June 17, 1999
(Executive Council)

Federal/Provincial funding announced for Career Development Centre

Treasury Board President Anna Thistle and Gerry Byrne, MP for Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte announced an extension to the Opening Doors program which initiated the resulting partnership known as JEEPS - Job Experience and Employment in the Public Service for Persons with Disabilities Project as part of a larger federal-provincial announcement for the Opening Doors program.

Originally an employment equity project between the two governments, JEEPS was funded under the federal government's former Special Measures Initiatives Program. However, JEEPS has now been recognized by the Public Service Commission of Canada both locally and nationally as having long term value. A new three-year, Locally Shared Support Services Contract between the two governments was signed today. "This new contract alone has a value of $300,000 and provides for the supply of JEEPS services to federal departments by the Opening Doors Career Development Centre for Persons with Disabilities," said Minister Thistle. "In its first two years of operation, JEEPS has already effected a total of 31 hires. To date this year another seven persons with disabilities have been hired by federal departments. It is hoped this three year commitment to JEEPS will result in at least another 60 persons with disabilities being placed in the federal public service for an estimated total 98 persons attaining employment."

The Opening Doors Career Development Centre for Persons with Disabilities has also acquired three other partners over the last year. The Department of Human Resources and Employment, the Department of Human Resources Development Canada and the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work.

"The partnership between the two human resource departments is representative of successes that can be achieved with cooperation between the two levels of government," Byrne said. "Through the centre's partnership with HRE and HRDC under the Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA), $1,065,000 has been made available over a two year period for wage subsidies to provincial and federal departments for the employment of persons with disabilities for lengths of up to one year."

"The Public Service Commission of Canada is pleased to continue this partnership with its colleagues from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Amelita Armit, Public Service Commission of Canada. "Together we are making progress in achieving a more representative -public service. The JEEPS program has been highly successful in providing the federal public service with access to capable candidates who can be easily integrated into our workforce."

"Through this wage subsidy initiative it is hoped that participants will gain valuable work experience related to their training, thereby, making them more competitive in the labor market," Premier Tobin added. "Approximately 50 work experience opportunities are hoped to be initiated for persons with disabilities as a result of this partnership with LMDA - to date 26 have been effected."

The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) also announced funding to make the Opening Doors Career Development Centre for Persons with Disabilities the Provincial Workink site for Newfoundland and Labrador. The CCRW is a Canada-wide network dedicated to opening the workforce and to promoting meaningful employment of people with disabilities. One of CCRW's largest projects has been the development of Workink, an online employment resource centre providing a series of services for work seekers, employers and professionals to assist in the work search process.

"This contract, valued at $54,000 will provide the resources for the centre to employ a Workink site coordinator to set up the Newfoundland and Labrador site and to promote its use as a resource for employers, community groups and persons with disabilities who are seeking work in our province," said Minister Thistle.

The Opening Doors Program is the foundation upon which the centre has been built. With an annual commitment from our provincial budget of $1.4 million, government has continued to support the Opening Doors Program which has put in place over 55 permanent positions in provincial government departments throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Over the years, it is estimated that over 200 persons with disabilities have gained employment and job experience through these 55 Opening Doors positions and our provincial departments have benefitted in having the additional resources provided by the program, as well as the element of representation it provides.

With these new announcements, both the provincial and federal governments believe Opening Doors will continue to develop and make further inroads in the provision of meaningful employment for persons with disabilities.

Media Contact:

David Wells
Treasury Board, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
(709) 729-6830

Bonnie Kavanagh
Public Service Commission of Canada
(709) 772-4315

BACKGROUNDER: OPENING DOORS ANNOUNCEMENT

Today's announcement has three main components. Each component offers a different but important part to the enhancement of Opening Doors and the services they provide.

Through JEEPS (Job Experience and Employment in the Public Service), referrals of persons with disabilities are made to federal competitions to the Public Service Commission of Canada from the Client Registry of the province's Opening Doors Career Development Centre. Starting originally as a project under the federal government's former Special Measures Initiatives Program, JEEPS has been recognized by the PSC of Canada, both locally and nationally, as having long term value.

In its 1997-98 annual report on Employment Equity, Treasury Board of Canada stated, "The JEEPS for Persons with Disabilities Project is a fine example of an intergovernmental partnership in which the partners' resources and needs are pooled so as to stimulate interest among all parties. This project offers a range of services for the Public Service Commission of Canada district office in Newfoundland, the Treasury Board of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and people with disabilities in that province. Thanks to this project, the provincial public service has more jobs to offer and people with disabilities now have more opportunities to find a position in the federal Public Service and better access to professional development services." Today's signing of a three year contract for Locally Shared Support Services is valued at $300,000.

Workink is an online employment resource centre which is a project of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW). The CCRW is a Canada-wide network of organizations and individuals who strive to open up the workforce and to promote meaningful employment of people with disabilities. This contract with CCRW, valued at $54,000, will provide the resources necessary for the Opening Doors Career Development Centre to employ a Workink site coordinator to set up the Newfoundland and Labrador site and to promote its use as a resource for employers, community groups and persons with disabilities who are seeking work throughout the country.

Under the Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA), $1,065,000 has been made available over a two year period (beginning April 1998) for the Opening Doors Career Development Centre to provide wage subsidies to provincial and federal departments for the employment of persons with disabilities in work experience assignments of up to one year. Through this initiative it is hoped that participants will gain valuable work experience related to their training, making them more competitive in the labour market. Approximately 50 work experience opportunities are hoped to be initiated for persons with disabilities as a result of this partnership with LMDA - to date 26 have been effected.

1999 06 17                   12:30 p.m.