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Let's Talk

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Let's Talk

VOL. 30, NO. 1

Employment & Employability
The Key to Successful Social Reintegration

BY Djamila Amellal, Communications Officer, Communications and Citizen Engagement Sector

Photos: Bill Rankin

Right to left: Robert Small and Elias Constantatos, Employment Counsellors, Toronto Employment Centre
Right to left: Robert Small and Elias Constantatos, Employment Counsellors, Toronto Employment Centre

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has established the Employment and Employability Program (EEP), designed to prepare offenders for the job market once they are on conditional release in the community. The initiative reinforces the findings of several studies showing that employment helps offenders reintegrate successfully into society and reduces re-offending — two of CSC’s top priorities.

CSC has reaffirmed its commitment to help offenders reintegrate successfully and safely into Canadian society by implementing a strategy that prepares them for work through its many employment centres in the community.

“Five years ago, funding was received from Treasury Board through the Effective Corrections Initiative, which helped us open employment services locations, together with our partners in the community, such as the John Howard Society, which is known for having the skills and experience required to work with offenders,” said Irene Klassen, EEP Director, CORCAN. “These locations are referred to as employment centres, but they differ from the traditional Canada Employment Centres. Today, there are a total of 38 throughout Canada and they function in different ways: in Toronto, it is a location equipped with computers, reference books and contracted employment counsellors; in the Prairie Region, these services are provided by CSC staff in parole offices; elsewhere, these services are provided through contracts with partners such as the John Howard Society.”

The Program

“The EEP first takes into consideration vocational assessment results and incorporates them into the correctional plan, prepared at the time offenders are admitted to the institution,” said Ms. Klassen. “In order to take the vocational assessment, offenders must be able to function at a Grade 9 level in language and mathematics. If they do not meet the educational requirement, offenders focus on updating their academic requirements. Once the offender meets the academic requirement, he takes the vocational assessment to identify interests, aptitudes and trainability. The assessment results are matched with the generic work descriptions to existing employment opportunities available at the sites.”

“All offenders, however, can receive training and job skills through work assignments and vocational training opportunities; inmates may also obtain short-term trade related third-party certification. CSC has added numerous third-party certifications to further enhance job readiness at the time of release. Once the offenders are on conditional release, parole officers refer them to employment centres, where they can access a wide range of services, including personalized employability assessments, counselling, job search techniques, and training on how to prepare a résumé, in order to ultimately obtain and retain employment.’’

Employment counsellors working in these centres provide guidance to offenders based on their skills profile, the job market and the expectations of employers in the community who are looking for employees with basic personal management and teamwork skills.

Irene Klassen
Irene Klassen

From Dreams to Plans

According to offenders, the EEP is effective because it helps them regain confidence and self-respect, which they need in order to go on to the next step in their lives and remain independent.

One offender, in custody for about seven years for drug trafficking, was able to find work and had this to say: “It’s a huge adjustment, getting out of prison. My parole officer referred me to the CSC employment centre in Toronto. I desperately wanted a job. Robert and Elias helped me out, first by being straight with me. They talked about jobs and lifestyles, and they gave me an idea of what would be realistic for me. It took five months and I found a job paying $40,000.” He adds: “I am sure that without Robert and Elias’s help, I would have never found this job. They were like parents to me, pushing and encouraging me all the time. Honestly, they did everything they could to help me. I got a lot out of this process. Before, I had dreams. Now I have plans.”

Exciting Results

Ms. Klassen confirms that results so far have been encouraging. The number of offenders who found employment after using the service has increased each year. “Last year (2003/04), the number increased to 1,263 (1,193 men and 70 women) across Canada in a variety of fields, such as construction, food services and in factories. In fact, we far exceeded Treasury Board expectations, which required services for only 750 offenders per year.”

Employment Is Key to Successful Reintegration

Following up through the Offender Management System, the EEP Director keeps up to date on what is happening to offenders who have found jobs. “I see that 85 percent of offenders who found work have not returned to an institution. This is why we can say that the EEP helps CSC fulfill its Mission. As shown by research, employment is the key to successful reintegration,” said Ms. Klassen.

As for employers, she added: “I have yet to have an employer call me to report an incident of any kind in the workplace. Employers are prepared to hire offenders. I think we need to continue educating the public as well as employers to help us fulfill our Mission.”

A Best Practice

While working very hard at recruiting other partners such as Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Ms. Klassen is proud to announce that the EEP has been recognized as a best practice by the Re-entry Policy Council: Charting the Safe and Successful Return of Prisoners to the Community — a network of criminal justice policy makers in the United States. In addition, recently, Ms. Klassen had the opportunity to share CSC’s best practice at the National Offender Workforce Development conference in St. Louis, Missouri. ♦

 

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