Over the past few weeks, ASPECT has been part of several collaborative conversations about the future of work, communities and the systems that support people across B.C.
One was the Adaptability & Future Readiness Roundtable, hosted by the Office of Her Honour, the Honourable Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, as part of the work of the Lieutenant Governor’s Future Ready Workforce and Economic Opportunity Council, chaired by Tamara Vrooman, OBC. The lively discussion brought together a broad range of perspectives and expertise. ASPECT contributed a workforce development perspective informed by our members, partners and our work within the broader social care sector. This was an early stage in the conversation, and we thank the Office for the invitation and hope to continue contributing as it progresses.
My first thought was: it’s a big scope and a pretty awesome group of people. Adaptability and future readiness touch almost every part of how people live and work, and the conversation reflected that.
Among the many ideas shared were important questions. Where can we further reduce barriers or reach people before they are in crisis? Which programs already work and need sustained investment? Where do community-based providers need flexibility to use their expertise and respond quickly? How can we better help small and medium-sized businesses access supports and hire? Who is missing from the conversation? When do we need longer-term data before proposing a solution? Where could stronger coordination help proven approaches reach more people? And when do we genuinely need to pull the innovation lever?
Some of these questions lead me to connect with Tricia Williams’ Future Skills Centre work on replication, which considers how proven approaches can be adapted and expanded rather than always starting again. We hear this from our members too: there are good programs out there that may only need some adjustment to account for regional differences, such as operating costs and travel times. Some of those adjustments are best informed by the folks on the ground, working in communities and understanding the unique challenges to future readiness that their communities face.
We were also glad to have a voice in the virtual room because our sector knows a great deal about resilience and adaptability. We congratulate the WorkBC qualified respondents who were recently notified following the first stage of procurement. Other employment services are also moving through procurement processes, meaning many folks will be writing multiple proposals at once. Across the province, organizations and groups are planning for what comes next while managing uncertainty in the present.
Our sector’s ability to adapt and keep moving through change is a strength. That can be true while also recognizing that future readiness means working together to create the conditions for organizations and communities to meaningfully plan ahead, rather than always having to respond to uncertainty as it arrives.
Sometimes that means funding what already works. Sometimes it means better coordination or giving community-based providers the flexibility to respond with the knowledge they already have. Sometimes we need more evidence before deciding what comes next. And sometimes we genuinely need to make room for innovation.
These are conversations we look forward to continuing with our members, partners and colleagues, including at the ASPECT Conference this fall.
Jennifer Nichol
Interim CEO
