Employment Services

Clubhouse/PACT
Cathy Taylor, Director, Coast Employment Services

The Clubhouse and PACT Employment Services continue to provide a continuum of service for participants seeking employment.  The Clubhouse structured work order day provides a job readiness environment for clubhouse members.  This year we have increased the number of work opportunities in the Transitional Employment placements that are 6 months in duration and provide a paid working experience with an employer. We are committed to a project in partnership with the City of Vancouver for Micro cleaning in the downtown east side.                                

Clean streets are something that every neighborhood wants. This project expanded street cleaning to a 65 block area within the Down Town East Side to increase street cleaning in the core area of the DTES and was initiated by the City of Vancouver Council in March 2008 under the Clean Streets Initiative. The program involves City street cleaning, and increased lane micro-cleaning with employees of the TEP program.  This work project is focused on providing easy-to-access employment opportunities to those with barriers to traditional employment.

The project has already resulted in cleaner streets, lanes and sidewalks in the targeted area. Thirty new low threshold job positions have been filled by 100 local residents In addition, 6,000 deposit beverage containers were collected at the festivals.

In addition to participation in this exciting project the Clubhouse continues to support 90 individuals on a daily basis; has placed 75 members in transitional employment placements with through Transitional Employment jobs with the Business Improvement Associations and employers.  

Clubhouse March 2009 statistics:

• Average monthly attendance 246 individuals
• Total number of individuals attending the CH  last year were 2950
• Individuals assisted into education  89  ( Training for WHIMIS, Food Safe, First Aid & CPR)
• Active membership per month 447
• Individuals engaged in the Transitional Employment Program – 72  ( an 68% increase in TEP placements and work opportunities from previous year)
• Individuals placed in Supported Competitive Employment 16
• Social & Recreational events for Clubhouse members 38
• Number of one time Social & Recreational events 4
• Number of individuals working in the  Social Enterprise - Landscape with Heart 5

PACT Employment Services

PACT assists adults with a mental health concern to seek competitive employment.  In a confidential and personalized environment employment counselors assist clients to explore their career options, conduct a targeted and successful job search, learn skills to maintain employment and apply for training funds.  PACT has signed a new Two Year contract to run from October 1/2008 until September 30/2009.  PACT received joint funding through the Federal government: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and the Provincial government through: Employment and Labour Market Services. 

PACT has served 179 individuals over this last 12 months. We continue to offer an employment search program for people seeking competitive employment through career exploration, referral for training and assist to find the best job match. For many people working is important to their self esteem and feeling of self sufficiency contributes to their wellness.  One of the most important goals in this program is providing the resources to do a job search and an environment where people can come and focus on getting work.  We have learned that an environment of flexibility and support has proven to be the best approach and with a continuous intake into the program participants can assess our services at any time.

The current labor market is challenging for our participants and we have seen a dramatic down turn in the variety of opportunities from this time last year.  Giving the labor market limitations, we have been busy in PACT with our first 6 months from October 2008 to March 2009 PACT our case managers conducted an information sessions and met with 133 participants, registered 90 participants who we interested in seeking employment and 52 participants successfully found employment.

Participants in our program continue to achieve significant independence and improved quality of life by successfully obtaining work.

As part of Coast’s strategic plan we are under going a review in of our services in 2009 to increase our quality and improve our service delivery.