VICTORIA - The Province is teaming up with the B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC) to support skills training and employment opportunities for urban Aboriginal people and youth.

Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad and BCAAFC President Annette Morgan have signed a protocol called “Improving Employment Outcomes for Off-Reserve Aboriginal Peoples”.

The protocol supports the Off-Reserve Aboriginal Action Plan to better the lives of Aboriginal people and places a strong focus on education, training and jobs with three main goals:

• increasing education and training opportunities;
• increasing employment recruitment and retention; and
• engaging the growing youth population.

The new agreement links the BCAAFC’s 5 X 5 Jobs Strategy with B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint. The BCAAFC strategy has a goal of employing 5,000 Aboriginal people over the next five years. Released in April 2014, the Skills for Jobs Blueprint set a target of employing 15,000 new Aboriginal workers over the next 10 years.

Quotes:

John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation -

“Through the BC Skills for Jobs Blueprint, we are committed to working with First Nations to increase skills training opportunities and participation in the jobs market. The BCAAFC is one of the most robust partners we have for reaching out to the urban Aboriginal population. The revised protocol lays the foundation for increased employment rates, and better education and job training that will ultimately increase positive outcomes for Aboriginal people.”

Annette Morgan, president of the BCAAFC -

“We are pleased that the Throne Speech commitment to develop an ORAAP is being followed up with action. This Protocol Agreement is an important signal that BC Friendship Centres and the Government of British Columbia remain committed to working together to improve the social and economic conditions for urban Aboriginal Peoples.”

Quick facts:

• The Off-Reserve Aboriginal Action Plan is a partnership between the Province, Government of Canada, B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Union of BC Municipalities and the Métis Nation of British Columbia, to better the lives of people living off reserve.
• To achieve the 5 X 5 jobs target, the BCAAFC will leverage its existing $40 million in provincial and federal friendship centre program funding, along with members’ collective knowledge and experience, to build relationships and resources.
• BCAAFC is the leading Aboriginal social services agency in the province with 25 friendship centres and a host of major events and campaigns such as the annual “Gathering Our Voices” youth conference, and the Moose Hide Campaign to end violence against Aboriginal women and children.
• B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint is a detailed action plan providing a comprehensive path from school to workplace, with an emphasis on shifting training dollars and programs to jobs in demand. By 2022, one million job openings are expected in B.C., along with higher demand for skills - more than 78% of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, and 43% will be in trades and technical occupations.
• Including Métis people, 78% of B.C.’s Aboriginal population lives off-reserve.
• The off-reserve unemployment rate, while lower than for those living on reserve, hovers at about 18% - approximately three times the rate for non-Aboriginals.
• Aboriginal youth are the fastest growing population in Canada. 48% of Aboriginal youth are under 25, compared to 31% of the rest of the population.

Learn More:

Read the Protocol: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=253F5E22FF9541C2A489B79C68AED4D3

Photo of the Protocol signing:
https://flic.kr/p/pxUMh7
https://flic.kr/p/oTvgdQ

B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: http://ow.ly/DpeCl

Media Contacts:

Lisa Leslie
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
250 213-7724

Paul Lacerte
Executive Director
BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres
250 388-5522