Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Picture: Defining Success
Employment-related success is broadly defined by those who responded to the Pre-LMDA Survey.
"Success" certainly includes finding work, or entering a training program. But to many practitioners, success also encompasses increased confidence, independence and security in a client's life, and results in greater stability for a family.
As a way to capture evaluative information, we asked respondents to the survey to provide program success stories. The range of responses gives an indication of the many ways of observing and assessing employment success.
Some respondents provided quantitative data, which looked at the number of clients that completed training or became employed.
Many more gave qualitative responses, describing the changes in the lives of their clients as a result of participation in a program or service.
The following story details one client's journey. It illustrates the challenges some clients face - homelessness, settlement, illness, isolation, abuse, and limited skills - and the array of services and supports an agency can offer – access to computers and related training, training resources, referral services and counseling.
This is the last entry on the Pre-LMDA Survey results. Read the full survey report on the Putting Women in the Picture web site.
"Success" certainly includes finding work, or entering a training program. But to many practitioners, success also encompasses increased confidence, independence and security in a client's life, and results in greater stability for a family.
As a way to capture evaluative information, we asked respondents to the survey to provide program success stories. The range of responses gives an indication of the many ways of observing and assessing employment success.
Some respondents provided quantitative data, which looked at the number of clients that completed training or became employed.
Many more gave qualitative responses, describing the changes in the lives of their clients as a result of participation in a program or service.
The following story details one client's journey. It illustrates the challenges some clients face - homelessness, settlement, illness, isolation, abuse, and limited skills - and the array of services and supports an agency can offer – access to computers and related training, training resources, referral services and counseling.
"A woman was staying in a shelter. She was a refugee. She was depressed and had some physical health issues. She came to our Centre for support. She learned how to use a computer. She set up an email account to stay in touch with her family. She took flyers about women, violence and abuse. We gave her information about education and training. She followed through. She got support for her abuse issues. She went to school graduated and furthered her education. She found permanent employment and came back to the Centre a couple of years later to thank us for all we had done to help her. We have many success stories."Broadening definitions of success in evaluating programs and services have far reaching positive consequences for families, communities and a country. Yet, under the Canada-Ontario LMDA, the only evaluation parameters stipulated are savings to the EI account and numbers of clients placed in jobs.
This is the last entry on the Pre-LMDA Survey results. Read the full survey report on the Putting Women in the Picture web site.
Labels: Pre-LMDA
Thursday, June 07, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Picture: Rural and Urban Differences
The urban or rural setting of an agency affects a number of areas of service provision, according to Pre-LMDA survey respondents.
Good collaboration, suitable referrals, and a broad spectrum of opportunities for women are advantages reported by agencies serving urban and urban/rural areas.
However, clients attending these agencies are far more likely than their rural peers to encounter program eligibility difficulties, a problem for many immigrant women. Urban agencies, compared to rural serving agencies, also describe other immigration-related issues, such as language challenges, lack of Canadian experience, and underemployment. This difference in client need reflects the settlement patterns of newly arrived immigrants in urban locations.
In comparison, many rural-serving agencies report a limited range of services for women, little access to training, and few well-paying employment opportunities. The lack of opportunity is a particular barrier for their clients.
Community collaboration appears to be less productive for rural-serving agencies as well. Agencies with only rural clients are neutral about the level of local collaboration among community services; in contrast, all other agencies (urban and rural/urban mix) are likely to report high levels of successful collaboration in their community. One respondent from a women-focused agency in a rural/urban setting explained that local agencies often fail to recognize women's specific needs and can make poor referrals and employment-related matches as a result.
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Defining Success
Good collaboration, suitable referrals, and a broad spectrum of opportunities for women are advantages reported by agencies serving urban and urban/rural areas.
However, clients attending these agencies are far more likely than their rural peers to encounter program eligibility difficulties, a problem for many immigrant women. Urban agencies, compared to rural serving agencies, also describe other immigration-related issues, such as language challenges, lack of Canadian experience, and underemployment. This difference in client need reflects the settlement patterns of newly arrived immigrants in urban locations.
