The B.C. government and Burns Bog Conservation Society are partnering to help four unemployed people gain valuable work experience while contributing to an exciting new outdoor educational concept at Burns Bog Delta Nature Reserve.

The Province is providing the Burns Bog Conservation Society with $103,270 as they design an escape-room style experience for families, schools and other groups to learn about the Delta Nature Reserve’s environment and ecosystem while going through strategic scenarios in the midst of nature. The new attraction will be called “Burns Bog Escape: Wild Adventure Series.”

Provincial funding will allow the Burns Bog Conservation Society to offer work experience to four people at all stages of the escape-room design. From planning the concepts – there will be eight different stations – to building them, purchasing supplies, and co-ordinating and marketing programs and events, they will gain new skills that will help them on their paths to finding meaningful, full-time jobs.

Participants were connected through their local WorkBC Employment Service Centre and will gain 48 weeks of work experience in program planning, program management, construction, and event co-ordination.

Burns Bog Escape: Wild Adventure Series is expected to begin welcoming the public this summer. Each outdoor scenario can take up to two hours to complete as guests solve a series of unique puzzles along the way.

Funding for the project is provided through the Job Creation Partnerships stream of the 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 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, more than 1,500 job seekers benefited from work experience and more than 270 projects have been funded throughout the province.

Quotes:

Michelle Stilwell, Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation –

“Community and Employer Partnerships are all about offering unique opportunities to British Columbians to help them gain the experience needed to find jobs in a field that they’re interested in while contributing to important community projects. By creating Escape Burns Bog from the ground up, participants are getting a hands-on experience and gaining new skills while creating a fantastic new educational attraction for the Lower Mainland.”

Scott Hamilton, MLA for Delta North –

“Burns Bog is already such an important asset for our community and I’m excited to see that there are going to be more opportunities for people across the Lower Mainland to learn about the environment in a fun new way. Having a group of residents gain work experience by putting this project together is a win-win for our community. This is a great partnership between our government and the Burns Bog Conservation Society that is going to produce some exciting results.”

Kirsty Peterson, manager, Burns Bog Escape –

“This project is a really great way to get people excited about engaging with our natural environment. Adventure-based games are so much fun and facilitate the development of teamwork, leadership, and problem solving skills. As for the participants themselves, the project management, critical thinking and activity development skills that are refined through this type of project are remarkable and will be widely transferable in today's labour market.”

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 updates and more information on the Burns Bog Escape: Wild Adventures Series: www.bogescape.ca

Community and Employer Partnerships: www.workbc.ca/CEP

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

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

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