KES and the LEAD Programs team have partnered with the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training to bring forward the CONNECT program.
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Our CONNECT program has been developed to assist members of our community who have multiple barriers to employment.
With this in mind, the program is designed with a high degree of flexibility and accommodation and includes holistic support to meet the unique needs of individuals.
We at KES recognize that when you come into our services, the start of your journey will be different to someone elses.
CONNECT provides all participants with a unique plan and pathways; it’s been designed to encapsulate client needs along the entire spectrum of employment readiness.
Supporting you with cohort-based sessions, up to a total of 8 weeks in length, development of a training plan, and short courses from institutions like College of the Rockies.
Benefits include
✅ Personalized employment plans
✅ Holistic support for unique needs
✅ Cohort-based sessions (Up to 8 weeks)
✅ Training plan development & short courses from top institutions
✅ Comprehensive pre-employment services (Including skills assessments, workshops, and more)
✅ Food support, counseling, and job coaching
✅ Job search
The program offers comprehensive pre-employment services including personality and skills assessments, employment readiness workshops, food support, counseling, and coaching, along with referrals to specialized services for overcoming employment barriers. Additionally, it includes job search assistance, job placement services with local employers, and Indigenous cultural components; including referrals to Indigenous skills and employment training programs.
Eligible participants receive $19/hour when a part of CONNECT*
*Participants must be in attendance to be paid.
Eligibility Criteria
- Living in British Columbia
- Not receiving duplicative financial support from another provincially or federally funded labor market program, though maybe receiving complementary, non-duplicative financial support from other programs such as WorkBC, that enable or enhance program participation
- Unemployed or precariously employed
- Individual who can self-identify as facing two or more of the following barriers to employment;
- Housing instability
- Recovering from addiction
- Prior criminal justice involvement
- Mental health challenges
- Lack of recent and/or Canadian work experience
- Lack of basic employment skills
- Limited literacy, financial literacy, or digital literacy skills
- Limited English language skills
- Having less than a grade 12 education
- Being a:
i. Visible minority, recent immigrant, refugee, or
ii. Young adult at risk, or
iii. Older worker, or
iv. Survivor of violence and/or abuse
v. Person with a disability
vi. Belonging to/or being impacted by plural marriage.
Let's connect
Fill out the form and we'll be in touch shortly, or you can speak to us via our live chat.
