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This chapter examines the implementation and operation of EBSM in Nova Scotia. The first section briefly recounts the implementation of EBSM in Nova Scotia, using information from the key informant interviews. The second section summarizes how EBSM is operating in Nova Scotia, using information from the key informant interviews, focus groups and case studies. 4.1 Implementation of EBSMImplementation of EBSM in Nova Scotia took place in July 1996. Interviewees were generally of the opinion that implementation went smoothly. In part, this was because of the flexibility of EBSM. Moreover, many staff interviewed felt the component programs of EBSM were continuations of pre-existing Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) labour market programs. Purchase of training, Self-employment Assistance and various wage subsidies and job creation programs had been offered by HRDC for a number of years. Several interviewees referred to similarities with the Canadian Jobs Strategy (CJS). One important change from the previous delivery mechanism is the new focus on outcomes: Does the client get and keep a job? Several informants noted a shift in philosophy and culture. They claimed the new philosophy emphasizes caring about what happens to a client, i.e., working with clients until they are self-sufficient. The change from entitlement to negotiated financial assistance with the client contributing to the cost of the intervention has also required a change in mindset. Under negotiated financial assistance, counselors work with clients to calculate the costs of taking training, and an agreement is negotiated to apportion these costs between HRDC and client. One interviewee perceived this as the most fundamental change. Managers across the province were very much in favour of cost-sharing with clients. They have found clients to be more motivated to succeed if they pay a share, saying it makes them more accountable and successful in their training intervention. Also staff found that clients who put their own money into the plan do more preparatory work to make sure it is the right program for them. A final shift identified by interviewees was the greater use of partnerships: using third parties to deliver the programs and working with other levels of government. Chapter 5 centres on the partnership with the province and Chapter 6 contains many examples of the beneficial use of partnerships at the field level. 4.1.1 Challenges Encountered during ImplementationIn general, the implementation of EBSM was perceived to have gone smoothly because the components were essentially the same as before. Challenges encountered dealt primarily with organizational changes taking place at the same time. The Region, for example, was reducing staff. Some HRCCs lost many of their experienced staff. This was especially critical to a program that is based on flexibility. Some HRCCs turned to external agencies for delivery of some components of EBSM. Another implementation issue was the limited timeframe. Interviewees asserted that there was a great deal to do but very little time in which to do it. During implementation, one key activity fell short of what was required according to interviewees: staff training. Although there were disagreements concerning whether or not there was enough or even too much training, most respondents concurred that the training was too general. There was a series of nationally designed training sessions focused on delivery mechanisms and accountability measures. But informants claimed they were poorly timed, since the sessions took place too far in advance of EBSM implementation. As well, the information relating to the measures kept changing. Most importantly, according to staff the sessions were very general or philosophical in nature. Lack of "how to" detail has meant that staff have had to improvise, which has led to inconsistencies in how the measures are delivered throughout the province. As previously mentioned, implementing some individual components posed little challenge because of their similarities to pre-dated EBSM in one form or another. The only measure with which field staff were not familiar was Local Labour Market Partnerships. Many informants said they didn't know the specific rules for its use. Lack of familiarity with guidelines gets back to the need for program-specific training. Interviewees identified a pressing need for training particularly relating to what constitutes a Job Creation Partnerships or Local Labour Market Partnerships and what constitutes community capacity building. Project officers indicated they were not comfortable in how they were doing things in the field and wanted to learn the correct way. Asked if there were any particular options that have been more difficult to implement, interviewees made Skills Loans and Grants the virtually unanimous choice. Skills Loans and Grants, which was to be phased in by January, 1999 is temporarily on hold awaiting the outcome of the provincial meetings with the federal HRDC minister. The Provinces are concerned about the loss of capacity from the federal government getting out of direct training purchases in June 1999. Field staff were anxious to start the process on January 1st and felt it would be good for clients. Some had already started negotiating loans with their clients when the program was put on hold. Most informants were of the opinion that it is urgent to get Skill Loans and Grants under way before Purchase of training expires. 4.2 EBSM as it Currently OperatesTo ensure a thorough and systematic analysis of EBSM as it currently operates, this section looks at EBSM in terms of its objectives, structure, communications, monitoring, activities, and environment. 