Annual Report

April 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018

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ADMINISTRATION TEAM: The YTDF ASETS administration team has been very active on a daily basis providing administrative supports to the sub-agreements who deliver employment services to the overall workforce population of the Yellowhead Tribal Council, including the Enoch catchment area. We will continue to expand our administrational supports to accommodate our Nations in the delivery of their employment and training services. In addition, YTDF ASETS administration also coordinates the Canada Summer Jobs program for secondary / post-secondary students targeting YTC youth who reside in the Edmonton area.

Yvette Alexis

ASETS Program Coordinator: Oversees and coordinates all administrative activities between the

YTDF ASETS Organization and Sub-Agreements to improve the overall service delivery integration

and ensure accountability and report measures are met quarterly and annually. Play a significant role

in assisting sub-agreements with the facilitation and development of specific employment and/or

partnerships. I’ve worked at various capacities under the ASETS agreement throughout the year such

as; proposal development, partnership coordination, designing training programs, database

development & assessment, participated at national discussion tables regarding employment and

training, supervised staff, completed reports, templates, created presentations & networked with other

T6 ASETS agreements (provincial and nationally), managed budgets, promoted and advertised events

and completing various Childcare reporting & proposal requirements.

Bernadine Coleman

ASETS Data Manager: Ensures all data accountability terms and conditions are met. Takes the lead

on the skill inventory and new reporting database development, increase the understanding of ASETS

Sub-Agreement requirements and provides information, technical data support and practical tools to

help meet requirement, helps to reduce the reporting burden at the sub-agreement level, provides a

learning guide or other resources to train staff. She works with sub-agreement data clerks to ensure

all data is collected and reported according to the agreement requirements and trains clerks were

needed. Bernadine has been very instrumental in coordinating the data clerks in the development of

the new data management system.

Rodney Mustus

ASETS Finance officer: Works closely with the ASETS Coordinator and front line technicians and

their finance departments to ensure all expenses are eligible and meet the agreement requirements

which includes issuing T4A’s for all clients funded under the YTDF-ASETS agreement. In order to

ensure all agreement holders’ meet the financial accountability required under the terms & conditions

under the agreement, he provides ACCPAC support & direction for the nations finance departments.

Crystal Daychief

Enoch Employment Counsellor: Delivers employment services to the Enoch Catchment resident

members. This position works with all YTDF ASETS staff on a direct daily basis. This position is

accountable for approving and referring clients for training or other service providers, making referrals

and inputting data.

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PARTNERSHIP BUILDING:

EXISTING ACTIVITY: My staff and I will continue to participate in the T6 ASETS Job Fair scheduled for October 2018, hosted by TCV to showcase the T6 workforce to industry, obtain industry commitment to hire clients on the spot and to market employment opportunities to clients. Continued to assist sub-agreement technicians when called upon to attend meetings with training service providers and potential employers at the community level, this included the Trans Mountain Project. On various occasions I met with other Alberta agreement holders where we shared training & employer information and lessons learned on different projects delivered at the community level. Drafted proposals to Alberta Indigenous Labour for strategic planning development with our Yellowhead Tribal College, potential industry employers and training service providers. NEW ACTIVITY: The goal for YTDF is to play a more active role in the facilitation and development of formal and strategic partnerships on behalf of its communities. I will continue to do the following: Coordinate and assist sub-agreements to develop and submit successful funding proposals to various government and industry funding sources. Meet with other Agreement holders to determine improvements in ASETS service delivery and to gain insight into partnership strategies. 25% of my time will be spent creating relationships with industry and provincial employment partners.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

YTDF hosted the T6 Career Fair event held in Edmonton on March 14&15, 2017. This gave our sub-agreements a venue to create ‘employment and training partnerships, network and team build’ using best practises with other agreement holders. Over the past year we had open discussions both in gatherings and individually with our front line sub-agreements to provide supports in their ability to effectively communicate, gather and share community member (client) information with their income support programs, provincial employment & training departments and economic development officers for the purpose of finding meaningful employment for clients served. We are slowly aligning our ASETS departments to lead & practice this method. The YTDF ASETS goal is to integrate and expand our client training services at the community level using the following service structure; 1) All individuals seeking employment will be assessed and referred which department they can access services; 2) Income support will prepare the clients to be ready, willing and able to work. This includes dealing with additions,

confidence building, housing and transportation barriers. 3) ASETS will partner with Alberta Indigenous Labour’s ‘Training to Employment’ programs to customize training projects

for clients who hold the status of ready, willing and able with skilled training barriers. 4) ASETS will partner with individual First Nations Economic Development Programs to provide more employment

resources

Other activities included;

