SEP Supported Employment Program
Project Objectives
This project is funded by Service Canada and aims to provide employment support and services to long-term unemployed individuals residing in the DTES by: Increasing access to jobs; Increasing and maintaining employer participation; Developing employment opportunities; Improving employee retention; Supporting employees through transitioning and career development; Supporting employers to identify needs, recruit, access labour market, and filling human resources needs.
Proposed Activities
To facilitate the above objectives, BOB must provide appropriate support to employers, offer ongoing support to the employees to maintain their job, provide employers with improved access to employees, support services, and information and collaborate with area businesses and industry groups to ensure that employment needs are being met in both the short and long term. Through the BOB Supported Employment Program, the above activities can be accomplished.
The project will provide pre and post employment, one-to-one support services through two full-time lead staff as follows:
Employer Support Coordinators
The Employer Support Coordinators will work with Employers and Community Service Providers to ensure that DTES residents hired through BOB employment initiatives are successful at work by:
- Providing pre and post employment supports, employment counselling as required and identified by employee and employer,
- Providing mediation services between employee and employer, feedback to employer and employment service providers and when required and advocacy for employees
- Assisting with job postings (posting, recruiting and providing follow-up) that facilitate the hiring of local residents
- Connecting employers to employment service providers in the DTES and BOB's Social Purchasing Portal, Industry Cluster Strategy, Case Coordination Project and Community Benefits Agreement opportunities.
- Developing long term relationships with community service providers, who refer jobseekers and the employers who hire them to ensure current and future positions are filled by local residents whenever possible.
Expected Results
Through the Supported Employment Program, BOB expects to not only increase the number of jobs made available to local residents but increase the suitability and relevancy of these jobs. It is expected that employers and their HR staff will acquire a better understanding of the needs of the employable residents in the DTES and create a welcoming environment that is responsive and supportive of their new employees, and ideally, think of BOB's services and the community when hiring in the future.