By HEIDI ULRICHSEN
Two Sudbury employment agencies have been presented with Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Service Quality by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in recognition of their outstanding delivery of the Job Connect program and other services.
In December, YMCA Employment Services received a gold level award, while the Sudbury Vocational Resource Centre received a silver at an awards ceremony in Toronto. Thirteen other agencies in the province also received awards.
“Job Connect services transform the lives of individuals, employers and entire communities,” said Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities John Milloy, in a release.
“We are grateful to the people and organizations who deliver this program, and these awards are just one way of recognizing the important work they do.”
Job Connect is a provincially-funded program, which helps people prepare for and succeed in the job market. It is delivered by community-based non-profit agencies and post-secondary institutions.
Agencies applying for the awards are scored on organizational capacity, planning, resourcing, communicating and continuous improvement.
Those that score between 40 and 60 per cent in each of these four measures receive bronze awards, those that score between 70 and 90 per cent receive silver awards, and those that score 95 per cent or above receive the gold award.
Once an agency has received an award, they may only apply for an award at the next level up until they achieve the gold level. Agencies that have achieved the gold level have to wait a period of three years before they can re-apply, and only at the gold level.
This is actually the second time YMCA Employment Services has won the gold level award, an achievement unique in the province. In the past, they’ve also won silver and bronze level awards.
“Winning the gold award again means that we can sustain a high quality of service within our organization,” said director Nancy Dubé.
YMCA Employment Services opened in 1985. Thirty-five people currently work there. It receives funding from the federal, provincial and municipal governments.
The agency provides a number of free services for clients, including a resource centre with free access to computers, photocopiers and fax machines, employment counselling, workshops, job creation and student programs.
Besides the Job Connect program, the agency also administers employment services for people on Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program.
Sudbury Vocational Resource Centre first opened in 1987. The agency’s 33 employees provide many of the same services as their colleagues at YMCA Employment Services, although it also administers a literacy program, one-on-one tutoring, and some job training.
This is the first time the agency has won a Minister’s Award for Excellence. Executive director David Rowe said his organization likely won the award because his employees go above and beyond the call of duty.
