Workforce connex - Aboriginal Human Resource Council

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Opening AddressMr. Lendsay introduced Claudette Bradshaw, past Minister of Human Resourcesand Social Development Canada (HRSDC), and current lead on the NewBrunswick Community Non-Profit Task Force. Ms. Bradshaw was the ministerresponsible for HRSDC when the department’s roundtables were held thatresulted in the launch of the national Workforce Connex forum series.On a cross-country tour in 2005, Claudette Bradshaw brought employersand Aboriginal people together to find out why more Aboriginal people werenot participating in the labour force. She stated that her work was only thebeginning. She encouraged AHRC to take on this responsibility and coordinateactivities that would lead to the greater sharing of information that would resultin more partnerships. Mrs. Bradshaw felt that AHRC had a good team with theability to organize these forums. She was thrilled to see the forum’s come tolife, and was honoured to be asked a few words at the New Brunswick forum.During her tour across Canada Claudette noted that she discovered howvery little companies knew about whom Aboriginal people are, their skilllevels and how to get in contact the Aboriginal people. She also found thatthe Aboriginal community did not know how to connect with private sectoremployers or know about their job requirements and openings. She felt thatthese forums were an excellent way to have open dialogue to build partnershipsthat would eventually lead to Aboriginal employment. She explained thatfederal government can’t do the work that needs to be done because it doesnot go into the communities. Rather, communities tend to work with othergovernments’ and this is why forums are a good way to break down the barriers.She challenged participants to get active, get more engaged, to formpartnerships, and to help people to build their literacy and other skills.PART 2: Walk in my Shoes -A Personal ConnectionIn an effort to better understand each other’s challenges, the conversationreversed roles whereby the employers were asked to think/act like they werein the Aboriginal/AHRDA community while the Aboriginal community/AHRDAswere to think/act like they were employers, and determine, from this newperspective, the challenges? A summary of the conversation is as follows:AHRDAs as employers:QUESTION POSED: If you were an employer,what challenges would you face to make positiveconnections to the Aboriginal community?•••••How do I contact potential employees?Why can’t we find people?Where do we post positions?Who do we talk to in the community?Stereotypes.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Retention – how to keep people once we have found them?Need to advertise.What skills are we looking for?Need to welcome candidates (internal barriers).More desirable workplace.Wages and money.How to work with invisible minorities.Are businesses friendly?We need to look outside-the-box to findAboriginal workers (creative outreach).Will we be successful using our general human resourcesprocesses, or do we need a targeted approach (diversified)?Why did current employees apply?Need to develop relationships before hand.Ensure our human resource policies are sensitive tocultural differences (i.e., family oriented).Network – use them – overcome.Provide sensitivity training to employees.Clients are not dependable.Budget issues don’t allow for full-time employment.No response to postings.Lack of connection to Elders.Lack of active engagement plans and action items.Co-op programs – access workers at a younger age.Summer employment provides a good entry point.Internship programs provide a good entry point.Communication issues.Not enough people/too many people.Too much talk not enough action.Process is too political.Champion in the community.Need service delivery to be more professional.Train practitioners with different standards for development.Front-line staff referral.Provide workplace preparation to enhance retention.Match the best person to the job without ‘baggage’.AHRDAs need to engage the private sector more often and follow through.More effective/correct contact.• Provide AHRDAs with more autonomy regarding how to spendAboriginal Human Resource CouncilNew Brunswick Workforce Connex Report
••budgets and types of employment that can be offered.Building on successes – publicize achievements.Need career awareness at an earlier age.Businesses as AHRDAs:QUESTION POSED: If you were in an AHRDA oranother Aboriginal employment agency, whatchallenges would you face to make positiveconnections to employers?••••••••••••••••••••••••••Need to market and advertise to employers.Some clients have a lack of skills.Make program information available.How do we reach potential employees/clients?How do we identify skilled people?Who is going to breakdown barriers?How do we connect to other Aboriginal communities?Conduct recruitment sessions in First Nations communities.How can we make Aboriginal people feel welcome?Provide early education of young people.Dissemination of information.Share the cost of training.Connect with training institutions to address demand side needs.Need to give back to the community – not just about exploitation.It is like putting a square peg in a round hole.Clients have no wrong skills.We have a geographic/location challenge (communitiesdon’t always align to job site locations).Acceptance.Need to help clients increase their confidence.Some of our experiences have been bad.Don’t know what supports are available —logistics and social supportCreate safety nets outside community where the work is.Need a buddy system in companies.More public awareness of the role that Elderscan play in AHRDA programming.Not enough support to get the education required.Lack of education.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Lack of care/infrastructure.Clients have family responsibilities that makemoving /traveling to job site a challenge.Two career families.Our clients need to sell themselves.Know basics and ensure you have them.Know where to find the information.We need to understand recruiter requirements.Resolve the issue of ‘don’t live in area’.The workplace culture not respective of Aboriginal issues/culture.Address literacy needs.We don’t know employers.Don’t know the labour market.Can’t get into the Union.Don’t have the right education.Can’t sell myself – low self esteem.Who do I contact inside the companies?Need daycare.Need support systems.No mentor — nobody to guide me.Don’t feel I belong – fear — not confident.Afraid to fail.There are language barriers.Transport problems – haven’t got the means to get to the job site — no car.Don’t recognize credentials or experience.Lack of jobs on my First Nation.Have not sought a job off First Nations.Clients don’t want to move.How do we succeed?Don’t have resumes.Some employers have a negative perception of Aboriginal people.Cannot afford to work for minimum wage.Feel underpaid.Wages are too low to relocate.I have a disability — not able (disabilities, etc.)I have a criminal record.• I have a record or dependency.Aboriginal Human Resource Council New Brunswick Workforce Connex Report
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTSAcknowledgement...
Page 5 and 6: Message CEO/PresidentAboriginal Hum
Page 7: THE DISCUSSIONParticipants discusse
Page 11 and 12: •••••••••••
Page 13 and 14: •— technologists— all related
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Page 17 and 18: 19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30
Page 19 and 20: Appendix 1Forum agendaWorkforce Con
Page 21 and 22: Aboriginal Human Resource Council N
Page 23 and 24: Participant Organization Location21
Page 25 and 26: Participant Organization Location61
Page 27 and 28: Appendix 3EVALUATION SUMMARYSaint J
Page 29 and 30: Private Sector Delegates1.Prior to
Page 31 and 32: Appendix 4GLOSSARY OF TERMSAcronymA

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