Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results

This section presents the ministry's goals and outlines how specific objectives, strategies and performance measures are helping to achieve these goals. The diagram below displays the linkages between government strategic goals, ministry mission, ministry goals, key objectives and performance measures.

Government Strategic Goals		Ministry Mission The Ministry of Human Resources provides services that move people toward sustainable employment and assist individuals and families in need.
		Ministry Goals		Ministry Objectives		Performance Measures/Indicators
A strong and vibrant provincial economy. A supportive social fabric.		1. Clients who are able to work become self-reliant through employment.		Clients actively seek work.		Percentage of BC's population aged 19-64 receiving temporary assistance with employment-related obligations.
						Average percentage of clients with employment related obligations who leave the caseload each month.
		2. Clients increase their independence through employment, volunteer and income assistance programs.		Persons with disabilities who seek work find employment and persons with disabilities who seek to volunteer are placed in volunteer positions.		Percentage of BC's population receiving income assistance.
						Percentage of total caseload receiving disability assistance.
						Percentage of persons receiving disability assistance who declare income from working or receive volunteer supplements.
		3. Clients receive supplementary assistance for health, transportation and emergency needs.		Ensure individuals in need have access to safe, warm shelter.		Percentage of available emergency shelter beds accessed.
		4. Individuals have access to a fair and timely reconsideration and appeal process.		1. Reconsideration issues are efficiently resolved. 2. Decisions are made on appeals and parties notified within the statutory timelines.		Percentage of reconsideration decisions that are made within 10 business days.
						Percentage of appeals commenced within the 15-business day statutory time limit.

The Ministry of Human Resources supports income assistance clients in their efforts to achieve self-reliance and greater community participation. To fulfill this mandate, the ministry will continue to assist those clients who are able to work to find and maintain employment.

Clients who leave income assistance for jobs tend to have higher incomes and their children are less likely to receive income assistance when they become adults. Children whose parents work are also more likely to complete high school, attain higher levels of training and education and be actively involved in the labour market when they reach adulthood.

Performance Measure:

Assisting clients to find employment continues to be a critical aspect of the ministry's mission. Measure 1.1 tracks the percentage of the British Columbia working age population receiving temporary assistance. A lower percentage indicates that fewer people are in need of assistance and more are contributing to a strong and vibrant provincial economy. Temporary assistance is provided to people who have employment-related obligations, and for those who are excused from seeking work (e.g., parents of a young child, temporary illness or injury requiring medical treatment).

The percentage of British Columbia's population receiving income assistance who are able to work has been significantly reduced since 2001/02. The ministry anticipates this percentage will continue to decline as more people do not require assistance or leave income assistance.

Performance Measure:

Assisting clients who are able to work in finding sustained employment remains the highest priority of the ministry. The ministry provides pre-employment and job placement services, as well as employment supports, to assist clients achieve independence from income assistance through employment. Clients who leave income assistance for employment have higher incomes and achieve a better standard of living.

Measure 1.2 gauges the success of clients achieving financial independence. As clients with employment obligations continue to find alternatives to income assistance through their own actions and participation in ministry programs, this percentage will continue to decrease.

The ministry will continue to provide income assistance and a range of programs to support clients as they work to increase their independence. The ministry recognizes a combination of supports may be required for clients who experience barriers to employment. Some clients may benefit from services that support life-skill development or volunteer opportunities as they increase their employability and potential for more independence. The ministry will continue to fund employment programs specifically to support persons with disabilities to find sustainable employment or enhance their participation in the community.

Performance Measure:

Measure 2.1 shows the overall percentage of the provincial population that is receiving income assistance. This includes clients receiving temporary assistance, as well as those receiving disability assistance. A lower percentage indicates a decreasing proportion of the provincial population is dependent on income assistance. Results from the first half of 2004/05 show the percentage of the provincial population receiving income assistance is lower than had been expected. A number of factors have contributed to this result and the ministry anticipates the continued growth in BC's economy and the delivery of programs that move clients towards independence will further reduce this number in future years.

Measure 2.2 tracks the percentage of the total caseload receiving disability assistance. Results from the first half of 2004/05 indicate a continued growth in this percentage. As the number of clients receiving temporary assistance declines (i.e., demonstrating success in finding employment) the proportion receiving disability assistance will grow.

Performance Measure:

In April 2002, the ministry introduced the Employment Strategy for Persons with Disabilities (ESPD). The strategy includes the Employment Program for Persons with Disabilities (EPPD) as well as the Minister's Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities. Both of these initiatives support persons with disabilities as they enhance their employability and engage in employment to the greatest degree possible; this may include full or part-time work, or volunteering.

The ministry will continue to provide pre-employment services, assisted job search, job coaching, job placement, follow-up services, employment crisis services and assistance with starting a business for disabled clients.

Volunteering is a valuable activity for many clients who are receiving disability assistance and are not able to fully support themselves through employment. Volunteer work may lead to employment, as it often provides valuable skills and experience. Volunteering is an opportunity for clients to contribute to their communities, thereby enhancing their participation.

This measure provides a conservative count of volunteer activity, as it only tracks those who report receiving supplements for volunteering. There is a substantial amount of additional volunteer activity that the ministry is unable to measure. Results for the first half of 2004/05 show an increase in the percentage of disability assistance clients who either had employment income or received volunteer supplements.

The ministry provides a range of supplementary social services designed to meet the health and transportation needs of clients and emergency needs of all British Columbians. These services include confirmed job supplements, health assistance, bus passes and travel assistance, user fees for continuing care and alcohol and drug facilities, emergency shelters and emergency social services.

The ministry recognizes that homelessness is a serious issue faced by some British Columbians. As a first step in addressing the needs of the homeless, the ministry provides emergency shelter bed funding to community agencies for individuals who are temporarily without accommodation. Funding provides for year-round beds and is maximized during the winter months, when beds are needed most. The ministry is working with its partner ministries to provide additional supports to assist clients to move beyond temporary shelter to more stable housing, greater self-reliance and long-term employment.

Performance Measure:

Measure 3.1 allows the ministry to track emergency shelter bed usage. This information allows the ministry to ensure that resources are allocated where they are needed. A baseline will be established in 2004/05.

Performance Measure:

Clients have the right to request a reconsideration of ministry decisions. This is an internal ministry process — a 'second look' — that is separate from the external appeal process. Clients can apply to Reconsideration Adjudicators to review the ministry's decision. If unsatisfied with this decision, a client may appeal further to the Employment and Assistance Tribunal office.

A higher percentage for this measure indicates the ministry is doing a better job of meeting regulatory requirements and of providing timely and efficient service to clients. A baseline was established in 2003/04 and targets for subsequent years call for a steady increase in this measure.

The BC Employment and Assistance appeal system ensures unbiased, fair, timely and transparent decision-making for clients.

The Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal operates under the authority of the Employment and Assistance Act. The tribunal operates independently of the ministry, administering its appeal process through a central office based in Victoria. The appeal process begins after a client has gone through the reconsideration process and is still unsatisfied with the outcome. The tribunal is composed of a full-time tribunal chair and one or more part-time vice-chairs appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, approximately 200 regionally-based panel members appointed by the Minister, and staff appointed under the Public Service Act.

Performance Measure:

Measure 4.2 tracks the percentage of appeals held within the 15-day statutory time limit as set out in the Employment and Assistance Regulations and the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulations. Future year targets for this measure are also set at 100 per cent, reflecting the ministry's commitment to ensuring fair and timely access to the decision-making process.

Discontinued Performance Measures:

The following table provides a summary of discontinued performance measures.