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A second core element of the Strategic Initiatives program was the focus placed on testing innovative approaches to the delivery of services for people on, or at risk of facing, long term dependence on government assistance.

Strategic Initiatives were innovative in a number of ways. They were innovative in what they did and how they did it. Many of these lessons have already been discussed in earlier chapters of the report, particularly those relating to innovations in the programs and services offered to clients. This chapter highlights some innovative approaches in how Initiatives were implemented. It also outlines issues with respect to the processes of developing and implementing these programs.

The formative evaluations provided limited information on the success of these approaches. Their impact will only potentially be known when the summative evaluations are carried out.

5.1 Innovative Approaches

The formative evaluations identified a number of features in the programming approaches taken which have contributed to the success of specific Strategic Initiatives. However caution is required. Some features which might be referred to in this section as “innovative” are, in fact, not unique to the Strategic Initiatives and are also being tried in other programs.

Since Initiatives were aimed at helping participants make the transition from income support to employment, many sought to actively involve clients in the design and development of program activities. The importance of individualised programs — particularly for those facing multiple barriers to employment — was highlighted in previous chapters. To develop these, many Initiatives involved participants in the development of personal action plans and encouraged participants to investigate their own training or work placement opportunities.

Lessons were also learned with respect to other programming approaches of the Strategic Initiatives, including the importance of encouraging realistic job expectations and the availability of follow-up programs for clients and the need for flexible and appropriate interventions. Other lessons were learned about the use of different programming tools: the use of counsellors/facilitators and innovative technologies.

5.1.1 Programming Lessons

Career and Training Plans

Programs need to be targeted and customised to address the specific needs of individuals facing barriers to labour force attachment. Individual plans focus on identifying suitable, individualised incentives for participation in programs, as well as the appropriate programming to address clients’ barriers to employment. This individualised planning is reflected in personal action plans developed for and by participants.

Several Strategic Initiatives focussed on developing individualised plans for programs participants:

• the Ready to Learn Initiative in Prince Edward Island was based on the development of individualised plans to provide literacy, life skills training, skills training and academic upgrading for SARs. The plans included a multi-stage approach to providing a supportive learning environment based on individual needs;
• the Manitoba Taking Charge! program involved the development of individualised plans for training and/or work experience programming designed to enhance the employability of single parents on income assistance. The development of individual plans allows for comprehensive programming to address the multiple barriers which clients face in attaining economic independence, including providing financial assistance for day care, transportation, and a small daily allowance in addition to their income assistance;
• the Integrated Training Centres for Youth (Alberta) was a community-designed, individualised, self-paced program to provide customised counselling, training and work site interventions for youth who had dropped out of school and were at risk of long term dependency. The training plans were used for case management of the client’s program participation and were reviewed during every site visit to ensure the client was progressing at an acceptable pace;
• the Assessment, Counselling and Referral program (British Columbia) involved client-centred group assessments in which income assistance recipients, with the support of a trained facilitator, identify and assess employment strengths, identify barriers/challenges, and formulate their own career goals.

Some evaluations noted challenges to the implementation of individualised approaches. For example, the Integrated Training Centres for Youth was innovative in providing incentives to participants to allow and/or encourage them to attend and complete the training programs. It was expected that these incentives would be determined on a case-by--case basis, based on individual assessments. However, agencies found it difficult to assess individual client needs and have generally fallen back to using a grid (based on living arrangements and number of children) to set incentive rates. The grid provides for a fairer allocation of incentives but removed the benefit of a more individualised approach, which might more adequately respond to individual participant needs. There is evidence that other funds have been used to “top up” incentives, suggesting that the use of grids is not meeting client needs.

The Choice and Opportunity program (Prince Edward Island) highlighted the particular importance of customising programming for individuals with intellectual disabilities receiving supports and services. The program promoted a shift from supply-side to demand-side and the development of individualised funding models. The literature review suggested that this is the key to achieving self-determination for this target groups. This relies on a well-developed system of service provision and requires that a wide range of supports and services are available at the community level. The evaluation identifies key indicators of effective individualised models, including:

• individualised payment models which are flexible to meet individual needs;
• support for those working with clients;
• individualised service planning; and
• involvement of the clients to the greatest extent possible.

Realistic Job Expectations

To enhance chances of success, individual client training or program plans need to reflect realistic job expectations for clients. The evaluation of the Student Work and Service Program (Newfoundland) indicates that realistic work expectations are more important in achieving program success than the career-relatedness of the job placement. The Ready to Learn program (Prince Edward Island) focuses on youth with very low literacy levels. Participation in the program appears to make individuals significantly less positive with respect to the work and training. A possible explanation is the fact that, through program exposure, participants may become more realistic about the job skills required to increase their level of employability. The Initiative also offered personal and career counselling by facilitators. The type of career counselling may also have contributed to the negative attitudes of participants. Yet it may also have contributed to the reassessment of career goals and resulted in participants becoming more realistic about what could be achieved.

Follow-up to Interventions

The individual plans also need to reflect a continuum of interventions, including access to a follow-up program after program completion. The success of program interventions is linked to the extent to which expected follow-up programs are available. For example, the Assessment, Counselling, and Referral Strategic Initiative (Alberta) was designed to test and demonstrate an enhanced assessment, counselling and referral system for people on income support. The evaluation notes that it is unsure whether the motivational effects of program components would be lasting and that the sustainability of outcomes for clients appeared to depend on whether the expectations for follow-up programs and other outcomes were actually met.

A similar problem arose in the Investing in People program (Northwest Territories) which provided for the delivery of personal and skill development, integration of government services at the community level, and community development activities for SAR clients. The evaluation noted that once the program intervention is complete, a training path needs to be identified for those who complete the project to ensure that they can progress steadily toward their personal and career goals. Training and work experience projects should not be viewed as a one-time intervention.

Flexibility And Need For Gradual Reduction Of Support

Programs for clients facing multiple barriers to labour force attachment need to be flexible. Rigidity in the design of programs for this population work against the success of the programs in addressing long standing barriers. Rigidity in program design can also work against attempts to individualise program action plans. For example:

• rigidity in the Integrated Training Centres for Youth program rules may have mitigated against a more individualised approach in this program. There was a challenge associated with the operational definition of “at risk youth” in terms of eligibility and selection criteria. The eligibility rules may also have prevented some young people from accessing other services or welcoming other learning options because they did not want to lose the opportunity to participate in the program;
• legislative constraints hampered the success of the Ready to Learn program (Prince Edward Island). A significant number of participants did not meet eligibility criteria because of the rigidity of some unemployment insurance rules and social assistance benefit obligations. It was suggested that attention be given to possibly developing a training allowance formula with a gradual decrease from reliance on government assistance while the participants progress through their program.

These examples and others suggest that it is important to design support for those who are dependent, or at risk of depending, on government assistance by using program supports that can be gradually withdrawn. The challenge is to not create another dependence on the program.

The Graduate Employment/Self-Employment Program (Newfoundland) evaluation notes that the self-employment component of the program, which provides a constant level of income support ending after one year, is at risk of creating program dependency and may lead to high incidence of business failure after assistance ends. There is a need to consider alternative schemes which incorporate a declining level of support after an initial period of constant support. Some program designs also tended to contribute to increasing dependency on support, rather than reducing it. The Ready to Learn program (Prince Edward Island) to enhance the literacy level, education and job skills of youth was based on a small group concept. This concept played a significant role in the delivery of the program and represented a strong form of support for participants. But it may also have created a form of dependency which may impact on self-sufficiency. For example, there may have been a reluctance to pursue college education beyond the confines of a local small group. Participants should be encouraged to mix in different small groups, if this is at all possible, instead of bonding with only one group and then seemingly clinging to it.

Appropriate Programs and Incentives

A key challenge to meeting the needs of this client group is the need to provide incentives for program participation which are sufficient to overcome the benefits of government assistance.

For example, the Student Work and Services Program in Newfoundland found a new appropriate way to deliver work placement income to students returning to school. Rather than provide it entirely through wage subsidies, the program experimented with the use of tuition vouchers which enabled students to cover tuition fees for post-secondary education. Students who participated in the program were positive about the use of tuition vouchers, and preliminary findings suggests that the use of vouchers increases the chances the student will return to a post-secondary education institution. However, the value of this education in avoiding future dependency is unknown.

The importance of adequate incentives is particularly key for clients facing multiple barriers to employment. The Compass program (Nova Scotia) provides two examples of the importance of providing appropriate incentives for program participation.

• The wage level provided in the Transitional Training Option for skilled job-ready individuals and single parents was insufficient to encourage family benefit clients to leave the security of social assistance. In addition, the lack of subsidised day care, the lack of transportation and fear of losing pharmacard benefits reduced incentives for clients to participate in the program.
• Similarly, the Enterprise Development Option of the Compass program found it necessary to increase the size of the micro-enterprise loan to assist SAR clients to establish and operate small businesses. This was necessary to allow for sufficient funds to leverage other financing.

5.1.2 Programming Tools

Specific types of programming tools were mentioned in the formative evaluations as having contributed to Initiative successes.

Counsellors/Facilitators

The use of counsellors and/or facilitators in program delivery have been key to success in some programs:

• in the Ready to Learn program (Prince Edward Island), facilitators were drawn from clients on social assistance or drawing employment insurance benefits who had the necessary academic qualifications. The personal counselling offered by these facilitators helped significantly reduce the dropout rate in the program. The positive modelling effect of the facilitators also influenced changes in participants’ attitudes toward long term dependency. The evaluation notes that this factor was almost as important as the expertise and ability the facilitator may display in the transfer of knowledge. The facilitators may also have contributed to clients revising their career goals to become more realistic about what could be achieved;
• Job Developers were key to the success of the Compass program (Nova Scotia). Making Job Developers responsible for placements meant that municipal employment counsellors could provide more effective counselling instead of focussing on placement activities.

The importance of the skill sets for these facilitators or counsellors was highlighted in a couple of evaluations:

• the Job Developer function in the Compass program (Nova Scotia) requires a blend of business and counselling skills, is dedicated to matching job ready clients with local employers;
• the Ontario jobLink program focussed on co-ordinating the program and service delivery of all three levels of government. The partnerships between HRDC and provincial/local officials and community agencies serving SARs offers potential benefits, namely: HRDC’s superior expertise in counselling skills and access to information, and the other parties’ superior understanding of the needs and readiness of the client population;
• one major strength of the Community Skills Centres in British Columbia was the extensive expertise of their staff in business, training, and community economic development.

Innovative Technology

Four Strategic Initiatives took advantage of innovative technology to improve services for client groups:

• the Labour Market Initiative in Saskatchewan piloted various innovations in partnerships, information collection, product development, and information distribution. Innovative technologies (including multimedia technologies) are being used for improved information distribution and accessibility and the program was designed to improve access to up-to-date technologies for partners. As a result of improved access to appropriate LMI, it is expected that planners and clients will make more informed decisions;
• similarly, under the Saskatchewan Career Services Initiative, projects were using innovative technologies for providing career services to people who previously did not have access to these services. Multimedia technology has been used for information collection and distribution, and the projects have been working together on the development of a Web site;
• the British Columbia Labour Market Information Initiative was established to be an innovative and experimental program in order to test different methods of collecting LMI, and different methods of dissemination, including the implementation of new technologies. The Initiative explore alternative delivery mechanisms, particularly the Internet;
• the Community Skills Centres (British Colombia) have also made excellent use of electronic technologies, including computer-based tools, the Internet and video-conferencing. Video-conferencing is used for training, meetings and interviewing candidates. The Internet is used for public orientation, access to labour market information, and high-level technical training and skills up-grading.

5.2 Initiating New Programs

Most, but not all, Strategic Initiatives were new programs. A few Initiatives built on existing or planned provincial initiatives. For example, the graduate employment component of the Graduate Employment/Self-Employment Program (Newfoundland) continued a largely successful provincial initiative. The projects proposed for the Improved Access to Child Care projects in British Columbia had originally been designed and scheduled for funding under the province’s program Child Care: Choice at Work.

The formative evaluations identified some challenges to developing new programs within the context of the Strategic Initiatives program. The most significant was the time pressures to develop joint programs in a short periods of time. However, this also provided opportunities for partners to demonstrate flexibility in adjusting to program constraints. However, it should be noted that these challenges to program development are not unique to Strategic Initiatives programs and are being faced in other government programming.

Need for Sufficient Time for Program Development

A key lesson learned from the process of initiating these new programs was that sufficient time must be allowed for program design and development. This was seen as particularly true if the programs involve partnerships. In some cases, the lack of time limited program results, at least in the early days of the program. Examples are drawn from a number of initiatives:

• the evaluation of Newfoundland’s Student Work and Services Program notes that designing and implementing a new program in a partnership mode requires time and the active participation of all parties. In Student Work and Services Program, all parties co-operated and created a design which was highly praised by participants, employers and key informants. However, the shortage of time meant that delivery procedures were not fully developed. This limited the success of the initial implementation and created stress among the partners. Yet individuals made strong personal efforts to assure the initial success of the program despite shortcomings in design and delivery;
• the ambitious employment targets under the Strategic Employment Opportunities Program and the large number of public sector partners led to receipt and approval of a diverse group of project applications. This diversity made it impossible to develop an effective program design. Evidence from the literature suggested that design criteria which would be effective for one type of project would be a constraint to effectiveness for other projects. The approach under the Strategic Employment Opportunities Program of using one common approach was judged to have significantly reduced the potential for an effective program;
• the evaluation of the Ready to Learn project (Prince Edward Island) noted the need for sufficient time to plan activities, establish partnerships, develop local community support, and increase awareness of the program. Limited time to plan and put the Ready to Learn project in place resulted in the need to change the planned design in significant ways. The flexibility needed to accommodate this redesign created confusion, frustration and breaks in communication with stakeholders;
• the evaluation of the Improved Access to Child Care (British Columbia) also noted the need to allow sufficient time for the development of pilot project models and for involving communities organisations. It noted that although community development is a time-consuming process, it is recognised as the best approach for this type of initiative;
• the evaluation of the Labour Market Initiative (British Columbia) noted that the main factor which affected the ability to deliver the program in an efficient and timely manner was time limitations. Partnerships take time to build and ownership issues can interfere with the effectiveness of partnerships. As with the Student Work and Services Program (Newfoundland), people put in the extra time needed to make up for the limitations and keep projects moving;
• similarly, the evaluation of the Labour Market Initiative in Saskatchewan noted that the benefits associated with partnerships have been achieved by successfully handling challenges through the involvement of partners in all stages of the program and through effective communication incorporating meaningful consultation, feedback of information, and follow-up. However, considerable time and effort was needed to develop the partnerships, and substantial opportunities exist to realise continued benefits by working together.

