Advocacy Playbook Launched in Time for Career Month

Released in time for Canada's Career Month, the Advocacy Playbook project began at Cannexus in 2023 and represents hundreds of hours of dedicated work—through facilitated meetings, document feedback, research, and in-person and online discussions. This collaborative process brought together diverse career development practices, exploring questions like Who defines our field? What language should we use? What does decent work mean, and why is it important?

I sometimes wondered if we would reach our goal, but our collective perseverance and trust in the process led to a playbook and strategies I am proud of. Many thanks to CERIC's Kay Castille, Sharon Ferriss, and Lindsay Purchase for their commitment, as well as Overlap Associates for expertly guiding us. Our work builds on the study Hidden Sector, Hidden Talent: Mapping Canada’s Career Development Sector.

Finally, heartfelt thanks to my fellow steering and working committee members for their many hours of thoughtful contributions. I believe this playbook is a vital step forward in advocating for those we serve.

Bringing National Certification to Life for Career Development Professionals

Another way to celebrate Career Month is with the recent update from the National Certification Advisory Committee (NCAC), which I am proud to have recently joined. Sareena Hopkins, Gail Langlais, and Lindsay Guitard have shared in CareerWise that the National Certification will officially launch on December 10th. I’ll be in Halifax for the announcement, and, like you, I look forward to all the updates leading up to that day. Be sure to catch Lindsay Guitard presenting at the ASPECT conference!
 

Community Employment Service Providers Week November 4 - 8, 2024

Community Employment Service Providers Week celebrates the vital contributions of community-based employment service and training organizations in empowering futures and building communities. Created by ASPECT BC and recognized through a Province of BC Royal Proclamation, the week of November 4-8, 2024, highlights the critical work of the employment service sector and its profound impact on individuals and communities across the province.

This week also offers ASPECT BC and nearly 100 community service providers the chance to educate and celebrate our political and public service partners who collaborate with us in this essential work.

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC

In August, we told you about the Building a Modern 21st Century Workforce consultation from the Federal Government. The deadline was extended to October 31 and we realized you might be interested in our submission. We have coordinated our answers with those from CERIC and the Canadian Coalition of Community-Based Employability Training.  In its discussion document, the Government of Canada has identified three priorities to foster a modern, diverse, inclusive and productive 21st-century labour market:

• Priority one: Ensuring better alignment between workforce strategies, training institutions, labour groups, employers and economic priorities
• Priority two: Eliminating inefficiencies and barriers in Canadian labour markets
• Priority three: Maximizing labour productivity through strategic skills development and lifelong learning

Here is a sneak peek at what we said on your behalf:
 

Question 1. Are there other areas of focus that should be included? Please explain

The Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training (ASPECT BC) supports the development of a National Employment and Training Strategy that ensures career development and employability training aligns with labour market needs beyond the shifts of political cycles. As a representative voice for over 100 community-based service providers in British Columbia, ASPECT BC underscores the role of community-based career services as essential public assets. These services offer accessible, proactive guidance to help Canadians navigate job transitions, set meaningful career goals, and adapt to economic changes.
 
A National Employment and Training Strategy would create a cohesive approach across public services, education systems, and community organizations, focusing especially on underserved communities. Such a strategy would build the necessary infrastructure for local employment service providers to meet labour demands effectively by fostering collaboration among employers, government, and community partners. This coordinated approach would reduce service duplication, maximize resources, and empower local organizations to support workforce needs across Canada.

Click here to see all 14 of our answers.>

Many of us are eagerly awaiting the final results of last week’s election. The early results reveal just how divided our province is, underscoring the need for greater collaboration and constructive dialogue in the months to come.
 

What does this mean for ASPECT and its members?
 

As an apolitical organization, ASPECT will work with whichever party is in government, providing valuable feedback on how policies and programs impact the people our members serve. Community-based employment services build resilience and economic stability across BC, and we’re here to promote this perspective. Our role also includes sharing trends from other regions and presenting the latest research to help our members better support job seekers and employers in this rapidly evolving labour market.
 

Each election, cabinet shuffle, and shift in public service reminds us of the need to educate decision-makers about the positive impact of employment services in building stronger communities. By highlighting evidence, sharing success stories, and providing up-to-date data, we’re able to demonstrate the real value these services bring to the health and prosperity of communities across the province.
 