In comparison, many rural-serving agencies report a limited range of services for women, little access to training, and few well-paying employment opportunities. The lack of opportunity is a particular barrier for their clients.
Community collaboration appears to be less productive for rural-serving agencies as well. Agencies with only rural clients are neutral about the level of local collaboration among community services; in contrast, all other agencies (urban and rural/urban mix) are likely to report high levels of successful collaboration in their community. One respondent from a women-focused agency in a rural/urban setting explained that local agencies often fail to recognize women's specific needs and can make poor referrals and employment-related matches as a result.
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Defining Success
Labels: Pre-LMDA
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Picture: Underemployed Ontarians
Respondents to the Pre-LMDA Survey tell us that underemployment is the most common characteristic of employment and training program clientele. All agencies report a high percentage of clients with underutilized potential.
Underemployment is especially common among agencies serving women only. Even more than the general population of respondents, almost all (90-94%) of women-only organizations say that underemployment is typical.
Many of these agencies also serve immigrant women, a population known for higher levels of education and lower levels of employment than the Canadian born population. (See ACTEW’s immigration fact sheet for details.)
In light of current and growing skills shortages, this is an opportunity for new policies and service delivery to make the most of the skills, expertise and willingness of underemployed workers.
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Location Matters
Underemployment is especially common among agencies serving women only. Even more than the general population of respondents, almost all (90-94%) of women-only organizations say that underemployment is typical.
Many of these agencies also serve immigrant women, a population known for higher levels of education and lower levels of employment than the Canadian born population. (See ACTEW’s immigration fact sheet for details.)
In light of current and growing skills shortages, this is an opportunity for new policies and service delivery to make the most of the skills, expertise and willingness of underemployed workers.
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Location Matters
Labels: Pre-LMDA
Friday, June 01, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Survey: Government Eligibility Restricts Access to Services
With high numbers of women in contingent employment and many ineligible for EI, it is not surprising that respondents our Pre-LMDA Survey report that government eligibility restricts women's access to employment and training services.
Clients accessing services at women-only agencies are especially affected government eligibility criteria. These women often have multiple barriers to employment.
This plays out for women in two ways. Some are not allowed to enter programs or access services because they do not fit the criteria of "client", although they may have the needs the program was designed to fulfill. A respondent offered a scenario:
Another respondent explained:
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Underemployment
Clients accessing services at women-only agencies are especially affected government eligibility criteria. These women often have multiple barriers to employment.
This plays out for women in two ways. Some are not allowed to enter programs or access services because they do not fit the criteria of "client", although they may have the needs the program was designed to fulfill. A respondent offered a scenario:
"Some of the programs are for recent immigrants only. Some are for professionally trained individuals only. Those who do not belong to these categories are either excluded from services or fees are charged."Other women may be able to enter a program, but the various challenges in their lives -- lack of dependable childcare, trying to settle families in a new country, court dates related to partner abuse -- interfere with their ability to attend programs with inflexible schedules.
Another respondent explained:
"The women we serve are often in a state of trauma, and cannot commit to stringent eligibility or expectations of participation. They require something more fluid as they seek supports on immigration; family cohesion; affordable housing; and for their mental health issues."
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Underemployment
Labels: Pre-LMDA
Monday, May 28, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Picture: Client Barriers and the Importance of Program Supports
Poverty, lack of child care, and lack of transportation are critical problems for women seeking employment, according to all agencies responding to our Pre-LMDA Survey. Specific groups, such as rural women and newcomers, have other needs as well.
Agencies help clients overcome these barriers by providing program supports. Eighty-nine percent of respondents offer transportation supports and 53% provide child care. These are pre-employment supports that help people with multiple barriers get in the door.
All agencies want more training dollars for short-term courses (e.g. fork lift, CPR/first aid, Smart Serve). Women-only agencies also want to offer much more in the way of employment-specific supports; presently this is a weak area of support for these agencies.