4.2.1 ObjectivesOne good test to determine if a program has been implemented as planned is to ask those responsible for day-to-day program operation about the cardinal objectives they are trying to reach. If the field is striving for something different than program planners had in mind, chances are good that the program as operating is not faithful to its design. There was virtually unanimous agreement among those interviewed that the most important objectives of EBSM are jobs and unpaid Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, which corresponds to the main goals of EBSM. Several managers also mentioned community capacity building as the new vision of HRDC. Moreover, there is strong evidence that managers at every level are taking the new emphasis on results seriously. Most talked about the importance of focusing on client outcomes. But are these objectives likely to be achieved? Several constraints may diminish the ability of the program to meet its objectives. Constraints to Meeting Objectives The constraints cited most often by a wide margin, especially at the HRCC level, were those related to the limitations of the management information system. Current administrative systems were said to be inadequate for providing timely information to help manage the program and demonstrate accountability. Some interviewees indicated having no knowledge of how well they were doing, and thus no ability to adjust workload or make changes based on results. Certainly, the inability to measure results works at cross-purposes with HRDC's new orientation to results. Besides the clear connotations for managing and accountability, the limited capacity to measure what the programs are doing has other unfavourable implications. Insufficient results monitoring may be affecting decisions on what interventions to use. Key informants stated they haven't been able to measure how well their programs work so they tend to rely on measures with which they are familiar and know have provided good results in the past such as Targeted Wage Subsidies. The problem with monitoring also hinders the Region's ability to determine how well different zones or HRCCs are doing in a relative sense. One office may include all clients who go through a group information session, send them to the intervention before targeting and selection and count the results. Another may have different monitoring rules. A few other constraints were mentioned as well. Some interviewees raised the issue of limited funding for resources. The chief result of this was said to be reductions in staff, which in turn has lead to:
A final constraint to achieving employment results identified by key informants was poor labour market conditions. The labour market varies dramatically across the province, with the Halifax region enjoying relatively low unemployment, but areas of high unemployment elsewhere. High unemployment was said to be a large problem for Job Creation Partnerships because the low demand for workers could seriously hinder the chances of employment after the subsidy ends. This would also apply to Targeted Wages Subsidies participants. 4.2.2 Delivery Structure of EBSMAt the centre of EBSM's delivery structure is the Regional Office, which has two units directly involved with the delivery of EBSM: Delivery Support and Strategic Alliances. Strategic Alliances deals with partnerships, sector councils, community capacity building, and designated groups2 as well as offshore activities. As such, Strategic Alliances doesn't deal extensively with the field offices, but deals mostly with external agencies. Delivery Support deals with programs that are delivered in the field offices and with clients. It is responsible for the counseling and training areas as well as employment services. With the highly decentralized structure of EBSM, Delivery Support has limited roles with respect to program delivery. Their role is primarily to provide expertise and advice. Purchase of training is still administered by the Region, but this is being phased out by June 1999. Delivery Support also carries responsibility for the management information function and financial management for EBSM. The Region's role was much more extensive during the implementation phase of EBSM. Regional office then stepped back and let ongoing program delivery fall to the zones and HRCCs. The next level comprises four delivery network zones or geographic regions of the province. The map below shows the four zones: Halifax Metro, Industrial Cape Breton, South Shore-Valley, and Northern. The zone office is located in one of the HRCCs in each zone: Halifax, Sydney, Bridgewater, New Glasgow. In addition to employment-related functions, the zone offices house most administrative functions for the zone and process Employment Insurance claims. HRCCs within the zones provide services and programs to clients including: Employment Insurance, Human Resources Investment, Income Security programs and Labour. 
Different levels in the organization are still sorting out their roles. There is a good deal of uncertainty about the respective roles of the various parts of the organization. Zones and HRCCs are not clear on what the role of the Region is especially in the case of pan-regional activities where the Region can still become involved, but in this era of decentralization, it is seldom clear who has the authority to make decisions. Asked what the strengths of the organizational structure are in terms of the program's ability to meet its objectives, managers' consensus response was "flexibility." EBSM puts most of the discretion in the hands of front-line workers, and several informants said they liked having a high degree of flexibility. No one interviewed disagreed that there is sufficient flexibility to allow decision making at a local level. HRCCs are pleased with their power to make decisions. But flexibility can also have its drawbacks. Rules help to ensure the intervention is delivered as designed. Without