As we await the final results, ASPECT’s commitment to advocating for employment services remains steady. No matter which party takes office, our mission is clear: to support job seekers, empower employers, and strengthen communities. Through timely insights and practical information, we’ll continue to champion the critical work of our members. Together, we’ll navigate the changes ahead, ensuring employment services are recognized as a central pillar of resilient, thriving communities throughout BC.

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC

Falling into information rabbit holes is a real risk for me, given the vast amount of labour market data I encounter and my curious nature. My adventure began with CERIC's CareerWise Weekly and its "3 reports that caught our attention" section and ended with me spending too much time on the World Economic Forum's publications website. The ASPECT Conference theme, focused on the evolving employment services sector, drew me to their white paper, Unlocking Opportunity: A Global Framework for Enabling Transitions to the Jobs of Tomorrow.



Source: Unlocking Opportunity: A Global Framework for Enabling Transitions to the Jobs of Tomorrow (page 5)

My key takeaways include five points from WEF's paper as they pertain to community-based employment services and the value to future workforce development:


Worker Safety Nets: Community-based services can help create or enhance safety nets for workers undergoing job transitions, ensuring they have the financial and social support needed during the unemployment or reskilling period. We know this first-hand every time there is a mass layoff within a community, and our members mobilize to help both workers and employers navigate the next steps.

Job Matching Efficiency: These services can help improve the efficiency of matching workers with employers, especially by promoting flexible working arrangements and temporary roles, which may be particularly useful for marginalized groups or those re-entering the workforce. 

Targeted Regional Initiatives: The document includes case studies highlighting successful regional initiatives where employment services helped workers transition into growing job sectors, particularly in digital and healthcare roles. Some excellent ideas, some new, but many are in practice within our member communities.

While it feels like falling down a rabbit hole, the insights are invaluable for those delivering employment services. The evolving work landscape demands proactive strategies, and these frameworks are interesting for guiding future efforts.

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC

It's been a very busy week!

On Monday, I attended the Future Skills Centre's "Insights In Action Tour: Skills to Drive Inclusive Growth in BC" to learn about several FSC-funded programs. It was an inspiring day, and I was delighted to share it with ASPECT members David Lee of MOSAIC and Melanie Hardy of the YWCA Metro Vancouver. 



The focus was on the following themes. Click on the links for more information about the projects.

• Inclusive Economy
• Pathways to Jobs
• Sustainable Jobs

On Wednesday, I was delighted to attend the BC Career Development Association's Awards Ceremony virtually. It was inspiring to hear about all the work the nominated career development professionals do, and I was even more delighted to be standing amongst them as a nominee (many, many thanks to Dr. Candy Ho—an outstanding Career Development leader herself—for nominating me in the Career Development Leader of the Year category).



Thank you to the BCCDA Awards selection committee, who had a difficult job reviewing all the nominations. Thank you to the BCCDA for presenting the yearly awards and raising the profile and professionalism of the sector. I am honoured to share the Career Development Leader of the Year Award with ASPECT member Terry Deakin of Ineo Employment Services. Terry will also be presenting at the ASPECT Conference this year, so you can see firsthand how fabulous she is. Congratulations again to all the nominees and award winners this year. Just a reminder that the BCCDA still has an open call for presenters for the 2025 conference. I encourage you to submit a proposal.

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC
 

We understand that not everyone can attend the conference this year, so ASPECT is offering a series of eight learning and coaching sessions throughout October for career development practitioners. 

Join Dr. Roberta Borgen (Neault), CCC, CCDP, GCDF-I, as she introduces eight key practice principles from the 2024 work Practice Principles: Career Theories and Models at Work by Arthur, Borgen, and McMahon. Participants will explore how these principles, rooted in foundational theories, shape career development practice.

You are encouraged to bring a “pain point” or challenge you or your staff are facing. These lunchtime coaching sessions will help you apply the principles to various career service roles and settings.

You can attend the full series or stand-alone sessions without missing a beat. Sessions are $25 each, or you can register for all eight for $100. Please register individually for each session you wish to attend.
 

• Session 1: Career Development Practice: Integrating Practitioner Reflection (October 3)
   
• Session 2: Career Development Practice Is Built on Relationships (October 7)
   
• Session 3: Career Development Practice Involves Collaboration With Clients  (October 10)
   
• Session 4: Career Development Practice Requires Customization (October 17)
   
• Session 5: Career Development Practice Is Based on Theory (October 21)
   
• Session 6: Career Development Practice Occurs in Cultural Context (October 24)
   
• Session 7: Career Development Practice Incorporates Social Justice Advocacy (October 28)
   
• Session 8: Career Development Practice Involves Collaboration With Other Professionals (October 31)

We have heard from our members that not only do they want to learn more about how to do their jobs, but having open discussions about specific challenges and solutions is an important part of their learning. I hope you will take advantage of these high-quality yet economical learning sessions.