Current funding is not adequate for the program supports clients require and agencies patch together supports with volunteers and funding from a wide variety of sources. This is an even greater challenge for organizations that serve women predominantly, possibly because of the kinds of clients these agencies tend to serve: many more report higher numbers of multi-barriered clients. It is unclear whether women-only agencies are more aware of the barriers clients may face, or if these agencies are more likely to attract clients with many needs.
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Government Eligibility Restricts Access
Agencies help clients overcome these barriers by providing program supports. Eighty-nine percent of respondents offer transportation supports and 53% provide child care. These are pre-employment supports that help people with multiple barriers get in the door.
All agencies want more training dollars for short-term courses (e.g. fork lift, CPR/first aid, Smart Serve). Women-only agencies also want to offer much more in the way of employment-specific supports; presently this is a weak area of support for these agencies.
Current funding is not adequate for the program supports clients require and agencies patch together supports with volunteers and funding from a wide variety of sources. This is an even greater challenge for organizations that serve women predominantly, possibly because of the kinds of clients these agencies tend to serve: many more report higher numbers of multi-barriered clients. It is unclear whether women-only agencies are more aware of the barriers clients may face, or if these agencies are more likely to attract clients with many needs.
Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Government Eligibility Restricts Access
Labels: Pre-LMDA
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Picture: Funding from Government Sources
The Province of Ontario, excluding the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU), is the largest source of funding for all the agencies responding to ACTEW's Pre-LMDA Survey. The provincial government funds 83% of respondents' women's programs.
However, the provincial ministry most concerned with employment - MTCU - is also the least likely of all the funding options listed in our survey to support women's employment programming.
The federal government has been a common and significant funding source, as well, for agencies that focus on women; almost all of these survey respondents receive some federal money. For eleven agencies responding to our survey, the federal government is the largest funder and six of these serve women predominantly
It's unclear how this may change as the LMDA devolves many federal employment and training programs to the Province of Ontario.
And the LMDA transfers employment programming from the federal government to MTCU.
Read the full report: Patching It Together: Employment and Training Opportunities for Women in Ontario Pre-Ontario-Canada Labour Market Development Agreement.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Barriers and Supports
However, the provincial ministry most concerned with employment - MTCU - is also the least likely of all the funding options listed in our survey to support women's employment programming.
The federal government has been a common and significant funding source, as well, for agencies that focus on women; almost all of these survey respondents receive some federal money. For eleven agencies responding to our survey, the federal government is the largest funder and six of these serve women predominantly
It's unclear how this may change as the LMDA devolves many federal employment and training programs to the Province of Ontario.
And the LMDA transfers employment programming from the federal government to MTCU.
Read the full report: Patching It Together: Employment and Training Opportunities for Women in Ontario Pre-Ontario-Canada Labour Market Development Agreement.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Barriers and Supports
Labels: Pre-LMDA
Friday, May 18, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Picture: Patchwork Funding for Women's Services
With women's employment growth doubling that of men's in the past year, it's not surprising that respondents to ACTEW's Pre-LMDA Survey report high demand for their services for women, especially among agencies that focus predominantly on women. However, agencies are not seeing any increase in funding related to women-only programming, even as they report a slight increase in overall funding.
In order to meet client demand, agencies seek funding from numerous sources. Agencies that focus on women pull in bits of funding from many more sources than their peers, although this does not translate into more funding overall.
Women's organizations are also far more likely to tap into private donations from individuals and corporations. Seventy-nine percent of women-focused organizations receive support from individuals, while only 53% of all survey respondents have these donors. However, private funding is not a significant source of income in most cases.
While a diverse funding strategy avoids putting all the eggs in one basket, it also comes with challenges. As a respondent says:
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Government funding
In order to meet client demand, agencies seek funding from numerous sources. Agencies that focus on women pull in bits of funding from many more sources than their peers, although this does not translate into more funding overall.
Women's organizations are also far more likely to tap into private donations from individuals and corporations. Seventy-nine percent of women-focused organizations receive support from individuals, while only 53% of all survey respondents have these donors. However, private funding is not a significant source of income in most cases.
