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2004/05 – 2006/07 SERVICE PLAN
Ministry of Human Resources
Appendix 1. Strategic Context
Ministry Vision, Mission and Values
Vision
The Ministry of Human Resources envisions a province in which those
British Columbians in need are assisted to achieve their social
and economic potential.
Mission
The Ministry of Human Resources provides services that move people
toward sustainable employment and assist individuals and families
in need.
Values
- Personal responsibility.
- Active participation.
- Innovative partnerships.
- Citizen confidence.
- Fairness and transparency.
- Clear outcomes.
- Accountability for results.
Ministry Clients, Programs, Goals and Objectives
The Ministry of Human Resources provides income assistance and
other supports to people in need. Emergency shelters and disaster
response programs are included among the programs and services offered
by the ministry. Figure 1, on the following page, provides a schematic
that describes the ministry's clients, its core business areas and
the goals and objectives detailed in this service plan.
Planning Context
The ministry is affected by numerous outside trends and factors
that have an impact on its ability to fulfil its mission. Some of
these are summarized as follows:
External challenges and opportunities
Economic, population and labour market trends are key variables
affecting the income assistance caseload. Generally speaking, economic
and employment growth increase opportunities and reduce pressure
on the caseload, while population growth, in-migration and unemployment
increase pressure on the caseload. Small variations in these trends
do not generally cause radical changes in caseload pressures.
The BC economy grew 1.7 per cent in 2003, according to BC's
Independent Economic Forecast Council. The Council now expects growth
in BC's economy to pick up to 2.9 per cent in 2004. Further
information on the BC outlook including economic, population and
labour market trends may be found in the Budget and Three Year
Fiscal Plan released with the budget.
A number of internal factors also affect the ministry's ability
to achieve its goals and objectives. The challenges and opportunities
facing the ministry include the following:
- Changing caseload — The ministry continues to respond
to the changing profile of BCEA clients through employment planning
and programming that supports their move to sustainable employment.
- Aboriginal people — The Provincial Aboriginal Social-Economic
Strategy brings together the social and economic activities of
ministries to fulfill the New Era commitment to improve
the well-being of Aboriginal people in British Columbia. The ministry
is fulfilling this commitment by developing common strategies
for the coordinated integration of initiatives for Aboriginal
people in need of income assistance and employment programming.
- Focus on clients with disabilities — The ministry
has a large group of clients with disabilities — people
who have tremendous potential for participating in their communities.
The ministry continues to assist persons with disabilities to
maximize their independence through income assistance, employment
and volunteer programs.
- Best practices — As an organization committed to
functioning effectively, responsively and accountably, the ministry
continues to develop and implement business models based on best
practices for service delivery.
- Cultural shift — Over the past three years, the
ministry underwent a significant cultural shift to support the
implementation of BCEA. The culture has shifted from one of entitlement
to one of personal responsibility, emphasizing self-reliance through
employment. Under the Employment and Assistance Act, temporary
assistance recipients are expected to look for and accept employment.
The ministry actively works with clients with employment-related
obligations in developing an Employment Plan. Employment Plans
are specific, individualized agreements that outline the activities
clients will undertake to find employment, and the services the
ministry will offer in order to assist them. In order to further
support a system based upon personal responsibility, the ministry
established time limits for those able to work. Time limits limit
access to income assistance to a maximum of 24 of 60 months. This
policy encourages clients to take advantage of all opportunities
that lead to employment. If clients take advantage of opportunities,
the ministry is confident that people will find work within the
two-year time frame. Further, there are 24 different categories
of exemptions to the time limit rule protecting people with disabilities,
mental illness, drug and alcohol problems, pregnant women, parents
with children under the age of three and numerous other barriers.
These exemptions are there to ensure that those who truly
need assistance, get assistance.
- Staff training and tools — The transition to BCEA
required that the field and headquarters staff be trained and
new tools be developed and implemented. Building on progress made
in this area over the past two years, the ministry continues to
upgrade staff skills and tools.
- Technology-based services — The ministry made progress
in providing a series of web-based services to the public, making
it easier for people to access information while protecting personal
privacy. These services include the IA Eligibility and Child Care
Estimators, and Orientation Sessions. The ministry provides services
through telephone call-centres and automated telephone inquiry
systems making services accessible, even in remote areas of the
province. The ministry continues to explore other electronic service
delivery options to expand the ways in which clients can access
BCEA services and to continue to strengthen the ministry's efficiency
in providing those services.
- Project management approach — Over the past three
years, the ministry adopted a project management approach to designing,
developing and implementing complex policy programs and legislative
changes. Project teams across ministry divisions make use of the
broad range of expertise available throughout the ministry and
lead the implementation of new programs and policies. This approach
will continue.
