Fire hall renovations. Downtown business revitalization. Restoration of a historic salmon cannery. Improving hiking trail systems.

These are just a few samples of the 69 B.C. community projects - including 29 new projects and 40 announced in April 2013 - that have benefited from Community and Employer Partnerships funding, and provided 239 WorkBC Employment Services Centre jobseekers with valuable training and work experience.

More than $2.5 million has been committed to Community and Employer Partnerships since the program launched in April 2012, as part of the Employment Program of BC. The goal is to increase labour market partnerships, and employment opportunities and skills training for unemployed British Columbians.

Community and Employer Partnerships support community projects that focus on increasing employability and sharing labour market information throughout B.C. in two ways: Job Creation Partnerships and Labour Market Partnerships.

• Job Creation Partnerships provide funding to organizations to help with community-based projects by providing valuable work experience and skills enhancement to eligible jobseekers.
• Labour Market Partnerships fund community organizations to develop and implement ways to address the local labour market or urgent community employment issues.

Quotes:

Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation, Don McRae -

"Community and Employer Partnerships are a great way for people to get paid work experience and pick up some valuable skills, while helping to support important community projects throughout B.C. It works for the people, it builds community connections and it helps build projects in the communities themselves."

Max Weselowski, JCP project co-ordinator, Innervisions Recovery Society -

"This Job Creation Partnership has allowed us to keep people in our care involved as we innovate and expand our community. It's also given us the opportunity to build a new house that has since become a beacon of light for women suffering from addiction. All of our facilities get a lot of use, and through this job creation project, we have been able to renovate all of our existing buildings."

Celeste, participant, Langley Environmental Partners Society -

"An opportunity with Langley Environmental Partners Society through the Job Creation Partnership has been so much more rewarding than I had anticipated. My specialized skills in the field of horticulture allowed me to contribute in unexpected ways, and the skills training in community-based social marketing will augment any future positions I will hold in the field of horticulture or environmental stewardship."

Quick Facts:

• Job Creation Partnerships provide funding to assist with local projects that provide useful work experience and skill enhancement opportunities.
• Approximately $2.2 million has been committed to fund a total of 63 Job Creation Partnerships to date.
• Labour Market Partnerships provide funding to address local labour market or human resources issues.
• Approximately $360,000 has been contributed to a total of six Labour Market Partnerships to date.
• Funding for both categories is based on the size and nature of the project and ranges up to a maximum of $100,000.

Who is eligible?

• Community organizations, non-profit organizations
• Bands/Tribal Councils
• Municipalities
• Chambers of commerce and business associations  
• B.C. businesses

Learn More:

For more information on the Community Employer Partnerships: www.workbc.ca/CEP

To view a list of the 29 new projects approved since April 2013, visit: http://ow.ly/slIAc

To view photos of participants in action, visit: http://flic.kr/p/iZpJGK

For information on the 40 projects announced on April 13, 2013, visit: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/04/community-partnerships-offer-work-experience-training-research.html

To find a local WorkBC Employment Services Centre: www.workbccentres.ca

To learn more about the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation: www.gov.bc.ca/hsd/index.html

Media Contact:

Grant Kerr
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
250 387-5635