Aboriginal Initiatives Directorate

Aboriginal employment recruitment

CSC has identified the need to increase the numbers of Aboriginal employees to better reflect the large proportion of Aboriginal offenders in CSC, through recruitment, promotion, and retention strategies for Aboriginal employment.

Introduction:

• CSC's National Aboriginal Recruitment Strategy consists of:

  a)	Establishing a National Aboriginal Career Management Team with a National Coordinator and five Regional Officers;
  b)	Setting benchmarks for the recruitment of CX officers, Parole officers, managers and executive staffing;
  c)	Setting benchmarks for Aboriginal recruitment and training for Aboriginal Healing Lodges and community programs;
  d)	Creating an Aboriginal recruitment inventory for all regions, which does not rely on inappropriate testing which becomes a barrier to community recruitment.

Overview:

• In Canada, Aboriginal people account for 2.8% of the population, however they currently account for 18% of the federal offender population.
• Given the growing youth population among the Aboriginal population, it is estimated that by the year 2007, at least, 160,000 new jobs for Aboriginal people will need to be created in Canada.
• The Correctional Service of Canada approved the Aboriginal Recruitment Strategy in December 2000.
• The National Aboriginal Career Management Team was established and they have been working on the implementation of the Aboriginal recruitment strategy.
• CSC has set benchmarks for Aboriginal recruitment and training, within each region and at national headquarters, as well as specific targets for healing lodges.

Future:

• Meet the benchmarks set for Aboriginal recruitment within CSC over the next 3-5 years. Benchmarks are set at Aboriginal representation of 14% for CX and WP, 10% for managerial positions and 3.5% for executive positions.
• An Aboriginal specific Kiosk is being created for use in each region, for Aboriginal recruitment purposes.
• Enhance the diversity of the correctional workforce, to reflect the increasing diversity of the offender population, particularly addressing the increasing Aboriginal representation in the workforce.