Work Services will strive to move work ready individuals to work in a more timely fashion by assessing their readiness for employment when they first enter our offices. There are 2 main components to Work Services; finding the job (obtaining - up to 6 months) and maintaining the job (retaining - up to 6 months).
After clients find work they will have ongoing support to help them maintain their job. Work Services will provide support to newly employed clients for a period of time normally not to exceed 6 months. Such support may be required as clients adjust to working and the workplace.
Support would focus on job maintenance, crisis prevention (problem solving) and crisis intervention. This would include the facilitation of processes such as assessing needs, goal setting, action plan development, implementation and monitoring, counseling, advocacy, coordination of the plan, referral for service and emergency financial support.
Work Services special benefits refer to assistance above and beyond the entitlement of clients to social assistance. for open cases, special benefits may be issued on a "one-issue" basis or on an ongoing basis added to the monthly assistance cheque. This would be for benefits issued to meet clients predetermined needs which will occur for a period of two or more consecutive months at fixed monthly rates. Ongoing benefits maybe for a period of six months while in Work Services.
Case managers will determine the method of payment for these benefits by indicating whether or not it is to be added to the monthly cheque.