Directorates
·	Director General's Office
·	Data Development
·	Strategic Evaluations
·	Partnership and Continuous Evaluations
Publications
·	Evaluation Reports
·	Evaluation Briefs
·	Labour Market Development Agreement Series
·	Lessons Learned Series
·	Evaluation Tool Kit Series
·	Evaluation Forum Newsletter
·	From Theory To Practice

TO:	The Joint Management Committee Canada/Yukon Labour Market Development Agreement
FROM:	Labour Market Information Sub Committee Canada/Yukon Labour Market Development Agreement
SUBJECT:	RESPONSE TO THE FORMATIVE EVALUATION OF EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND SUPPORT MEASURES UNDER TERMS OF THE CANADA/YUKON LABOUR MARKET  DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

The report documents of the Formative Evaluation of Employment Benefits and Support Measures (EBSM) Under Terms of the Canada/Yukon Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA) were received from EKOS in December 2000. Derek Brackley, chair of the Canada/Yukon Evaluation Committee, formally presented the reports to the Joint Management Committee (JMC) during the January 2001 meeting. A sub-committee of the Labour Market Information (LMI) Committee was struck to review the reports and prepare a formal response.

The EKOS reports find "overall, the EBSMs were perceived to be functioning quite well...(however) various aspects of the implementation and delivery of the EBSMs require improvement." (p.i, Executive Summary, Final Overview Report). It is these necessary improvements that this response will address.

Six recommendations made by EKOS relate to the following:

• Relevance
• Communications within and among government and partners
• Communications with third parties
• Communications with the general public
• Service delivery practices
• Monitoring and data collection

It is important to note that many of the details included in the recommendations from the EKOS report had been identified in Dr. Marilyn Mohan's 1999 LMDA Consultations in the Communities, and ELEM's (Laurie MacFeeters) 1999 LMDA Consultations in Whitehorse. Responses based on those local consultations are underway.

It is acknowledged by the Labour Market Information (LMI) Committee that major initiatives will require resources not currently available. These activities will need to be funded as needs are identified.

When another evaluation is planned, an approach more tailored to the uniqueness of Yukon's demographics should be considered.

Response to the EKOS Recommendations

1. Relevance

• The Communications Strategy developed as a result of the local consultations has or will address the identified gaps: information and criteria for programs and shared partner information exchange. These will be addressed through the placement of the "Job Trees" which are now under construction and the Employment Assistance Services (EAS) contract to provide information in Haines Junction and area.
• The proposed EAS contract in Whitehorse to provide assessment and referral to appropriate services will address the concerns of a more co-ordinated and holistic program delivery and will take steps toward eliminating the duplication of data collection.
• The importance of the "greeter" position in the Human Resource Centre of Canada (HRCC) office has been demonstrated, and ways to continue to fund this position need to be explored to alleviate the perception of "rough and cold" service in the office.
• Increased budget and publicity for Targeted Wage Subsidy (TWS) programs have not brought about increased TWS interventions. Possibly this is due to the current economic situation. Alternative promotion for TWS needs to be examined to increase the successful use of this program.
• Questions about Employment Insurance (EI) eligibility fall outside the mandate of the LMDA.
• The interests expressed in life skills and basic education programming are often outside the mandate of the LMDA.

2. Communications Within and Among Government Partners

Conduct more information meetings within government departments, with government staff and among partners.

3. Communications with Third Parties

• Conduct information sessions with third party delivery agencies to convey the information required.
• Strengthen liaison with Yukon College partners to ensure timely response to training for labour market needs.
• The importance of locally generated labour market information is recognized. HRDC and Advanced Education financially support Yukon Work Information Network and Government on Line. It is important to increase awareness of these sources of information while continuing to research other methods of promoting additional sources of local labour market information. Workshops with client groups, governments and third party delivery agencies are proposed.

4. Communications with the General Public

• These needs will be addressed by the Communications Strategy (Greeter position, EAS Contracts, Job Trees)
• We will continue to expand partnership opportunities to create a master database of programs and services delivered in the territory. The recently released booklet, Where It's At, a guide to programs and services for young people in the Territory, is an example. We will investigate the possibility of developing a data base of federal, territorial and municipal programs. Perhaps an existing service such as Yukon Work Information Network (YuWin) could be the holder of the data base.

5. Service Delivery Practices

• Structured co-ordination and streamlining of delivery practices. This concern will be addressed by the EAS contract to provide centralized assessment and referral service.
• Desire for increased program flexibility. Terms and conditions of EBSM delivery are outside the LMDA mandate. Flexibility to work with proponents in developing services/programs that meet HRDC terms and conditions can be encouraged.

6. Monitoring and Data Collection

• The shortcomings of the data collection and systems management are recognized. A new data collection system is under development and is expected to be operational in Fall 2002.