Financial audit & T4 preparation

Quarterly ESDC Monitors

Budget & Networking meetings

Partnership Building Presentations

YTC Return to School Orientation

Database Integration meetings (developers, shareholders, departments, funders)

DATABASE DEVELOPMENT:

Database maintenance – YTDF upgraded the current system’s hardware in order to continue the software development and strengthen the integration of programs such as First Nations Income Support, ASETS and Education and Economic Development for partnership building purposes. Our database system is still under construction due to unforeseen technical difficulties. The costs this year were user & monthly server fees along with database administrational services.

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SUB – AGREEMENT (CORE ACTIVITIES): Each sub-agreement employs a ‘Technician’ position who works with the YTDF ASETS Coordinator in an indirect matrix basis on duties related to the design and delivery of ASETS training and employment programs and services. The sub-agreement technicians are accountable in appropriately assessing clients for training, case manage accordingly approving and referring clients for training or other service providers. Each sub-agreement holder employs a data entry clerk who will report to their ASETS technician on a direct basis. This position will maintain the skill inventory bank daily, quarterly and annually.

Technicians are employed at the sub-agreement level who provide employment counseling services for nation members and work with the YTDF ASETS Coordinator to design & deliver ASETS training & employment ‘programs and services’ according to the community’s workforce needs. Data Entry Clerks are employed at the sub-agreement level who complete all client data entry ensuring all individual client applications are appropriately assessed, case managed and information is documented and inputted in both the file and reporting data system.

SUB – AGREEMENT (CLIENT ACTIVITIES):

Pre-Employment Skill Development – These clients are most likely those who have never

participated in the work-force, who face multiple barriers, or who lack the basic skills to be successful in employment. Provide support for eligible clients to assist them with essential skills and basic pre-employment activities such as basic upgrading, computer training, etc. Skills enhancement interventions will be used to provide clients with structured preparation for GED exams.

32 Clients served 3 Employed 20 RTS

Persons with Disabilities – have been identified as a targeted group that requires ASETS

assistance to increase their participation in the workforce. Assessment and referral services will be provided to clients living with a disability. ASETS Technicians/ Employment Counsellors will work with First Nations Health Programs to support clients to receive specialty training to gain, retain or maintain employment and employment related equipment.

2 Clients Served 0 Employed 0 RTS

Trades Apprentice Training – Trades will continue to be an area in demand within Alberta

over the next several years. Will support clients who have decided to enter various trades such as Media and Advertising, Electrician, Carpentry, pipefitting, welding, etc. All costs associated with furthering their chosen trade will be supported and may include tuition, allowances, relocation, materials and supplies.

15 Clients Served 10 Employed 4 RTS

Safety training – Safety tickets are a requirement to obtain employment in many areas

related to trades. Support for eligible clients will be available for safety ticket training provided the client meets the application requirements. They will be selected based on applications, assessments and company training advertisements and/or letter of employment as supporting documentation.

108 Clients served 90 Employed 11 RTS

Driver Training – Assessments indicate that clients who are ready, willing and able to work

may require a variety of drivers training in order to accept and retain employment and will be supported to take Class 1, 2, 3 and 4. Will also support youth to take Class 5 and 7.

5 Clients served 3 Employed 2 RTS

Transportation/mobility – Assist and support clients who have barriers to transport

themselves to employment, training or to job sites. Temporary gas support for clients who have no other financial means to get to the job site may be eligible. Employment confirmation will be required.

123 Clients served 89 Employed 23 RTS

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Employment related costs – Assist clients who require specific employment needs that

prevent them from finding and retaining employment. Financial employment start-up may be provided to those who are eligible once confirmation is received. Those qualified will receive supports such as work gear, union fees, relocation assistance and/or gas support. Employment and/or training confirmation is required.

144 Clients served 115 Employed 21 RTS

Individualized skill development – Support provided for individuals who are requesting

demand-driven skills that will lead to immediate employment. Funding may be provided for walk-in clients who require financial resources to pursue unforeseen demand-driven employment opportunities. Labour market information and analysis will be completed to ensure that the skills are supported and will lead to immediate employment.

62 Clients served 32 Employed 13 RTS

Self-employment – will support clients who have demonstrated the willingness and ability to

start their own business. Sub-agreements may support clients by providing funds for: business plan development, start-up supplies, materials and/or advertisements. It will be delivered through a business plan application process with the intent to ensure that the client’s business succeeds and that they can become self-reliant and able to participate in the economy.

2 Clients served 1 Employed 1 RTS

Targeted Wage Subsidies – help clients who do not have the required work experience but

have the skills and training to become employable. Acts as an incentive for the employer to hire the client when the subsidy comes to an end. Employers may access funding to subsidize wages for trainees who are eligible ASETS clients to gain valuable work experience. The funding is an individual written, proposal driven contract between the employer and the agreement or sub-agreement holder with focus on the needs of the named client. Total ASETS subsidy will not exceed 50% of the wage with the MERC’s paid by the employer. The employer must provide progress reports and be willing to hire the client full time after the work experience is complete.

0 Clients served

Job Creation Partnerships – this is intended to provide clients who lack work experience an

opportunity to gain demand driven skills that will help them become more employable. Funding to deliver a ‘tailored’, written job creation intervention partnership may be provided to an eligible client/EI insured client with meaningful work experience to enhance their skills to become more competitive for jobs. The primary focus is on the client, not the sponsor/employer or the community.

10 Clients served 3 Employed 2 RTS

Security Training - this is an ongoing area of demand in Alberta particularly in the

construction industry. Partnership development with other community service providers and/or other funding resources or industry employers to deliver security training to individuals giving them the knowledge and experience to gain employment as security guards with their industry partners.

6 Clients served 1 Employed 0 RTS

Policing & By-Law Officer Training: Will provide training in the area of policing and by-law

officer training for individuals who wish to pursue this career. It will be designed to provide candidates with exposure to a combination of First Nation community policing and by-law enforcement. Other areas will include criminology, conflict management interviewing, and investigating the law. Priority will be given to individuals who are eligible for EI Part II funding.

None

Heavy Equipment Training – this continues to be in high demand in Alberta. Training may

be provided for basic Heavy Equipment Operators training for a variety of equipment from haul truck operators, dozers and graders to excavators, scrapers, packers and front-end loaders.

2 Clients served 1 Employed 1 RTS

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Client Targets / Results for 2017-2018

Clients Served Clients Employed /

Self-Employed Return to School

EI CRF EI CRF TOTAL (EI + CRF)

TARGETS AS PER AOP

75 300 60 250 15

RESULTS 119 193 108 144 67

Hospitality and Tourism Management – Restaurant and hospitality related services have

been identified as areas of demand in the communities served by YTDF. The training will be designed to meet industry certification standards leading to professional accreditation and full time employment in the hotel, restaurant and resort management fields.

None

Youth Pre-Trades Mentorship Program – the goal is to provide youth with exposure to the

trades so they can pursue it as a career opportunity. The training will consists of personal development and work experience.

1 Client served 1 RTS

Completion Bonuses – YTDF’s goal is to decrease the number of repeat clients and to

provide incentives for the completion of programs. To encourage our clients to complete trades interventions, MAY provide a maximum of $500 as an incentive bonus to clients who have successfully completed anywhere between 1 – 4 years of apprenticeship training in the area of trades.

Housing Construction Training – Sub-agreements will design programs for entry-level

occupations in the advanced wood manufacturing sector. The objective is to provide basic and practical skills and knowledge to individuals interested in a career and gaining full-time employment in the industry. The sub-agreement communities may enter into individual partnerships with various housing construction employers after a detailed assessment is completed and a through recruitment is initiated.

1 Client Served 1 RTS

Child Care* As the YTDF ASETS Coordinator; I complete all reporting requirements ensuring all licensing have been updated. I also deal with any non-compliance issues if necessary. In addition, I provide guidance & support to our sub-agreement childcare Directors in terms of training staff and ensuring quality childcare services for parents in training and/or employed are provided. The following are the Daycare Centres partially funded by YTDF ASETS; Alexis Nikoodi Daycare – 59 Alexander School Daycare – 50 O’Chiese Eagle Nest Daycare – 30 Sunchild Besim Awasis Daycare – 26 Enoch Cree Nation Daycare – 80 YTDF ASETS maintained a total of 245 childcare spaces in the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

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Tiny Homes Project

Laborer & Chainsaw Operator Anthony Potts (24yrs old)

Backwoods Energy Services – Employment Partner Employee of the month of Feb, 2018

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Carpentry Pre-Trades Program

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SAIT Applied Management Program

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Heavy Equipment Operators

Johnathan Cardinal Journeyman

Northern Alberta Institute of

Technology Graduate

Red Seal Chef 2018