Collaborating to Affect Systems Change

SCP continues to work with partners to re-imagine and shape a more efficient and effective workforce development system. One with employers as partners in the design, governance and evaluation of programs, and one where everyone, including women, people of colour, new Canadians, people with disabilities, Indigenous people, and youth have access to the opportunities needed to overcome economic and systematic barriers.  With our “demand-led” foot forward, we believe greater impact can be achieved with bold change in practice and policy at the local, provincial and federal levels.

We further our own learnings by working with partners to build out ideas, test new models, and in turn, thrive in sharing our knowledge and experience. If you would like to hear more about our work or chat about potential partnerships, please contact Judy Doidge.  We are always interested in new and creative ideas.

Below is a sampling of current and past workforce development work we have done alongside partners in hands-on operational, advisory, and consultative roles.

For Profit Social Enterprise Model

Project Liftoff is a Toronto based start-up dedicated to ending youth unemployment by developing the next generation of digital talent from underserved communities around the world.  Their innovative Profit for Purpose model provides youth with equal access to digital skills training, and job placement services for careers in the digital economy, while creating value shared by businesses and communities.

Creating Career Pathways with Access to Post-secondary

The Learning Enrichment Foundation in partnership with Mothercraft College of Early Childhood Education developed an accelerated upgrading program for Early Child Care Assistants (ECA’s) and practitioners to gain their ECE Diploma while continuing to work.  This program has been designed to build the skills needed to provide high quality care, fill the labour market needs of employers and reduce barriers while creating career paths for those currently working in the sector.

Challenge 2025 envisions a new path forward for people who are unemployed and reliant on government income support, that leads to meaningful employment and economic independence by leveraging an innovative demand-led employer workforce strategy through Mohawk College’s City School initiative.  In collaboration with community and business stakeholders, the principal goal of Challenge 2025 is to accelerate, amplify and scale measurable outcomes that would drive a population level impact in reducing dependence on income support and ameliorate poverty, and advance the principles of economic resiliency and shared prosperity.

City School, an initiative created out of Mohawk College’s belief in the importance of expanding access to post-secondary education, delivers tuition-free, for-credit courses and workshops to individuals who residents in Hamilton. Importantly, City School represents a demand-led educational initiative that centers on identifying employer needs, designing courses that align to those needs and then supporting graduates in either continuing their educational journey or finding rewarding employment.

Sector Approach

To improve employment opportunities for low-income workers while supporting business competitiveness, the Metcalf Foundation established the Toronto Sector Skills Academy in partnership with the Aspen Institute.  Participants become Aspen Academy Fellows and work with peers from a variety of organizations within workforce development, learn from experts, strengthen partnerships, engage in experiential learning with practical applications, and acquire new skills to explore, catalyze, and enable sectoral strategies.  SCP has, and continues to work with the Metcalf team providing Academy facilitation.

Evaluating for Impact

Identifying, testing and evaluating potential solutions to workforce development challenges, the Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation (OCWI), provided funding, learning, and training opportunities to encourage and implement evidence-informed approaches within the government funded employment and training system. SCP supported the OCWI as one of the initial Working Group members and actively supported the Centre’s activities and projects with the secondment of one team member.

Demand-Led

MaRS Solutions Lab tackles urban inequality and youth unemployment to advancing affordable housing and shared mobility, bridging public and private organizations to deliver inclusive innovation.  SCP and MaRS have collaborated to design and test demand-led employment and training solutions at a macro system level.  Most recently, SCP has advised and supported Opportunity for All Youth that works directly with community organizations and employment service providers across Canada to broker relationships with coalition employers and connect young talent directly with available jobs.