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC

This week's big news is that the federal government has launched an online questionnaire to gather input on building a modern 21st-century workforce. This is an excellent opportunity for our sector, which is both highly trained and practically informed, to provide valuable insights. What makes this consultation even more significant is that ASPECT, along with some of our members, other umbrella organizations, employer associations, and various trusts and foundations, were invited to participate by the Employment and Labour Market Services Division of the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.

Readers of Aspectives are in a unique position that enables you to provide invaluable feedback. Your connections to individuals seeking employment services, those ineligible for services, people facing employment barriers, and employers of all sizes in your communities, give you a perspective that is highly valuable for this survey.

I have not rushed through the survey on behalf of ASPECT. It requires careful consideration and time. I plan to review the pre-survey discussion paper meticulously and consider feedback from across the province and Canada. This will ensure that the responses are of high quality and align with the call for a national employment strategy I mentioned in my blog two weeks ago.

In the meantime, here are some resources and a complete list of the survey questions. Please review them and, if possible, respond to the survey. Once completed, I'll share ASPECT's responses with ASPECT members. The survey deadline is September 30th.

Resources:

•  ASPECT’s Advocacy Toolkit that has some information on some of the issues facing employment services.
• The Hidden Sector, Hidden Talent: Mapping Canada’s Career Development Sector report provides insight into the complexity of career development services in Canada.
• National Advocacy Campaign from CERIC is still in development but provides some of the bigger advocacy themes for various audiences.

Pre-Survey:

You need to read either the full Discussion Paper or the Summary before starting the survey. In both you’ll find out that the Government of Canada has identified three priorities to “foster a modern, diverse, inclusive and productive 21st-century labour market:”

• Priority one: Ensuring better alignment between workforce strategies, training institutions, labour groups, employers and economic priorities
• Priority two: Eliminating inefficiencies and barriers in Canadian labour markets
• Priority three: Maximizing labour productivity through strategic skills development and lifelong learning
  
  

Online Questionnaire at a Glance:

1.  Are there are other areas of focus that should be included? Please explain
2. What do you or your organization consider to be the most critical areas of focus to foster a modern, inclusive and productive labour market?
3. What do you consider to be the strengths of the Canadian approach to workforce development and opportunities for growth?
4. Are there barriers to workforce development that the Government of Canada could or should remove?
5. What is one thing that the Government of Canada could do to improve labour mobility?
6. Are there existing workforce training models or partnerships that work well within Canada or in other jurisdictions? Please provide a brief description of each example.
7. Business and employers play a vital role to support training. What supports do they need to remove barriers and increase their involvement?
8. What tools can government use to incentivize more on-the-job training across the economy?
9. How to better integrate upskilling and reskilling in our modern economy?
10. How can the Government of Canada support job seekers to fill existing job vacancies?
11. How can government, business and labour work together to increase productivity?
12. How can organizations better integrate artificial intelligence to enhance productivity, while being mindful of potential job displacements?
13. Describe possible supply-side investments governments can make to improve productivity.
14. Please feel free to provide any additional input.

When you are ready to complete the survey, click here.

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC

It is only from understanding that we can act. 

(Page 9 of the Rights in focus: Lived realities in BC report, August 2024.)

 
The "Rights in Focus" report by BC's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner released a couple of weeks ago provides an overview of human rights issues in British Columbia. It examines ten key areas, including housing, education, healthcare, and employment, highlighting systemic inequities disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. The report combines data from various sources and personal testimonies to underscore the persistent challenges faced by these groups. Each section includes a "Spotlight" that delves into specific issues, aiming to raise awareness and prompt action to address these inequities and protect the fundamental right to substantive equality.
 
The employment section of the report highlights systemic discrimination in the labour market, affecting marginalized groups such as Indigenous people, women, immigrants, and people with disabilities. These groups face barriers to employment, unequal pay, and limited access to secure jobs and leadership positions. Discriminatory practices, including biases in hiring and promotion, persistent pay gaps, and the exploitation and vulnerability of temporary foreign workers, are supported by data that I found shocking.
 
This information is familiar to those working in employment programs and supporting the wider social care practice. What I found most interesting was the evidence that supports the report's statements, which is crucial for any advocacy work, whether you are on the front lines in employment programs or within the government advocating for funding from the treasury board. To paraphrase the quote from the beginning of this post, we act only through understanding. The report gives us the data for a compelling call to action.
 

