Aboriginal peoples, who form a high proportion of the emerging labour force in some provinces and territories, need a service provided by aboriginal peoples. We examined some successful initiatives -- like the Native Employment Service in Winnipeg -- and suggest that such models be closely examined and extended beyond the current experimental basis.
Relevant counselling for people with disabilities encompasses so many interrelated issues (medical rehabilitation, equipment and financial support, vocational assessment, including prior learning assessment, career opportunities, workplace adaptation) that only specially trained personnel can effectively handle their needs. Dealing with the transition problems of people with disabilities means moving away from the dominant medical physical model of intervention to a vocational model. In the former, rehabilitation occurs sequentially and can take a long time, during which the individual remains away from work, and, as a consequence, faces the risk of discouragement. On the other hand, the vocational model encompasses a whole range of simultaneous interventions and activities allowing individuals to gain or regain confidence more quickly -- a key to building employability -- and enhance their ultimate chance of a successful transition.
We believe that local boards can play an essential role in this area. They can ensure the availability and accessibility of relevant counselling in their jurisdictions.
In search of a clear mandate: empowering clients
The fundamental task of career and employment counsellors is to empower clients, to give them the necessary tools to permit them to make choices. Counsellors are not rule enforcers, although counsellors at CECs are often perceived as such. Certainly a good knowledge of the rules (contained in UI legislation, for example) is a prerequisite, but empowering the client should remain foremost.