Shortly before Christmas, the Labour Market Information Council released issue 22 of their newsletter called Understanding the Interconnectedness of the Future of Work: A Case Study in What's Wrong with Current Discussions, and I've finally had a chance to give it a good read. The paper suggests that what is being projected about the future of work may be based on "false or misinformed conclusions." Instead, we should be looking at the relationships between mega-trends. As an example, the writers look at the evolution of technology and demography, and posit that understanding the gaps from this perspective will provide policymakers with a better understanding of the future of work.

At ASPECT, we follow policy work being undertaken throughout Canada and the world to inform its development with feedback from our members. What we receive from our members and share with others provides government with valuable practical knowledge of the employment programs, linking policy to practice. To this end, ASPECT is holding virtual regional meetings during January to check in with our members and to help build (or re-build) networks within the province. RSVP now at www.aspect.bc.ca/Regional-Meetings and join by video or telephone.

Happy New Year!   Join Us Virtually for our ASPECT Member Regional Meetings  this January.

Region map source: WorkBC.ca

Grab your coffee or lunch and join us for a virtual regional meeting for ASPECT members. This facilitated discussion will include opportunities to: Meet or reintroduce yourself to your neighbouring service providers. Good networking! Find out what ASPECT has been up to on your behalf and what to expect in the coming months. Voice your concerns and tell us how we can help. Sign up for the session in your region. Can't make that time? Then you are invited to attend any session that works in your calendar. Cariboo - January 16 @ 10am Kootenay - January 16 @ noon Lower Mainland/Southwest - January 21 @ 10am North Coast & Nechako - January 21 @ noon Northeast - January 22 @ 10am Thompson-Okanagan - January 22 @ noon Vancouver Island/Coast - January 23 @ noon Join us by video conference or teleconference and bring your co-workers!   Once you've RSVP'd, login details will be sent 3 days prior to the meeting.

RSVP to one of our Regional Meetings Now!

I just finished a whopping eight-page CEO report for the ASPECT board of directors. In it, I compare what I have done over the past month to the goals, targets, and initiatives set out in our Strategic Plan. I won't share the entire report with you right now, because that "exciting read" is saved for the board, but I thought you might like to know what we are doing.

Strategic Goals 

Advocate, Represent, Inform, and Build Capacity for our members. Financial Stability for ASPECT.

In This Month's Report

The type of activities and initiatives I have reported on this month are the following:

1. Government: the who, what, where, why of conversations I have had with ministers, ministry staff, and public servants at the provincial and federal levels. This month, because of the ASPECT Conference and the social services sector forum, I reported on 11 conversations, not including several others I have had with public servants.
2. Member contact and feedback on the issues, health of their organizations, introductions and connections, etc. We measure how we are doing by monitoring membership numbers, anecdotal feedback, and our annual member survey (coming soon). We are not able to undertake a physical member tour this year but will be announcing virtual regional meetings for January. What we hear in those meetings helps us act on your behalf.
3. My stakeholder relations reports include boards and organizations on which boards I have a position, have met with, and/or attended their events. They are 3rd Voice, BC Chamber of Commerce, Career Education Society, CERIC, Canadian Council for Career Development, Canadian Coalition of Community-Based Employability Training, BC Prior Learning Action Network, Continuing Education and Training Association of BC, Federation of Community Social Services of BC, Board Voice, BC Career Development Association, BC Labour Market Online, Social Services Labour Market Research Advisory Community, and Social Services Sector Roundtable. There are more organizations, but these are the ones I've had contact with this week.  To see all our advocacy connections, go to the advocacy relationship map on our website.
4. Our education and professional development opportunities continue to grow. I have reported on the success of the recent ASPECT Conference, the new webinar partnership with First Work in Ontario, our Values Based Leadership series, the development of the next ASPECT Summit, the events management contracts we have for other organizations, the research projects we are developing, and when I'm planning to take my vacation. 

At the centre of absolutely everything I do is acting on behalf of ASPECT members. I welcome you to send me a quick email to let me know your thoughts. The more information that I can provide to your volunteer board of directors, the better ASPECT can meet your needs.  

Janet Morris-Reade

ASPECT is partnering with First Work in Ontario to help our sector neighbours in central Canada transition to a new service delivery model.We are putting out a call to ASPECT members to present on one or more of the webinars topics indicated below. Background Employment services in Ontario are currently delivered through an outputs versus and outcomes-based model. As BC service providers know, this is a significant shift in the way employment services are offered and some Ontario service providers will not be successful under the new model. Right now they are keen to learn from you. ASPECT, in partnership with First Work, would like to offer a series of webinars for Ontario service providers. We are recruiting ASPECT service providers who can present on one or more of the following webinar topics.   Webinar Series Topics Outcomes-based WorkBC Model: a review of how it works and how it’s changed since 2008. Making the transition to an outcomes-based employment services model: what I wish I had known. Tough management decisions – preparing your staff and your organization for an outcomes-based employment services model. Questions Answered: Learning how to adapt to an outcomes-based employment service model.   Remuneration The first webinar will take place in mid-to-late January with the others to follow in short succession. A portion of the net proceeds will be shared with the webinar presenter(s) from $250 - $500.    Application Please click here to apply to be a webinar presenter.

Apply Now!

Earlier this week, I attended and had an exhibitor booth at the BC Career Education Society (CES) Conference in Vancouver. Along with ASPECT board member and 2018 David Hutson Leadership Award recipient, Peter Bailey of Free Rein Associates, we promoted the work of ASPECT, our new Values Based Leadership program, and looked for ways to build bridges between high school educators and what ASPECT service providers. It makes perfect sense to me that everyone who works at preparing people for the workforce should be working together or at the very least, be aware of what the other is doing.

The conference is in its 42nd year and draws nearly 500 delegates from all over the province. I was delighted to see several ASPECT members and partners as exhibitors there, as well. The lower mainland WorkBC centres shared an exhibitor booth and staffed it with representatives from several service providers. We had a good discussion about the adjustment to the new contract and the services available. I know, from my conversations with some of the conference delegates, you'll likely be hearing from a school teacher or administrator in your community, reaching out to the services that you offer. 

Also, there at one of the exhibitor booths was one of my favourite people, Seanna Quressette of Douglas College. Douglas College is working to attract and educate the next generation of Career Developers. Frequent ASPECT Conference Exhibitor, ASTTBC was also there along with staff from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training representing the WorkBC.ca website.

What we learned at the conferences is there is room for ASPECT to work with the CES, especially as we enter into the unique labour market. The relationships we make with other organizations with similar mandates as ASPECT and the ties we develop on your behalf will better prepare the employment services sector for the future. 

Janet Morris-Reade

A week ago, I along with about 200 other representatives from various social services organizations and activists, were invited to Richmond to attend a Social Services Sector Forum to help to define collaborative engagement to advance the work of the social services sector and to hear about the latest work of the Social Services Sector Roundtable (SSSR).  You might remember the roundtable of a similar name - the Social Services Sector Innovation and Sustainability Roundtable - under the previous provincial government. 

The new SSSR, which was formed last spring from my understanding, has been tasked with addressing some of the bigger challenges facing social service providers in the province and have recently been discussing staff recruitment and retention, pay in-equities, procurement and contracting, and what is needed to help organizations remain sustainable. Click here for the SSSR terms of reference and here for the SSSR priority issues for community-based agencies.

The forum brought together a larger reference group to support the work of the SSSR and those in the room, as demonstrated at my table, were funded by many different ministries and funders.  (Photo from L-R: Donalda Beeson (Robson Valley Community Services, Laurie Kohl (North Shore Family Services), Lydia Kang (Family Support Institute of BC), Amanda Bains & Lisa Schmidt (Ksan House Society), Janet Morris-Reade (ASPECT BC). Missing from the photo, but also at the table, Raj Hundal (PICS).  

The Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Shane Simpson, who's ministry is responsible for the SSSR, addressed the room talking about the challenges of enacting the government's progressive agenda and how collaborative engagement was needed to reimagine how services are provided in the province.

Our table groups were then tasked with discussing answers to questions: What does successful collaborative engagement look like? What can get in the way of successful engagement? and What specific steps can we take to support collaborative engagement over the long term?

Of course, our table came up will all the best answers!  Ha-ha. Everyone in the room earnestly discussed these questions and although there weren't any silver bullet ideas, we all came away with a greater understanding of the complexity of the challenge.  

Minister Simpson circled the room and I was delighted to have a frank discussion with him. We discussed the boutique versus big box service delivery models and the deterioration of social capital amongst service providers in the sometimes cut-throat procurement process.  We also discussed that because of this competitive environment, service providers are not always comfortable sharing best practices for fear of giving away a competitive advantage. 

Again, no clear solutions were gleaned but we all appreciated being able to have the conversations. Thank you to Minister Simpson for making this happen.

I will keep you abreast of further updates on this very complex initiative. 