them, lack of consistency may be introduced between and even within zones. Some HRCC managers interviewed agreed that there was lack of consistency among the HRCCs within service delivery zones. For example, Employment Insurance Officers who were trained in the service delivery model to do certain functions may not be if the HRCC manager does not see it as a priority. Moreover, according to two informants, clients are finding out they're being treated differently because of different interpretations of how to apply the measures in different areas. The flexibility of EBSM and the devolution of responsibility have been embraced by staff who are long-term employees of an HRCC. However, many of those interviewed for this project indicated that the flexibility of EBSM and devolution of power to local staff could be a challenge to new workers and that even experienced workers need some parameters. Some experienced informants said it was hard to work with so few guidelines. Ironically, then, flexibility may be simultaneously the greatest strength and weakness of the delivery structure. 4.2.3 CommunicationThe communication system is the cornerstone of any organization and must work well for the organization or program to work well. Communication was explored at the corporate level (see next chapter) and field level of the organization, and between the levels. Communication at the Zone Level The Northern Zone has a unique committee — the HRIF Coordinating Committee — to facilitate communications within the zone. This committee is made up of representatives from each of the Northern Zone offices, as well as corporate services representatives. At first the focus of the committee was the impact of the new legislation on program delivery, working out the details of implementation and case management. Over time the role of the committee has evolved to include budgeting, first in an advisory capacity and more recently with some authority for decision making. This zone-wide committee also provides an opportunity to address staff questions and concerns and to share ideas on best practices. Local office staff and committee members feel that this committee allows for strong communication within the zone. The evaluators learned of no similar committee in the other three zones. There are occasional meetings of managers/staff from the HRCCs in other zones to discuss matters of policy and procedures. No interviewee felt well informed about what other levels of the delivery network (i.e., region, zones, HRCCs) are doing. In part because of the degree and pace of recent changes, there seems to be a lack of understanding of what the other levels are doing and where they fit in. HRCC managers and staff expressed concern about the communication between zones and between the zone offices and regional offices. The role of regional staff is also unclear at a local level. With more emphasis on decision making at the local level, the role of the regional office has changed to one of consultant rather than decision-maker; however, as one person stated, staff don't always know whom to contact for consultations. Communication at the HRCC Level For the most part HRCC management and senior staff felt well informed about EBSM itself. Most said the materials and communications were clear and ample for them to understand the general outlines of the program well. At the delivery level communications was identified as more of an issue. Informants were especially dissatisfied with the state of communications with external service providers. For example, in one area even very basic information, such as who the case manager is, was not communicated between the HRCC and its main external service provider. However, with such a large change in operations — the shift to comprehensive use of external agencies — one might expect initial problems in communication and operation while the various parties learn their new roles. Any communication system works on two levels: formal and informal. On an informal level, the system was said to work well. The informal communications system is cordial. HRCC staff said they have a good working relationship with their third party contacts. Most third party representatives interviewed confirmed they enjoyed a good working relationship with their contact person at the HRCC. HRCC staff are perceived to be open and friendly. Periodic activity reports comprise much of the formal communication system. External agencies are generally required to provide monthly or quarterly reports to the HRCC. But HRCC staff included in the focus groups did not believe the reports are adequate for their intended purposes of monitoring and accountability. 4.2.4 Program MonitoringProgram monitoring encompasses several key aspects of administering a program: monitoring aspects of the delivery structure under each level; monitoring external service providers; monitoring clients on placement; and management of information. This section examines each in turn. Overall, key informants were dissatisfied with the monitoring of EBSM. Senior officals were worried about the lack of monitoring at the local level. HRCC managers were concerned about lack of monitoring of clients on work experience projects. Local delivery staff were worried about their own ability to monitor external agencies under contract. Monitoring of Local Labour Market Partnerships and Job Creation Partnerships was particularly thought to be inadequate. Any monitoring that does take place tends to focus on the delivery of services or activities and most often takes the form of a phone call or other informal contact with those involved. HRCC staff believe that this casual approach to monitoring is insufficient to meet accountability requirements. HRCC staff note that downsizing has contributed to their inability to monitor agencies and clients. HRCC staff lack the time to