The Men’s Centre in Nanaimo is preparing a counselling guide to help eliminate violence in relationships, thanks to nearly $85,000 in provincial funding.

The funding will give three local people work experience in communications, video production, research and report writing.

The guide will be used by counsellors who work with clients in order to reduce and eliminate domestic violence, as well as violence in the workplace. The 39-week project is scheduled to be completed by early July 2016 when the guide will be released.

The workers will be consulting Crown prosecutors, the RCMP and two psychologists for their input into the guide. When completed, 100 copies of the guide will be distributed to at least 50 counselling organizations throughout the province.

This project is funded through the provincial Community and Employer Partnerships program, which was introduced in April 2012 as part of the Employment Program of BC.

Government is taking action to address the rapidly changing labour market. Government created the B.C. Skills for Jobs Blueprint to ensure more British Columbians have the skills they need to be first in line for in-demand jobs in B.C.’s diverse, strong and growing economy.

The Community and Employer Partnerships program is featured in B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint and provides more support to people who are struggling to gain a foothold in the job market. It helps build stronger partnerships with industry and labour to connect British Columbians with classroom and on-the-job training, while making it easier for employers to hire the skilled workers they need – when and where they need them.

To date, the program has helped more than 900 job seekers benefit from work experience and funded 195 projects throughout the province.

Quotes:

Michelle Stilwell, Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation ─

“The three participants in this Job Creation Partnership project will not only get great work experience in writing reports and research, they will know that they have contributed to an important counselling guide that has a goal of reducing and eliminating violence in the home and the workplace. This speaks to the value of this program that not only gives people work and learning opportunities, it has a lasting impact on communities.”

Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Children and Family Development ─

“British Columbia has many supports and services for people who are fleeing abusive relationships and need to heal from trauma and rebuild their lives, and it’s also important for perpetrators to have support so they can learn how to end the cycle of violence in their relationships. This project will have a lasting benefit throughout the province by giving counsellors an important tool to help people learn how to cope with conflict in a healthy way and, ultimately, change their behaviour for the better.”

Theo J. Boere, executive director, The Men's Centre ─

“Resources for men are a new cutting-edge social services segment. This project will focus on using academic, peer-reviewed research to create a new guide that will help counsellors address the reduction and elimination of violence in relationships. This JCP funding will not only provide much-needed funding, it will provide training to participants in new job skills, as well as make an articulate and valuable contribution to the resources available in our society.”

McCowan, project participant ─

“This program is helping me in the following ways: It is teaching me how to structure my days (which during a long period of unemployment was lacking); how to use new technologies (such as, but not only, Windows 10); learning to work collaboratively with a team on a joint effort; and how to research information and integrate such into a coherent whole.”

Tom, project participant ─

"The JCP has given me a new hope that I can return to work. At my age, it is difficult to find someone who wants to hire you. It is providing me with opportunities to learn new skills, review subject matter research and write about it, and work with others in a structured environment."

Quick Facts:

• In 2015-16, the ministry has committed to investing $331 million in employment and labour market programs under the Employment Program of BC.
• The Employment Program of BC is funded by the Province of British Columbia as well as the Government of Canada through the Labour Market Development Agreement.
• Funding supports 84 WorkBC Employment Services Centres throughout the province and the four components of the Community and Employer Partnerships fund:
  • Job creation partnerships
  • Labour market partnerships
  • Project-based labour market training
  • Research and innovation

Who is eligible?

• Businesses
• Non-profit organizations
• Crown corporations
• Municipalities, agencies or territorial governments
• Bands/tribal councils
• Public health and educational institutions

Learn More:

For more on The Men’s Centre: http://themenscentre.ca/

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

Find a local WorkBC Employment Services Centre: www.workbccentres.ca

Learn more about the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation: www.gov.bc.ca/sdsi

For more information on B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: www.workbc.ca/skills

To find out more about the BC Jobs Plan: www.engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/

Provincial Office of Domestic Violence: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/podv/index.htm

Say Something campaign: www.saysomethingbc.ca