While a diverse funding strategy avoids putting all the eggs in one basket, it also comes with challenges. As a respondent says:
"Providing the service is the easy part. ...[H]ow difficult it is for a multi-service women-centred program to raise the needed project funding from various sources, develop and nurture the many needed partnerships..."Read the full report: Patching It Together: Employment and Training Opportunities for Women in Ontario Pre-Ontario-Canada Labour Market Development Agreement.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Government funding
Labels: Pre-LMDA
Monday, May 14, 2007
The Pre-LMDA Picture: ACTEW's Survey Report
ACTEW has released the report Patching It Together: Employment and Training Opportunities for Women in Ontario Pre-Ontario-Canada Labour Market Development Agreement.
In December 2006, prior to the January implementation of the LMDA, ACTEW surveyed the employment and training sector on programs and services for women. The goal of this Pre-LMDA Survey was to get a picture of the sector before the LMDA.
In 2008, ACTEW will conduct a second survey. A comparison of the 2006 and 2008 survey results will point to ways the LMDA has changed the sector. While Ontario is the last province to sign an LMDA with Canada, ACTEW's research is the country's first effort to understand the effects of such an agreement on a vital and growing labour market: women.
Patching It Together reports that women-specific programming in particular, and community-based training in general, work well because agencies in Ontario are dedicated to delivering comprehensive, holistic services. However, agencies are serving diverse and multi-barriered clientele within the confines of fractured governmental policy and spotty funding. They patch together programs and funding in lieu of any comprehensive or integrated governmental framework.
Over the next few weeks, watch this blog for highlights from the survey analysis, in our series: The Pre-LMDA Picture.
Read the report
In December 2006, prior to the January implementation of the LMDA, ACTEW surveyed the employment and training sector on programs and services for women. The goal of this Pre-LMDA Survey was to get a picture of the sector before the LMDA.
In 2008, ACTEW will conduct a second survey. A comparison of the 2006 and 2008 survey results will point to ways the LMDA has changed the sector. While Ontario is the last province to sign an LMDA with Canada, ACTEW's research is the country's first effort to understand the effects of such an agreement on a vital and growing labour market: women.
Patching It Together reports that women-specific programming in particular, and community-based training in general, work well because agencies in Ontario are dedicated to delivering comprehensive, holistic services. However, agencies are serving diverse and multi-barriered clientele within the confines of fractured governmental policy and spotty funding. They patch together programs and funding in lieu of any comprehensive or integrated governmental framework.
Over the next few weeks, watch this blog for highlights from the survey analysis, in our series: The Pre-LMDA Picture.
Read the report
Labels: ACTEW_Activities, Pre-LMDA, Resources_and_Research
The Pre-LMDA Picture: Survey Respondent Profile
There were seventy-four respondents to the Pre-LMDA Survey, and almost two thirds completed most questions.
The vast majority of respondents are non-profit agencies. Most are located in a large urban centre, with slightly less than half in the GTA. However, 18 serve a mix of urban and rural clients, and four serve rural and remote communities. Sixteen percent are located in Northern Ontario; the remaining respondents are fairly evenly distributed throughout the rest of the province.
Forty-two of all survey respondents offer some form of women-only programming.
Twenty-one agencies report that 76 to 100% of their annual budget is devoted to women's programs. Of these, 14 agencies only serve women, or only women and their children.
The vast majority of respondents are non-profit agencies. Most are located in a large urban centre, with slightly less than half in the GTA. However, 18 serve a mix of urban and rural clients, and four serve rural and remote communities. Sixteen percent are located in Northern Ontario; the remaining respondents are fairly evenly distributed throughout the rest of the province.
Forty-two of all survey respondents offer some form of women-only programming.
Twenty-one agencies report that 76 to 100% of their annual budget is devoted to women's programs. Of these, 14 agencies only serve women, or only women and their children.
- Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Patchwork funding
- Read the report, Patching It Together
Labels: Pre-LMDA