- Accountability tools — Accountability agreements
were established for each region, and new Employee Performance
and Development Plans were introduced to support an environment
of professional development and ongoing learning. The ministry
continues to develop in these areas.
Highlights of Strategic Shifts and Changes from the Previous Service
Plan
The ministry continues to make progress in the overall directions
outlined in the 2003/04 – 2005/06 Service Plan published
last year. As changes occurred since last year, the ministry refined
its core business areas, goals, objectives, and measures.
The ministry has maintained six core business areas in this year's
service plan. The Continuous Assistance core business area
was renamed Disability Assistance to focus on the provision of specialized
programs and services for Persons with Disabilities.
Changes to goals
Goal 1: Clients who are able to work become self-reliant
through employment.
Last year's equivalent
- BC Employment and Assistance clients achieve independence through
sustained employment.
- BC Employment and Assistance services support self-reliance.
Reason for changes
- This goal was refined to sharpen the focus on self reliance
through employment.
Goal 2: Clients increase their independence through income
assistance, employment and volunteer programs.
Last year's equivalent
- BC Employment and Assistance services provide continuous assistance
to those clients most in need.
- BC Employment and Assistance services support self-reliance.
Reason for changes
- This goal was refined to emphasize the ministry's combined focus
on providing income assistance while also encouraging increased
independence of all clients, including those with disabilities
who are not able to become completely self-reliant through employment.
Goal 3: Clients receive supplementary assistance for health, transportation
and emergency needs.
Last year's equivalent
- BC Employment and Assistance services provide supplementary
assistance for eligible clients.
Reason for changes
- This goal was revised to more clearly convey the nature of the
ministry's supplementary services.
Goal 4: Individuals have access to a fair and timely appeal process.
Last year's equivalent
- The ministry operates effectively, openly and accountably.
Reason for changes
- The Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal contributed to
the service plan by submitting a new goal, objectives, strategies
and measures to be tracked.
Goal 5: The ministry operates effectively, responsively and accountably.
Last year's equivalent
- The ministry is a responsive and motivating employer.
- The ministry operates effectively, openly and accountably.
Reason for changes
- The goal relating to the ministry's internal functioning was
redrafted to enhance the ministry's focus on effectiveness, responsiveness
and accountability.
Changes to measures
In a continuing effort to ensure that the ministry's performance
measures provide a concise and accurate picture of the ministry's
success in fulfilling it goals and objectives, additional changes
were made to several performance measures. The rationale for each
performance measure is presented within the text of this plan's
Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results section.
The following table shows how this year's measures have evolved
from those in last year's service plan.
| This year's measure |
Last year's measure |
Explanation |
| 1.1 Per cent of B.C.'s population aged 19-64 receiving temporary
assistance with employment-related obligations. |
2.3 Per cent of British Columbia's population receiving
temporary assistance. |
Revised to exclude those who are temporarily excused from
seeking work. |
| 1.2 Per cent of clients with employment-related obligations
who have an active employment plan. |
— |
New measure |
| 1.3 Per cent of Job Placement clients who remain independent
of income assistance for at least six months. |
1.1 |
Unchanged |
| 2.1 Per cent of British Columbia's population receiving
income assistance. |
2.2 |
Unchanged |
| 2.2 Per cent of total caseload receiving disability assistance. |
3.1 Per cent of total caseload receiving continuous assistance. |
Revised to reflect focus on persons with disabilities. |
| 2.3 Per cent of persons receiving disability assistance
who declare earnings from working or volunteering. |
1.3 Per cent of persons with disabilities with employment
income.
3.2 Per cent of continuous assistance clients who work
or volunteer.
|
Previous measures combined and revised to focus on persons
with disabilities. |
| 2.4 Per cent of persons with persistent multiple barriers
who participate in a ministry program. |
— |
New measure |
| 3.1 Per cent of clients receiving a service, confirmed eligible
for the service. |
— |
New measure |
| 4.1 Per cent of appeals processed from initial intake to
final decisions within statutory timelines. |
— |
New measure |
| 4.2 Per cent of appeals heard within the 15-day statutory
time limit. |
6.2 Per cent of appeal hearings commenced within 15 business
days. |
Minor wording change |
| 5.1 Per cent of clients using electronic fund transfers. |
— |
New measure |
| 5.2 Comprehensive strategic and process risk profiles developed
and assessed. |
— |
New measure |
| 5.3 Per cent of reconsideration decisions that are made
within ten business days. |
— |
New measure |
| 5.4 Per cent of employees with performance and development
plans. |
5.1 |
Unchanged |
| 5.5 Per cent of employees with a personal learning plan. |
— |
New measure |
The following table shows measures from last year's service plan
that are not included in this plan.
| Last year's measure |
Explanation |
| 1.4 Per cent of Training for Jobs clients who remain
independent of income assistance for at least six months. |
Job placement success is already measured through Job Placement
Program. |
| 2.1 Per cent of enquirers who contact BC Employment
and Assistance offices and are diverted to employment. |
Measure dropped due to difficulty in confirming reason why
an enquirer does not return. |
| 2.4 Per cent of the total caseload receiving temporary
assistance. |
Measure dropped because it is the corollary to this year's
measure 2.2. |
| 4.1 Number of bus passes available to eligible seniors and
persons with disabilities. |
Measure dropped because it measured outputs rather than
outcomes. |
| 6.1 Per cent of program and service contracts that are performance-based. |
Measure dropped because all ministry program and service
contracts are now performance-based. |
Consistency with Government Strategic Plan
The 2004/05 – 2006/07 Ministry of Human Resources'
Service Plan directly supports the government's strategic plan.
The following table indicates concrete ways the ministry's strategies
promote government's overall objectives:
Government Goal: A strong and vibrant provincial economy.
Government's Strategy: Innovation and economic growth.
| Provincial Strategies |
Ministry of Human Resources Strategies/Achievements |
| Expand partnerships with the federal government to promote
growth and economic development in British Columbia. |
The ministry works with the federal government to design
and strengthen the delivery of federal labour market development
programs to meet the needs of British Columbians. |
Government's Strategy: Management of government.
| Provincial Strategies |
Ministry of Human Resources Strategies/Achievements |
| All ministries will meet their budget and service plan targets. |
Ministry operating expenses in 2002/03 were $1.6 billion,
170 million below the 2002/03 - 2004/05 Service
Plan Estimates. |
| Promote and sustain a renewed professional public service. |
The ministry is implementing a human resource plan that
includes employee and leadership development, workplace capability,
performance development and recognition. |
| Continue to streamline government's legislation and regulation. |
By the end of 2002/03, the ministry had achieved 91 per cent
of its deregulation target set for the government's first
mandate. |
| Expand public access to government through e-government
initiatives. |
A series of web-based ministry services was made available
to the public. |
Government Goal: A supportive social fabric.
Government's Strategy: Flexibility and choice.
| Provincial Strategies |
Ministry of Human Resources Strategies/Achievements |
| Facilitate a community-based approach to ensure access to
high-quality and cost-effective health, education and social
services. |
A new streamlined appeal system was introduced, with regionally
based tribunals and timely decision. |
Government's Strategy: Access.
| Provincial Strategies |
Ministry of Human Resources Strategies/Achievements |
| Ensure delivery of a consistent level and quality of education,
health and social services throughout the province. |
The ministry provides a consistent level of social services
through five regions, with clients having both office and
electronic access to ministry services. |
Government's Strategy: Results-oriented and evidence-based
accountability.
| Provincial Strategies |
Ministry of Human Resources Strategies/Achievements |
| Implement and manage performance-based accountability agreements
for publicly funded agencies including health, education and
social services. |
The Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal provides an
open and fair process that ensures ministry accountability
for its decisions. |
Government's Strategy: Enhance individual and community
capacity.
| Provincial Strategies |
Ministry of Human Resources Strategies/Achievements |
| Promote the development of supports and services within
aboriginal communities that address their unique social and
economic conditions. |
The ministry is working co-operatively with the federal
government, and with other provincial ministries, to assist
in providing, where possible, more efficient and streamlined
social services to First Nations on and off reserve. |
| Provide supports and incentives to enhance local responsiveness
to community and family needs. |
The ministry's Emergency Social Services program provides
individuals and families with short-term disaster assistance
for food and shelter. |
| Provide skills training and employment programs to move
employable BC Employment and Assistance clients into the labour
market. |
Employment programs are available to assist clients to find
and sustain employment. Individualized employment plans facilitate
discussion between clients and staff and outline activities
clients with employment-related obligations will take to obtain
employment. Activities may include directed job search, referral
to job placement programs and specific training for employment. |
| Implement new employment programs and services that assist
persons with disabilities to participate in employment and
employment-related or voluntary activities as they are able. |
The ministry implemented the Employment Program for Persons
With Disabilities to assist persons with disabilities in building
their work-related skills and in enhancing their involvement
in volunteering or paid employment. |
Government Goal: Safe, healthy communities and a sustainable
environment.
Government's Strategy: Community services and infrastructure.
| Provincial Strategies |
Ministry of Human Resources Strategies/Achievements |
| Establish workable relationships with First Nations
communities. |
The federal government through Indian and Northern Affairs
consults with the ministry and First Nations when designing
income assistance for people living on reserve. |
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