Goal 3

BC Employment and Assistance Services Provide Continuous Assistance to Those Clients Most in Need.

Core Business Area: Continuous Assistance.

Objective 1

Assistance is provided to individuals who are not able to achieve independence through employment.

Key Strategies

Provide continuous assistance and support services to those clients most in need.

Performance Measures and Results

Measure 3.1: Percentage of total caseload receiving continuous assistance.

With the success the ministry achieved in 2003/04 in reducing the number of temporary assistance clients, the percentage of clients receiving continuous assistance has grown. Continuous assistance consisted of Persons with Disabilities and Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers. As of 2003/04 the continuous assistance caseload, for the first time, represented over 50 per cent of the total caseload

This performance measure is important as it shows the ministry was providing assistance and support services to those most in need.

Objective 2

Persons with multiple barriers participate in their communities.

Persons with Disabilities work or volunteer as they are able.

Key Strategies

Refer clients with multiple barriers to the Community Assistance Program for services that assist them to participate in their communities. Refinements to programs available to Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) in 2004/05 will help this group move towards achieving greater self-reliance.

Implement programs for Persons with Disabilities that assist them to find employment or to participate in the community, as they are able.

Measure 3.2: Percentage of continuous assistance clients who work or volunteer.

To support greater independence and self-reliance, the ministry provided encouragement and assistance to continuous assistance clients to participate in employment or volunteer programs, as appropriate. As previously noted, the Employment Program for Persons with Disabilities (EPPD) assisted persons with disabilities to participate in employment-related activities to the best of their ability. The Community Assistance Program was designed specifically to help clients overcome barriers to self-reliance.

The 2003/04 target and actual percentages indicate the ministry has missed this target. However, this variance actually reflects that the growth rate of the continuous assistance caseload has outpaced the percentage of continuous assistance clients who accessed employment or volunteer programs.