normally fund training of 12-weeks or less, requests may be received for such courses as truck driver training and heavy equipment operator. These courses are expensive and labour market statistics show an excess of trained truck drivers and heavy equipment operators.
Each case will have to be considered on its own merit taking into account
- cost of training;
- employment opportunity identified;
- mobility (willingness to seek/accept employment beyond local geographic area);
- consultation with Human Resources Development Canada regarding labour market information and job openings related to specific training.
II. Expenses Related to the Commencement of Training
The following items may be included as eligible items which can be approved as part of an individual's return to work plan:
- registration/application fees
- tuition for training not covered by Student Loan Program
- cost of an exam or pre-testing required as an entrance requirement
- books and equipment necessary to complete training
- special protective clothing
Work Supports
These type of supports would be directly associated with the client's work placement. Examples of general items which would be covered under work supports include:
- special clothing required for a particular job
- tools required for a job
- mobility assistance - clients will be eligible for assistance with transportation costs of travelling to training or a job within the province*. The assistance will cover the associated costs of the client only.
- work orientation
*Note: Out of province mobility assistance may be approved by Regional Manager, information on any approvals must be forwarded to the Director of Employment and Career Services.
Wage Subsidies
A flexible wage subsidy is available for clients; however, the wage subsidy should not normally exceed 50% of the hourly wage rate for private sector employers and 60% of the hourly wage rate for non-profit employers.
The period and the percentage of the subsidy will be negotiated between the employer and Human Resources and Employment officials based on the following:
- the employment action plan;
- the employer needs;
- the funding available;
- the value the work experience will offer the client;
- how much time the employer needs to determine suitability of the individual and to hire them full-time without subsidy;
- the local prevailing wage rate; and
- new, incremental jobs.
- employers must demonstrate the commitment and the capacity to retain an individual when the subsidy ends;
- subsidies can be paid at varying levels, for example., a subsidy might represent 50% of the individual's wages during the first 12 weeks; 0% subsidy during the next 12 weeks; and 50% subsidy during the final 12 weeks (not to exceed 50% of total wages); or a subsidy might run for 20 consecutive weeks.
NewfoundJOBS - Wage Subsidy Component Guidelines
I. Introduction
NewfoundJOBS (Wage Subsidy) is a flexible, client centred subsidy that is available to assist income support clients find suitable employment.
The decision to assist the client with the use of a wage subsidy may be arrived at in one of two ways:
During an Enhanced Screening and Assessment a client indicates that an employer has a position that is consistent with the client's employment goal; or
- During the employment planning process, the client is unable to secure employment after a reasonable job search and it is decided a wage subsidy may be the extra support needed for the client to land a job.
- A wage subsidy may be negotiated based on the value of the work experience it offers to clients and on the likelihood that the jobs will continue in the long term.
II. Subsidy
A flexible wage subsidy is available for clients; however, the wage subsidy shall not normally exceed:
50% of the hourly wage rate for private sector employers
60% of the hourly wage rate for non-profit employers.
Human Resources and Employment officials will:
- negotiate with the employer the period and the percentage of the subsidy based on the following:
- the employment action plan;
- the employer needs;
- the funding available;
- the value the work experience will offer the client;
- how much time the employer needs to determine suitability of the individual and to hire them full-time without subsidy;
- the local prevailing wage rate; and
- new, incremental jobs;
- employers must demonstrate the commitment and the capacity to retain an individual at subsidy end;
- subsidies can be paid at varying levels, eg., a subsidy might represent 50% of the individual's wages during the first 12 weeks; 0% subsidy during the next 12 weeks; and 50% subsidy during the final 12 weeks (not to exceed 50% of total wages); or a subsidy might run for 20 consecutive weeks.
III. Eligible Employers
Profit and non-profit employers are eligible.
The wage subsidy is client driven, however, employers may contact Human Resources and Employment with any available job opportunities for clients.
Placement Support Allowance (for clients involved in pre-employment community partnership initiatives and/or training programs in excess of 8 weeks duration.)
- transportation up to $5 per day; higher amounts may be approved by Supervisor
- start-up allowance up to $200; may include cost of work books, note books, personal care items, clothing etc.
- monthly stipend of $50
Other Supports
- Additional support, including access to reliable and accurate labour market information , is available through the Newfoundland and Labrador Work Information Network (toll free telephone number 1-800-563-6600 and website)
- as required and available in the community.
Program Funding
Funding is on an annual budget approval basis.
