This week is Community Employment Service Providers Week, which the Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Honourable Sheila Malcolmson, announced at the ASPECT conference. The Royal Proclamation marks the first week of November as a recognition of community employment service providers.

On our social media channels this week, ASPECT celebrated member organizations doing some exciting work around the province. Here are just a few of them:

• We featured ISSofBC and their new Gateway to Tourism and Hospitality Jobs program, providing a lifeline to newcomers seeking employment and employers eager for a skilled workforce.

• We showcased CanAssist at the University of Victoria, which is known for helping create personalized tools and software for people with disabilities and has recently received $1 million to develop devices for people to thrive in workplaces.

• We shared the Skills Centre's good news. The Centre has recently gained approval for a new federal program, and their new programs focus on emerging technology, remote work, reducing working poverty, supporting mental health, and future-proofing the workforce.

• We put the spotlight on the Vernon & District Immigrant & Community Services Society for their successful Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) program, which has maintained a 95% employment rate. The YESS team recently launched its Cool Jobs social media series, creating awareness of different employment opportunities within the community.

• S.U.C.C.E.S.S. was awarded $12 million from the government of Canada to offer pre-arrival settlement services to future immigrants, temporary workers, and international students. The new funding will help the organization continue supporting newcomers' needs by providing online and in-person services.

Congratulations and kudos to the North Island Employment Foundations Society, which showcased its team members in short videos posted on social media. We loved hearing first-hand about specialized employment counsellors' work to address specific needs in their communities, such as catering to people with disabilities and diverse backgrounds. Check it all out for yourself on social media with #HumansofEmployment.

We are raising your profile through Community Employment Service Providers Week and encouraging members to use the #HumansofEmployment hashtag in all their social media posts. These activities are part of a larger plan to get our sector in front of the politicians and the public as we head into an election year.

We want everyone to know how your work makes a difference. ASPECT will soon hire "community reporters" throughout the province to showcase our sector's hidden gems and success stories. Stay tuned for more information!

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC