Ontario Works Pilot Projects
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (June
30, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:
Purpose:
This report discusses recent changes to the Ontario Works (O.W.) funding model. Based on these changes, the Social
Services Division, in partnership with contracted community agencies, is preparing to test new approaches to delivering
training and employment placement services to Toronto's O.W. clients. A brief description of one pilot is provided,
including a discussion of benefits for clients, the agency and the City.
Financial Implications:
No changes are required to existing budget allocations.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1) the Social Services Division develop and fund pilot projects for 1998 with a range of community based agencies and
organizations which provide a blended approach to delivering services under the Employment Support and Employment
Placement streams of Ontario Works;
(2)the Department, in concert with the area office of the Ministry of Community and Social Services, evaluate the
outcomes of these pilot projects in order to determine the benefits of the approach, and the required funding levels for the
development of the 1999 budget; and
(3)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Background:
In July of 1997, the Ministry of Community and Social Services approved the Social Service Division's Ontario Works
Business Plan, including service targets within each of the three program streams (Employment Support (E.S.), Community
Participation (C.P.) and Employment Participation (E.P.)) for 1997-1999. However, based on a significant decline in the
caseload and knowledge gained in the administration of Ontario Works over the past several months, the Community and
Neighbourhood Services Department entered into discussion with the Ministry to renegotiate its service targets for 1998.
During these discussions, the Department indicated to the Ministry that experience to date has shown that there is a
significant need among Toronto's clients for training, due both to the increased skills required to compete in the labour
market and the change in the composition of the caseload. The progressive reduction in the caseload over the past year,
from over 94,000 cases in May 1997 to 83,000 cases in May 1998, has seen the most "job ready" clients exit the system for
employment.
Those clients remaining, a greater proportion of whom have lower educational and skill levels, and weaker attachment to
the labour market, demonstrate a substantially increased need for a range of training courses and interventions. Similarly,
the inclusion of single parents in the O.W. programs, many of whom have been out of the labour force for some time, has
created a further demand for training and skill development courses. In both cases, an initial period of training will be
required to prepare clients to enter into employment as quickly as possible.
At the same time, these same changes in the caseload have reduced the number of clients who could reasonably be
expected to participate in the Employment Placement stream. Divisional surveys indicates that a minority of clients are
candidates for Employment Placement.
The implementation of the Employment Placement stream has also taken longer than anticipated, and contracted
organizations are experiencing several issues impacting their success in the program. The principal issue noted by agencies
providing placements is that, for the reasons enumerated above, referrals to date have proven to be more difficult to place
directly in employment than they originally anticipated. In addition, the financial compensation model prescribed by the
Province is not structured in a way that allows non-profit agencies to recoup their initial investments in a timely enough
fashion. As a result, a number of organizations who had agreed to participate in the E.P.stream withdrew, including those
with the greatest referral capacity.
Consequently, Toronto currently has limited referral capability in the E.P. program stream. The concern the Department
has expressed to the Province is that the budget allocated to Employment Placement is significantly high in relation to
need, while the funds available for training have been significantly underestimated against demonstrated need. Therefore,
while sufficient funds have been budgeted within the E.P. program stream, they have effectively been inaccessible. The
basic reason is that, under the Provincially prescribed O.W. funding formula, there has not been sufficient flexibility within
the stream to reallocate funds to support activities, such as training, that are clearly required to assist clients currently on
the caseload move into employment placements.
The lack of funding flexibility within the program stream, as well as other program restrictions imposed by the O.W.
Guidelines, have also restricted community agencies' ability to propose truly blended approaches to assisting O.W. clients,
which provided an integrated mix of education and training, and job placements, and which have the potential to move
clients directly from training programs into jobs.
In its discussions with the Ministry, the Department has therefore stressed that Ontario Works must allow for greater
flexibility regarding the types of activities, and approaches, that are eligible under the O.W. funding model, both to enable
agencies to develop programs that deliver blended programs which will more effectively meet client needs, and to improve
the Division's capacity to manage the overall program and meet Provincially approved targets.
The Ministry of Community and Social Services has recently indicated it will allow greater flexibility under the O.W.
Program Guidelines and funding formulas, the aim being to permit local delivery agents to explore integrated service
delivery proposals from community agencies.
In light of recent Provincial statements, the Department's goal in 1998 is to gain experience by developing and testing a
limited number of pilots, in concert with contracted community agencies, that will provide clients with a blend of training
and workplace based learning experiences or job placements. The desired outcomes are models which will be mutually
successful: clients will obtain and sustain employment, reducing their length of stay on social assistance; agencies will
receive adequate funding to delivery programs; and the Department will realize program cost savings as clients move into
jobs.
This report briefly describes the basic features of the pilot projects that are being proposed by a number of community
based organizations.
Discussion:
Pilot Project Model:
A number of community based organizations, including the Learning Enrichment Foundation (L.E.F.), Goodwill Industries
and the Toronto Board of Education (York Division), have been engaged in discussions with M.C.S.S. and the Department
concerning development of pilot projects under Ontario Works which test blended models for service delivery. The
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of M.C.S.S., Jack Klees, subsequently referred agency staff to the Department for
further discussions related to the development of concrete proposals for pilots.
Over the past month, Departmental staff have been engaged in active discussions with each agency. The aim is to develop
pilot projects which combine training supports available under the Employment Supports stream and experiential learning
or work placements provided through the Employment Placement program stream. Under the flexibility offered in the pilot
projects, each agency will be able to provide individual clients with a continuum of service options. There will be easy
access educational and skills upgrading and job training supports which lead to appropriate job placements upon
completion of the training component.
The expected outcome of the pilot projects is that a substantial percentage of clients who participate will be successfully
placed in jobs. Appropriate performance standards will be established by the Department, in conjunction with the
participating agencies, and incorporated in service contracts. Agency costs for the pilots will be funded on the basis of
O.W. program savings derived from reductions in the length of time clients remain on the caseload as a result of obtaining
employment.
Toronto District School Board (T.D.S.B.) Proposal:
The T.D.S.B. proposal represents a special case. The York District of the now consolidated T.D.S.B. has been running an
Adult Co-op Employment Placement program for nine years, combining a classroom based educational component and an
experiential learning component in a workplace setting. The Division has regularly referred clients to the program. Staff
who have had contact with the program agree that clients who have used it have benefited.
Until the beginning of 1998, no student fee was charged to the Department as the program was funded through the
education system. Approximately 50 percent of the participants are G.W.A. clients. However, due to the restructuring of
education funding in the Province, funds will no longer be available to support a range of adult education programs,
including the Adult Co-op Employment Placement program. The Ministry of Education and Training (M.E.T.) has
indicated it will provide funds for a specific number of unemployed workers who are not in receipt of social assistance.
In general, the Department is reluctant to fund programs as a result of the side loading of costs from the educational system
onto the municipality. In this case, however, continuation of the Adult Co-op Employment Placement program, which
provides an effective service to O.W. clients, can only be guaranteed by funding it as a pilot project. Again, continued
funding for this pilot will depend on program performance and the successful placement of participants in employment.
Conclusion:
The Division is pursuing the development of a small number of pilots with community based service providers to test
blended service delivery models. The Division is confident that the proposed pilots will effectively meet the needs of O.W.
clients, and improve their ability to rapidly find employment. Pilots will be funded through O.W. program savings. Finally,
in conjunction with the M.C.S.S. area office, the Department will evaluate pilot outcomes related to client success in
achieving employment. Future funding for any initiatives will be based on meeting the negotiated performance standards,
and on an overall review of the pilot, the terms and conditions of which will be established in the service agreement
contract.
Contact Name:
Heather MacVicar, General Manager
392-8953