Not enough hours in the day? Need an extra set of hands? Looking to improve your services in the community? If you're a non-profit, community or public sector organization, Community Participation can help you meet your goals. And you can help Ontario Works participants get valuable work experience.
Ontario Works has the answer.
We can help you find people who are capable and motivated. They're learning new skills, and brushing up on old ones. And all they need is a chance to show you what they've got.
Ontario Works helps people to prepare for employment through:
- referrals to basic education;
- training for new and updated skills;
- practical work experience; and
- job placement.
All together in one unique program and at no cost to your agency.
What’s Community Participation?
It can be tough finding a job without recent experience or current references. Through Community Participation, participants are placed in non-profit and public organizations like yours to do unpaid work activities.
Ontario Works enables participants to contribute to their community while they're getting ready for work.
Participants get current work experience, improved confidence and self-esteem, up-to-date job references and contacts that can lead to future jobs.
Community placements are voluntary for people with young children and for people with disabilities.
Here’s how it works.
As a community placement sponsor, you define your needs. It could be helping in the office, working on special events or fundraising or taking part in maintenance, restoration and conservation projects.
Many Ontario Works participants already volunteer in their community. With a willing sponsor, the hours they volunteer can be recognized as Community Participation.
Community placements may not displace any paid employment in the agencies where they are located. This means that community placements may not replace work done by a paid employee within the past two years.
How does Ontario Works help?
We'll meet with you to define the skills and abilities you need. Then we'll pre-screen and refer participants that meet your requirements — capable and motivated people who want to make a contribution. You make the final choice.
Then we'll follow up with monitoring and support. We can also provide participants with child care, transportation and other assistance.
It'll make a difference in many ways.
If you need some help, call us first. We'll save you time and money. You'll get the help you need. You'll help your community. And you'll help people take control of their future.
For more information
Call your local Ontario Works office or municipal social services office.
You can also contact:
Ministry of Community and Social Services
Client Services Unit
900 Bay Street, M1-57 Macdonald Block
Toronto ON M7A 1N3
Tel: (416) 325-5666
Toll free: 1-888-789-4199
Fax: (416) 325-7136