While at the Social Service Sector Forum last week, I had the opportunity to sit with Lydia Kang from the Family Support Institute of BC who introduced us all at the table to an initiative that is very close to her heart: MyBookletBC. Lydia is a parent advocate for her daughter and has developed an exceptionally ingenious idea for supporting someone with special needs. After further investigation, we can see how this concept could be expanded to support anyone who needs support and must share the same information repeatedly.  

The best description comes from the www.MyBookletBC.com website:

MyBooklet BC is A FREE online tool that families and people with disabilities can use to create a beautiful and personalized information booklet for a loved one or for themselves.

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you'll want YOUR OWN myBooklet now!

Ok, there are way more than 8 things to look forward to, but in this world of clickbait engagement, I'm trying my best to adapt:

1. A hot breakfast on Monday, November 5. Tuesday will be a European breakfast.
2. There are 16 workshops or presentations to choose from with something for everyone, regardless of where you are in your career.
3. Our keynote speaker, Eric Termuend, will talk about The Future of Work and the importance of community and belonging.
4. We will be hosting two national stakeholder consultations within and adjacent to the conference program: Supporting Canadians to Navigate Learning & Work National Career Development Consultation (Monday at 11am.) and Project Integrate: Exploring Future Employment Pathways Consultation, which is funded by the Future Skills Centre (Tuesday at 2pm: free registration) There are limited spaces for this consultation so pre-registration is strongly encouraged.
5. Monday night's networking reception is always lots of fun.
6. There'll be five sessions programmed just for Career Developers.
7. Government Representation: we are delighted to welcome Chris Brown from the SDPR and Catherine Poole from AEST plus several staff members from both ministries will be attending.
8. We have fabulous exhibitors this year: Benefits Program (Community Services Benefits Trust & Delta Pacific Benefit Brokers), WCG, Community Futures BC, BC Labour Market Report, BC Career Development Association, Douglas College, The Centre for Collaboration, Motivation and Innovation, Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC.

Also, we are launching our Values Based Leadership series on the Sunday before the conference. It's the best combination of excellent curriculum, being taught by an outstanding sector leader, Dr. Roberta Neault, with opportunities to build important leader networks, at an obscenely affordable price. If I sound proud of what ASPECT is offering, I am!  Registration for this series and the first three courses being delivered on November 3 is now open. 

Janet Morris-Reade

At last year's ASPECT Conference, we had a leadership session presented by Susan Steele. There were about 40 people attending and we were surprised to learn that 95% of them were existing leaders and not emerging leaders as expected. This got me thinking.

In this environment of grey tsunami retirements and others being thrust into leadership positions, many are feeling that there are issues arising for which they need training. But training courses are time-consuming and expensive: two challenges for new leaders or emerging leaders who are already drinking from the fire hose of information acquisition.  With this in mind, ASPECT BC has partnered with Dr. Roberta Neault and Life Strategies  to re-imagine our Values-Based Leadership curriculum for a present-day world with work and this is what we've come up with:

Combined In-Person & Online Learning

Our Leadership program provides students with a chance to build their networks while learning core concepts on Sunday, November 3 from 12 pm-5 pm at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel. Then at the end of the course, the capstone projects will be presented the day before or after the Summit April. (Details for the April date are still to be confirmed.)  

Core Courses + Electives

The leadership program has 6 units of core learning with 3 electives.  We are currently offering 6 electives, but that number is expected to expand as more trainers come on board. 

For the courses online, students will be required to complete the following learning activities:

1. Prepare (Monday to Wednesday)
2. Join (Wednesday) for a 30-minute live webinar
3. Discuss (Thursday to Saturday) online with other students and instructors.
4. Reflect (Due Sunday) on how views have been shaped by the learning.

Leadership Course Fees

This course is designed to be as affordable as it is flexible! Registration will be open in the next few days and detailed information will available soon on the ASPECT website. 
 

	Includes:	ASPECT Members	Non-Members
Full Series	6 core courses (including in-person components of C1, C2, and C3) 3 online elective courses Capstone project	$1,475	$1,725
Individual Online Course	1 core or elective online course	$125	$150
3-Core Bundle	3 core courses (including in-person components of C1, C2, and C3)	$375	$450
Capstone Project Presentations	Pecha Kucha presentations  Facilitated discussions Networking	$325	$350

Again, registration and details are coming soon. Thank you to Dr. Roberta Neault and Cassie Taylor at Life Strategies for helping us make this much-needed course a reality. 

Janet Morris-Reade