Government is providing more funding for Lower Mainland job-seekers to gain paid work experience at high-profile events to help them on their paths to full-time employment.

The Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation is contributing $25,698 to The Documentary Media Society for its DOXA 2017 Audience Development Project, an initiative that will see two people get hands-on experience in festival production, event management, marketing, design, outreach, team building, problem solving, and communication. They will work on the project for 29 weeks in the lead-up to, and the duration of, the DOXA Documentary Film Festival, which runs from May 4 to 14 in Vancouver.

One of the participants will take on the role of communications assistant focusing on visual promotion and marketing, while the other will act as a program outreach assistant with a focus on expanding and diversifying the festival audience, as well as youth outreach.

The participants will leave the project with real-life work experience they can add to their resumes in their search for jobs, while helping a local documentary film festival reach its full potential with an expanded audience and deeper community impact.

This is the fourth time the Province has funded a work experience project with The Documentary Media Society, with more than $105,000 committed over four years for 12 people to enhance their employment skills working behind the scenes at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival. Two former participants are now employed with the society.

The Province is also providing $4,740 for a Simon Fraser University project that will give two job-seekers 15 weeks of work experience in organizing the C2U Expo, a bi-annual Canadian-led international conference designed to strengthen communities through community-campus partnerships.

The C2U Expo is being held at SFU’s Vancouver campus this year from May 3 to 5, and the project’s two participants will assist in planning and promotion while honing their skills in volunteer recruitment, engagement, co-ordination, management, event planning, administration, evaluation, communication and documentation. One participant will act as a conference assistant, while the other will take on the role of organizing volunteer ambassadors – more than 50 people with barriers to employment are expected to volunteer at the event.

Funding for both projects is provided through the Job Creation Partnerships stream of government’s Community and Employer Partnerships program.

Job Creation Partnerships are part of the Employment Program of British Columbia’s Community and Employer Partnerships, which fund projects that increase employability and share labour market information.

Community and Employer Partnerships are featured in B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint and provide 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, more than 1,400 job seekers benefited from work experience and more than 260 projects have been funded throughout the province.

Quotes:

Michelle Stilwell, Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation –

“It is great to see people in the Lower Mainland actively looking for opportunities to gain work experience. I’m pleased we are able to offer this funding to help them find these unique opportunities. At both the DOXA Documentary Film Festival and the C2U Expo, participants in these Job Creation Partnerships are going to be working on some high-profile events that will go a long way in helping them gain the tools they need to find full-time work.”

Sam Sullivan, MLA for Vancouver-False Creek –

“The DOXA Documentary Film Festival has become a must-attend event in our community, and the opportunities its partnership with government have brought to job-seekers working with its organizers are endless.”

Amrik Virk, MLA for Surrey-Tynehead –

“I’m thrilled to see that Simon Fraser University will be hosting this year’s C2U Expo. Not only is it a great opportunity to exchange innovate ideas about community-campus partnerships, it is bringing a fun opportunity for two British Columbians to gain work experience in a first-class event-planning environment.”

Kathleen Mullen, executive director, DOXA Documentary Film Festival –

“We are thrilled to be able to mentor, train, and cultivate long-lasting relationships with JCP participants. It is always a mutually beneficial experience for both participants and DOXA to work on a project together. We are a vibrant organization that engages audience members in viewing and discussing documentary cinema, and developing our audience is an important priority for us at this time.”

Stephen Dooley, executive director, SFU Surrey Campus –

“As C2U Expo host, SFU is honoured to be playing a leadership role in merging academia and the community, addressing relevant issues and opening doors to solutions as we share our collective experience and knowledge. We welcome the valuable assistance of these two new team members to help us roll out the event as it draws closer.”

Jackie Hoffart, participant, DOXA Documentary Film Festival –

“I'm really enjoying working on digital and print communications with DOXA and am grateful the Job Creation Partnership program exists.”

Quick Facts:

• Local WorkBC Employment Services Centres play a lead role in connecting eligible job seekers to Job Creation Partnership and Project Based Labour Market Training opportunities in their communities. Once the right match of client to project has been found, the effort of the WorkBC Centre continues by providing financial supports and services to ensure success.
• In 2016-17, 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 for Community and Employer Partnerships funding?

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

Learn More:

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/

For a photo of the DOXA participants: https://flic.kr/p/SqDEKH