The implications of the lack of time, combined with the need to develop innovative approaches and to develop the programs in partnership with other stakeholders (particularly communities), created challenges for the establishment of these new Initiatives. However, there were also opportunities for partners to demonstrate flexibility in addressing these challenges.

Flexibility and Autonomy

The Strategic Initiatives program implemented a number of innovative features, including federal/provincial cost sharing and extensive partnerships with other levels of government and organisations, in many cases under significant time constraints. Considerable flexibility was required to adjust existing systems to meet these new programming approaches.

The option of third-party delivery of services provided autonomy for operations and contributed to the flexibility of programming. For example, since the Taking Charge! program (Manitoba) was being delivered by an independent agency, the program had the flexibility to respond rapidly to client and industry needs. Similarly, the evaluation of the Labour Market Initiative in British Columbia, delivered through non-profit organisations, notes four key elements which made this Initiative work well. These included an open and inclusive structure, a flexible non-bureaucratic management style, flexibility and responsiveness independent of normal government structures, and the commitment of the people involved.

Flexibility in the delivery of services was also a key success factor in Initiatives delivered through joint federal/provincial programming. For example, it was not the mandate of the British Columbia Community Skills Centres to replicate existing services and simply out-compete them in order to become financially independent. The services were distinctive because of the added value of flexible schedules, non-traditional training environments, and innovative use of electronic technologies. Community Skills Centres offered training that was provided by other sources but not available from these sources in a location, format or schedule that met the needs of the trainee group that the Community Skills Centres was serving in that particular situation.

A number of Initiatives also demonstrated flexibility in the development and evolution of administrative systems for program implementation. This was noted in a number of evaluations:

• the evaluation of the Newfoundland Student Work and Services Program noted that the provincial government demonstrated flexibility in its interpretation of policies to overcome barriers to project implementation, particularly for the Community Services component of the Initiative;
• the implementation of federal/provincial cost sharing of the programs gave rise to the need for new approaches to the management and allocation of program resources, and many existing financial systems had to be adjusted to meet Strategic Initiatives needs. Initial challenges were overcome as the Initiatives evolved. For example, in the New Brunswick Job Corp program, the federal and provincial governments worked together to develop mechanisms to provide the annual guaranteed income payments to participants;³
• the evaluation of the Career Services program (Saskatchewan) noted that flexibility in the development of administrative policies and procedures was good, in many ways, but has also resulted in some uncertainties in the process for partners;
• because the Saskatchewan Labour Market Information program was new to the province, many administrative policies and procedures had to be developed for distributing products and monitoring projects. These evolved over time as the LMI projects progressed.

Costs of New Initiatives

The evaluation of the self-employment component of the Graduate Employment/Self-Employment Program (Newfoundland) suggests that the costs of designing a new program (initial high investments in design and delivery, as well as the inevitable mistakes and subsequent requirements for fine tuning) may be barriers to cost-effectiveness when a program is implemented on a small scale for a limited time period. The evaluation suggested that the program may be cost-effective if implemented on a larger scale with adjustments to design and delivery.

5.3 Conclusions

Innovation was key a component of the Strategic Initiatives. Innovative approaches have been incorporated into many Initiatives. Many lessons about these specific approaches and, more generally, about the process of implementing new programs are reflected in the formative evaluation reports. However, these lessons are certainly not unique to Strategic Initiatives. They might be reflected in many new programs. The challenges which they reflect are, in many cases, difficult to address. The constraints of time and resources, combined with the need to work with stakeholders, define the development of many new government initiatives.

The impact of these innovative approaches on program delivery and outcomes for clients can only be known when summative evaluations of the Strategic Initiatives are complete.

The mid-term review of the Strategic Initiatives notes the importance of evaluation for Initiatives and makes recommendations about the need to improve the communication of results.⁴ Sharing this information are the Forum for Labour Market Ministers and the Ministers Responsible for Social Services, the HRDC Intranet and other ad hoc information sharing vehicles. This review of lessons learned is another.