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC

 
Last Monday, Premier David Eby and our representative visited my home, highlighting the need to intensify our advocacy for employment services and community support this campaign season. We've previously shared our advocacy toolkit and social media posts, including the #HumansOfEmployment hashtag, to raise awareness among candidates. Our efforts extend nationally through the Canadian Coalition of Community-Based Employability Training (CCCBET), where I serve as board chair, and the National Advocacy Committees. I also recently added ASPECT to a federal petition led by Challenge Factory, CERIC, and the Career Development Professional Centre.
 
Earlier this month, CCCBET submitted a pre-budget submission to the federal Standing Committee on Finance. In it, there are four recommendations:
 

1. That the government reinstate the $625 million in federal labour market transfer funds to the provinces for career development and employability training, recognizing the value of community-based services in maintaining and growing Canada's economic future.
2. That the government further supports underfunded community-based employability networks, which are essential to growing the economy.
3. That the government establish funding to support the development of a Federal Employment Strategy Framework that supports career development and employability training to meet the current and future labour market needs outside political cycles.
4. That the government relax and simplify the eligibility criteria for public employment services to allow all individuals who express needs in terms of integration and continued employment to receive support, regardless of their income status or employment situation.

 
The National Advocacy Steering and Working Committees, funded and led by CERIC, have unified voices to elevate the profile of career development professionals. We're finalizing our messaging for Canadian Career Month in November. ASPECT will also share more details for Community Employment Service Providers Week (November 4–8, 2024). Still in development, I can tell you the four goals for this work are:
 

1. Increase the number of people accessing career development services
2. Increase the public's competency in developing their careers
3. Integrate career development into current systems
4. Increase funding and investment in the career development services/sector

 
A joint letter organized by The Challenge Factory, CERIC, and the Career Development Professional Centre is a response to the key findings from the report earlier this year, Hidden Sector, Hidden Talent: Mapping Canada’s Career Development Sector. It is a staged rollout, meaning sector leaders have been asked to sign the letter, with full invitations coming to everyone soon. The goal is to collect 1,000 signatures by the beginning of Canada Career Month in November. Here is an excerpt from the letter:
 
The letter calls upon policy and industry leaders to:

1. End the “fail-first” approach to career and employment services,
2. Leverage the expertise of career development professionals to advance Canadians’ career ownership, readiness, and literacy, and
3. Equip industries and business owners with stronger career development to better address shifting labour markets and workforce dynamics.

 
Our advocacy work for the BC election and the upcoming federal budget and election aligns perfectly with what I hear from ASPECT members. I'm excited to collaborate with partners both provincially and federally. In case you missed it, I want to highlight a compelling Toronto Star article by Drs. Candy Ho and Taryn Blanchard, titled A national careers strategy would help win in the future of work. Here’s how. Both are prominent advocates, and I'm thrilled to work with them on this initiative. I am interested to hear your thoughts on this work.

Janet Morris-Reade, CEO
ASPECT BC

Two weeks ago, we kicked off our #HumansofEmployment Community Reporters video series on social media with some great words from Aidan, a job developer and coach at the John Howard Society of Victoria.
 
In our inaugural video, Aidan shares insights into his work and how it benefits his community. Aidan brings hope to those navigating challenging times, offering guidance and support to help them move forward. By connecting employers with clients, Aidan not only assists individuals but also supports local economic development by facilitating successful employment connections.
 
Curious to see Aidan in action? Watch the video here to hear directly from him and learn more about his impactful work.

You can also click on the image below to watch the video.

But that’s just the beginning! Over the coming weeks, we’ll be rolling out more videos featuring ASPECT members, each sharing their unique stories and the ways they contribute to their communities. In June, we visited some of our members in Victoria and Nanaimo to test out ideas for our video series and produce some pilot videos. Our Communications Assistant, Isabelle Bennett, interviewed around 10 employment service providers asking them about their work, achievements, challenges, and hopes. We had fun meeting members in their element, and we can’t wait to share the rest of these interviews.
 
We’d love to hear from you too! How does your work support your community? Share your story with us on social media using the hashtag #HumansofEmployment. It’s time to celebrate you, community-based employment service providers throughout BC!
 
Stay tuned for more updates and inspiring stories from our #HumansofEmployment series!
 

Pamela Daoust, Communications Manager
ASPECT BC