visit the sites. Some staff also expressed concern about lack of time, and in some cases expertise, to provide financial monitoring (to ensure money is spent appropriately). Whereas staff in some HRCCs are committed to maintaining up-to-date client information and record any interventions with a client on the system, others report they do not record all interventions and do not always have the time to keep the system up-to-date. Management Information Tools Few positive notes were sounded on management information tools available to help in the management of the program. A few informants liked the Contact IV system for external service providers. Otherwise, feedback was largely unfavourable. According to virtually all interviewees at the local level, management information tools were inadequate. There is little timely information about interventions or contracts. The complexity of the management information system, along with the aforementioned lack of resources dedicated to the monitoring of data input, may well be causing data quality problems. For example, the administrative data show a lot fewer Self-Employment cases than key informants said were contracted with annually in the three case studies sites. Staff were also worried that the system was incapable of picking up duplication of service. Both HRCC and external service providers called for third party access to HRDC systems. Constant phoning by external agencies to check on EI eligibility was universally considered to be inefficient and time-consuming. 4.2.5 Service Delivery ActivitiesIn the case studies and focus groups informants were asked what a typical EBSM client would experience upon arriving at the HRCC or external service delivery agency. The process differs somewhat by HRCC, but, in general, it unfolds as follows. A typical client would go to the HRCC to apply for EI benefits, or to seek assistance of some type at the HRCC or the external service delivery agency. In some areas, the first step is to attend a group information session, where information on Employment Insurance and related programs and services is imparted. The sessions last about an hour. Other HRCCs do not run group information sessions. Two of the three case study sites used to conduct them but stopped because of staff and space limitations. Also, Halifax staff reported that not many people came to the sessions, and many who did wanted individual attention after the session. It would seem counter-productive, however, to stop group information sessions because some clients want individual attention — one would presume that they were instituted as an efficient way to inform clients of programs and services. Unless this information is no longer being transmitted to clients individually, an obvious deduction is that the process across all clients must take longer without group information sessions. Targeting and Selection By the book, the next step should be targeting and selection. Staff from Regional Office ran sessions on this with local staff to help them understand the rationale and importance of appropriate targeting and selection. There is a template for targeting and selecting: it includes all the national targeted groups and youth. Regional informants believed the process is working well. At some offices targeting and selection is sometimes omitted: targeting and selection criteria exist but staff sometimes move away from them in their effort to help all clients. Offices that did attempt to use targeting and selection found that they often ended up with too many clients and not enough resources because the targeted population is so broad. As a result, it seems that targeting and selection is being reviewed and adjusted in some offices, while essentially being overlooked in others. Needs Determination Most HRCC managers and staff said participant needs are identified through needs determination interviews. In case study sites for example, the interview aims to classify clients into one of three categories based on education, work experience and general employability needs: high need; moderate need; and low need. The next step depends on the level of client need. There are self-service options for low need (i.e., job-ready) clients who require no active interventions. These clients are often referred to a local third party agency contracted to provide Employment Assistance Services. Moderate need clients — defined as those who don't need upgrading or training, but in need of some employment assistance (usually work experience) — see an Employment and Insurance Officer who sets up a case file and then would select the most appropriate intervention such as Targeted Wage Subsidies or Employment Assistance Services. Clients who have an interest in pursuing self-employment would usually be referred to an external service provider contracted to deliver Self-Employment. In cases of high need — clients who need career decision-making assistance, the client is referred to an employment counselor. The client and the counsellor develop an action plan which outlines the intended goals and the steps required to reach these goals and the case management process begins. According to policy, all EBSM clients are supposed to have an action plan. But it is typical for HRCCs to set aside the action plan for low need clients. There are also some offices who do not develop an action plan for moderate needs clients. According to administrative data, about a quarter of EBSM clients had no action plan at any time. Action plans were described as being a joint effort between clients and employment counsellors. Whereas some clients come in with a specific goal in mind, others need to explore various options before committing to a specific plan. Before approving an action plan HRCC staff look at various factors including the resources the individual has, labour market information for that