Subsidized Child Care
Child care subsidies are available to program participants through the Income Support Program.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for service or funding through NewfoundJobs an individual must:
- be in receipt of Income Support;
- be non EI eligible
- have undergone the Enhanced Screening and Assessment process
- demonstrate a desire and commitment to enter or re-enter the workforce
While not a requirement, priority will be given to youth age 29 or less with a minimum education level of high school completion.
Eligible participants will be identified through the Income Support Program. Client services officers(CSO) will identify/screen potential participants of the program and refer the name to a Career Development Specialist(CDS). The CDS will contact the potential participant to arrange an initial meeting at which time the CDS will assess the commitment of the individual and determine whether the person, through some short-term intervention(s), is likely to be able to return to the workforce within a 12 month period
Caseloads
For the fiscal year 2000-2001 the following information is provided on the NewfoundJOBS program:
- 54% participants - female
- 46% participants - male
Average cost per client - $5000
- 155 clients received Wage Subsidies
- 1005 clients received other paid interventions
- 840 clients received services through community agencies funded by HRE
Nature of Participation
Participation is encouraged, but not obligatory. Recipients are encouraged to participate and retain their income support eligibility while participating in interventions under NEWFOUNDJOBS.
Orientation and Follow-up
Identification of participants:
All Income Support clients taking part in NewfoundJobs programming must participate in the Enhanced Screening and Assessment process.
Through the Enhanced Screening and Assessment process Human Resources and Employment staff, in cooperation with the client, will determine the programming route that is best suited for the client.
During the Enhanced Screening and Assessment, consideration will be given to the full range of services and programming available to the client. Some examples of considerations and options include:
- client identifies an immediate employment opportunity and requires a specific intervention - Client Services Officer(CSO) provides service/intervention
- client indicates that they possess required training and have a clearly identified employment goal - client may be referred to community agency for assistance with job search
- client indicates that they may have long term training needs or don't really know where to turn - client is then referred to a Career Development Specialist(CDS) for employment counselling
Appeals Process
There is no formal appeal process. Individuals can bring a complaint through normal organizational channels.
NewfoundJOBS is applicable province-wide; however, the full range of employment services is not readily available everywhere in the province. Through partnership arrangements and co-location of services with HRDC, accessibility is improving.
Programs are designed in keeping with the province's strategic economic plan. Partnership with labour market partners has brought that perspective to the table, and attempts are made to target human resource development initiatives to areas of economic growth.
Community Services
Human Resources and Employment will continue to partner with a number of community agencies to assist with the delivery of NewfoundJOBS. When identified as a partnering agency, an individualized protocol will be signed with the agency. This protocol will clearly indicate the relationship between the two organizations including both roles and responsibilities.
The evaluation of NewfoundJOBS is both formative (primarily qualitative) and summative (primarily quantative).
The purpose of the formative evaluation is to provide information to improve the ongoing activities of NewfoundJOBS. Some of the typical questions that would be asked within the context of formative evaluation include:
- Which factors/elements of NewfoundJOBS are aiding clients to move to employment?
- Are the resources of the department appropriately directed to help clients reach their goal of employment?
- Is the referral process effective in identifying clients for NewfoundJOBS ?
- Are the mechanisms for monitoring the progress of clients effective?
The purpose of the summative evaluation is to assess whether the program is meeting it's objective. Some of the typical questions that would be asked during the summative evaluation include:
- Did NewfoundJOBS achieve it's objective?
- Have the needs of the client been met?
- Can/should NewfoundJOBS be continued under the existing conditions?
- Were there unintended or unanticipated outcomes as a result of NewfoundJOBS ?
Consultants are currently completing the first formal evaluation of NEWFOUNDJOBS.
Labour Market Development Agreement
The Labour Market Development was signed on March 24,1997. It provides for a co-management arrangement in which the governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada share responsibility for the design, management and implementation of labour market development programs and services.
The Department of Human Resources and Employment is continuing with it's redesign project which to date has resulted in more dedicated employment and career services staff at the front line and a streamlined service to clients.
Index of Acronyms
- CAP - Collaborative Action Planning
- CDS - Career Development Specialist
- CSM - Client Services Management
- CSO - Client Services Officer
- EI employment insurance
- ESA - Enhanced Screening and Assessment
- HRDC - Human Resources Development Canada
- NLWIN - Newfoundland and Labrador WorkinfoNET
- SWASP - Student Work and Services Program
Contacts
NAME: Sharon Knott
TITLE: Director of Employment and Career Services ADDRESS:
Department of Human Resources and Employment
PO Box 8700
3rd Floor, Confederation Building, West Block
St. John's, NF
A1B 4J6
E-MAIL: TELEPHONE: (709) 729-3118 FAX: (709) 729-0767 WEBSITE: http://www.gov.nf.ca/hre
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