New program promises tailor-made solutions to address employment needs

Five Saskatchewan tribal councils and the provincial government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada that provides supports for training, education, and skills development.

The Active Measures project is a comprehensive initiative of the federal government aimed at helping First Nations people join the labour market.

 “The MOU is more than a symbolic gesture. It is a promise to seek improvements in training, mentorship, transition and support for individuals, families and communities,” wrote the Saskatoon Tribal Council in an open letter to its members.

STC along with the Agency Tribal Council, Yorkton Tribal Council, Meadow Lake Tribal, and File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council signed the MOU in March.

“This initiative, we’re going to need help from a lot of people – from the schools, from the career coaches, from the life skills people – but most of all from the participants,” said STC Chief Felix Thomas.

With the ink on the MOU agreement barely dry, one of the first Active Measures projects is just finishing in the Balcarres area. Twelve graduates celebrated the end of the 35-week program “Way2Work” at the File Hills Employment and Training Centre.

“The Way2Work was one such program where we identified significant elements that would help to decrease barriers to employment and provide the clients with that additional advantage,” said Joan Bellegarde, manager of FHETC, of the Little Black Bear band project.
Drivers’ education, sorting out licensing issues, employability skills, WHMIS and Safe Food Handling Certificates, CPR and First Aid, Criminal Records checks were some of the added course enhancements, said Bellegarde.

Central to the Active Measures project is the understanding that First Nations take initiative in developing and implementing the programming. First Nations economic development and opportunity are at different stages in the province, with regions facing challenges unique to their community. Active Measures stakeholders are tasked with ensuring the programs are designed to meet each community’s needs.

“We have to develop a framework that’s both flexible and open. That’s kind of the principle behind Active Measures,” said Trevor Sutter, spokesperson for ANAC.
The program provides a framework to support young Aboriginals to end the cycle of dependence on income assistance and to meet growing skilled labour shortages in the province.

“We want to ensure people understand that income assistance is not a career choice. There are very good options out there and supports for people who want to leave income assistance and move into a very satisfying and lifelong attachment to the workforce,” said Sutter.

Employment rates for Aboriginal people vary widely throughout Saskatchewan.  According to Statistics Canada 2009, Saskatchewan’s overall Aboriginal employment (off-reserve) is 65 per cent compared to 87 per cent for non–Aboriginal. The province continues to have much poorer overall rates of employment for young, non-urban and remote Aboriginal.

While the program is being run across the country, Saskatchewan Region is taking the lead on the Active Measures initiative.