occupation, and viability of the plan. Counseling High need clients are defined as those who need career decision-making assistance as well as upgrading and/or skills training to improve employability. All high need clients see an employment counsellor. Counseling sessions usually last between 90 minutes and two hours and includes the identification and clarification of the employment difficulty, the development of an action plan and implementation and evaluation of the plan. Since many clients have low education levels, they are classified as high need. Long-term interventions are the norm for these clients. Administrative statistics confirm the overwhelming majority of clients (67 percent) are in the Purchase of training option. Case Management Case management provides employees with a process that ensures clients, who are involved in activities designed to meet identified employment needs, receive the on-going support and follow-up necessary to promote successful completion and positive results. There seemed to be no typical case management procedure. Some offices are dedicated to it while others give it a lower priority. Even within the same area, there is great divergence in the application of the case management process. For example, in Yarmouth, the HRCC and the Burridge campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, had completely different positions respecting case management. HRCC staff stressed how time consuming it was with resources already stretched while the perception of case management at Burridge was, conversely, very favourable. Case management has been a priority in the Antigonish office since long before the advent of EBSM. Processes were put in place some time ago at the behest of the local manager. Staff feel that local emphasis on case management allows them to better track the client and the success of the intervention. There is a need at the management level to ensure field workers understand the importance of case management and to provide adequate resources to permit it to take place. And there is also a need to clarify roles and responsibilities of the various parties. For example, in some HRCCs it has not been made clear whose responsibility it is to monitor clients of external service providers. 4.2.6 EnvironmentIndividuals and other organizations in its environment substantially affect an organization. In terms of EBSM, perhaps the most relevant aspect of the environment is use of external service providers. Why do some HRCCs use external service providers to deliver EBSMs, whereas others have chosen to keep most services in-house? The answer given by most informants is "capacity." Loss of staff at many offices made it impossible to carry out all the tasks internally, providing a compelling reason to use external providers. Related to capacity is access to expertise. No HRCC respondent believed their office had the money to pay for all the required expertise in-house. This is most evident for the Self-Employment program. Most HRCCs — even Antigonish, which doesn't otherwise use external providers — contract out to local agencies with expertise in guiding new business start-ups. Expertise goes beyond the substantive subject matter; it includes the capability of generating trust with client groups. There are also basic philosophical differences from one area to the next on the benefits and merits of using external agencies. Undoubtedly a principal reason for such extensive use of external providers in Yarmouth is the philosophy of the HRCC management. They strongly believe in HRDC's new community capacity building mandate. Besides providing needed expertise, working with external agencies has also helped to stimulate contributions from others in the community in quest of employment for the unemployed and help for local employers (Chapter 6 gives some examples). However, local staff felt that extensive use of external providers can mean a loss of quality control by the HRCCs. In particular, staff questioned how well external agencies and their clients are monitored. The solution goes beyond a better, more accessible data entry system, although that is an important part. According to HRCC staff, it requires support people to carry out the work-intensive tasks required for monitoring and to make the communication system work. Many of the HRCC staff included in the focus groups indicated they would prefer to have the work done in-house again. 4.3 ConclusionThe critical question in any formative evaluation is: Does the program as operating faithfully reflect the program as designed? That's never an easy question to answer, but it is particularly difficult when it comes to EBSM, because its flexibility makes it difficult to define programs and services. The HRDC Handbook on EBSM provides broad descriptions on each component, essentially leaving interpretation of EBSM and how to apply the guidelines up to discretion of the Human Resources Centres of Canada (HRCC). Clearly the program's design envisages local flexibility to respond to the needs of the community. EBSM has that to a high degree. In that sense, the program was implemented as planned. However, this level of flexibility raises some concerns particularly with regard to consistency between and within zones. Another key finding of the evaluation was the absence of timely data on client results that was necessary for fine-tuning programs and services under EBSM. Downsizing, lack of resources, and a need for greater commitment on the part of management have meant local offices do not have access to much-needed results data. Two other shortcomings identified that could have an impact on program delivery are the lack of a coordinated and consistent approach to delivery throughout the province and uncertainty about rules for the delivery of some program components.
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