Navigating complexities in service access
Offering financial support for essentials alleviates concerns and enables individuals to provide for their families and focus on seeking employment. Photo: Adobe Stock
Opportunities outside the box: James Bartlett Employment Support Fund
Navigating through the complexities of modern life often involves the pressure to check specific boxes and fulfill certain criteria when seeking services. While the intention behind most of these criteria is to bridge inequalities and foster inclusivity, the innate concept of sticking to requirements often results in unintentionally leaving some individuals in need behind. This tension highlights the challenge of holding a balance between offering inclusive support and maintaining necessary standards.
This gap is mirrored in the realm of employment support services in Canada.
The notion is largely influenced by federal and provincial government programs that provide essential funding for various employment related services. However, these programs often come with explicit eligibility criteria that individuals must meet to access the valuable resources they offer.
While these criteria are designed to ensure efficient resource allocation and maintain accountability, they can also become barriers, preventing some individuals who require assistance from accessing the support they need due to not fitting the prescribed criteria.
At the center of this dynamic, enters James Bartlett – a figure whose legacy represents the spirit of breaking down such barriers.
As a career development practitioner, Bartlett committed himself to assisting clients with disabilities in navigating their journeys toward meaningful employment. However, his experiences have shown a disheartening reality.
Numerous clients who did not meet the criteria for government funding, particularly the employment insurance (EI) requirements, faced additional challenges in their pursuit of employment. These barriers had the potential to negatively affect the progress and the very essence of inclusivity that these programs aimed to uphold.
Cultivating Change: The Legacy of JB Fund
James was deeply committed to ensuring that individuals who were on the brink of achieving their goals did not miss out on opportunities. Acknowledging this need, he proposed the concept of an employment support fund. Sadly, Bartlett’s life was cut short by a health crisis in 2007. But his idea continued on through the Kin Club Halifax and TEAM Work Cooperative, organizations he was deeply involved in.
As a tribute to Bartlett’s unwavering commitment and visionary concept, the Kin Club Halifax on June 21, 2007 made the first contribution to the James Bartlett (JB) Employment Support Fund . This genuine gesture marked the beginning of a transformative project that would continue to impact lives and sow the seeds of change.
The essence of the James Bartlett Employment Support Fund extends well beyond its financial contributions. It symbolizes a departure from the limitations of rigid eligibility criteria. In doing so, it shifts the focus from “checking the boxes” to genuinely embracing the spirit of inclusivity and meeting people where they are in life. The fund’s comprehensive approach acknowledges that empowerment covers a multidimensional journey, often influenced by factors beyond a criterion.
The fund’s impact resonates through the personal stories of empowerment it has fostered. Each success story highlights the importance of a change in perspective – from exclusion to inclusion, from obstacles to opportunities. The fund’s growth, driven by contributions, reflects a community-driven mindset that values individuals for their potential and aspirations.
Showcasing Success Stories
EM – EM is a client with an intellectual disability who resides at an adult care facility. Given that all their income benefits are allocated toward their facility expenses, they took the initiative to establish a small craft business.
Supported by the GO-3D program for self-employed individuals with disabilities, EM initiated selling their crafts within the care facility, harbouring aspirations for expansion. Thanks to the support extended by the JB fund, they were able to access personalized guidance for selling their crafts through a dedicated Facebook page.
EM is now witnessing increased demand for their crafts, allowing them to afford additional necessities beyond their existing provisions.
KF – KF is a single father with three children. With an incomplete high school education, finding employment that pays more than minimum wage has been a significant challenge. They relied on EI while pursuing their GED through the adult learning program at the Nova Scotia Community College.
KF has received support from the JB fund, aiding them with groceries and school supplies for their children. Knowing that it is challenging for KF to seek assistance, the funding committee understands that when they do reach out, the situation must be quite dire.
The JB fund played a crucial part in helping KF to maintain the search for a meaningful job while somewhat alleviating concerns about providing for their family.
JC – JC, an African Canadian in their middle years with a mental health-related disability. JC had been engaged in a work placement; however, the relationship with their employer had deteriorated to such an extent that they were compelled to leave the position. Concurrently, their partner abruptly left, failing to meet their obligation of paying rent for the past two months.
Thanks to the assistance provided by the JB fund, one month’s rent and a repayment arrangement were negotiated with JC’s landlord. This approach granted them the time to search for employment without facing eviction during a housing crisis.
The dedicated team also succeeded in securing a new job for JC, one that they could immediately begin. In their new role, their commitment and skills were swiftly recognized by the new employer, resulting in their promotion to a supervisor position and an increase in their wage.
JC’s progress continues to thrive, evident from the numerous expressions of gratitude they have shared via email.
Newcomer Clients Experiences
Throughout the past year, there has been a notable increase in the demand for support services from newcomers and immigrants to Canada.
The JB fund has the means to offer essential support, alleviating their concerns and enabling them to focus on seeking employment. For instance, the fund can help with purchasing essential groceries, mending dental fractures, covering prescription costs, and facilitating eye exams and eyeglasses.
In a landscape where the requirement of “checking the boxes” can overshadow the core goal of empowerment and inclusion, the James Bartlett Employment Support Fund stands as a testament to what can be accomplished when an idea is nurtured with compassion and pursued with dedication.
Criteria does not determine access. What is needed is an empathetic and holistic approach that uplifts individuals based on their distinct circumstances. We must reconsider the role of criteria in the realm of support services. Every qualification is backed by a human story, filled with aspirations, challenges, and potential. MW
✯ Municipal World Executive and Essentials Plus Members: You might also be interested in Mark Mullaly’s article: Creating a culture that innovates.
Nina Nersesova is an inclusion specialist and funding coordinator at TEAM Work Cooperative.
Related resource materials:
