On April 2, Social Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux officially launched the Employment Program of British Columbia by opening two Work BC Service Centres in Coquitlam and North Vancouver.
In October 2011, Yellowhead Community Services Society and its subcontractor, Barriere and District Chamber of Commerce, were awarded a contract to operate the Work BC Employment Services Centre in both Clearwater and Barriere. These full service centres will provide service to the North Thompson between the communities of McLure to Blue River.
Service providers such as Yellowhead Community Services Society are delivering the Employment Program of British Columbia through 85 one-stop Work BC Employment Centres throughout the province. Job seekers will be able to access services through these centres, as well as through satellite offices and mobile and outreach services in their communities.
These new service centres integrate all of the services the province currently offers, combining programs that were formally operated separately by the provincial and federal governments. The new program is about reduced administration, better efficiency and more program dollars being spent on direct service to British Columbians.
Yellowhead Community Services Society, as well as its subcontractor, Barriere and District Chamber of Commerce, is responsible for insuring effective service delivery to specialized populations to the communities of the North Thompson.
As a result, specialized populations will continue to receive quality services through the new integrated centres. Theses specialized populations included immigrants, youth, aboriginal peoples, francophone’s, people with multi barriers, survivors of violence and/or abuse, people with disabilities and people living in rural and remote areas.
The Honourable Terry Lake, Minister of Environment and MLA for the Kamloops/North Thompson will be visiting both the Barriere and Clearwater offices to officially open these full service centres. Minister Lake will be at the Barriere office from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and at the Clearwater office from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on May 18.
Community members are invited to attend these opening ceremonies and learn what programs and services will now be available in the North Thompson catchment area.
For more information about the Employment Program of British Columbia visit www.workbccentres.ca.