We have received the following information from the Public Service Commission:

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is launching Cohort 5 of the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities (FIPCD).

Supported Employment Agencies are encouraged to consider and refer candidates with a diverse range of profiles and backgrounds, including those who may typically be facing systemic barriers to employment related to key intersecting socio-demographic factors.

What is FIPCD?

Since 2019, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has managed FIPCD, a national recruitment program providing internship opportunities in the federal public service to persons with disabilities. So far, a total of 126 interns have participated in the program through 39 federal organizations.

This national program aims to increase the economic inclusion of persons with disabilities by developing key skills for future employment. It also seeks to increase public service representation and retention of persons with disabilities. The internships offered are entry-level and developmental, requiring little to no previous job experience, 18 months in duration at a minimum, and are located in cities across the country.

Next employment opportunities?

A fifth cohort has been launched this fall! Internship offers are now available. These include positions in human resources, administration, information technology, accessibility, and more.

Show your interest!

We’re excited to hear from you and your clients! Simply fill out the form linked below to express your interest. Submissions are open until December 18, 2024. The FIPCD team will carefully match your clients with the roles that best suit their interests. They can expect to hear back from us in January. We can’t wait to discover their talents! Your clients can submit their interest here: Intake Form.

For any additional questions, we invite you to consult this document: Questions and Answers or contact us at the coordinates below.

Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities

Public Service Commission of Canada / Government of Canada

cfp.diversitedetalent-talentdiversity.psc@cfp-psc.gc.ca

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La Commission de la fonction publique (CFP) lance la cinquième cohorte du Programme fédéral de stages pour les Canadiens en situation de handicap (PFSCH).

 Les agences de soutien à l’emploi sont encouragées à prendre en considération et à recommander des candidats ayant des profils et des antécédents divers, y compris ceux qui peuvent être confrontés à des obstacles systémiques à l’emploi liés à des facteurs sociodémographiques clés qui se recoupent.

Qu’est-ce que le PFSCH?

Depuis 2019, la Commission de la fonction publique (CFP) gère le PFSCH, un programme de recrutement national offrant des possibilités de stage dans la fonction publique fédérale. Au total, 126 stagiaires auront participé au programme par le biais de 39 organisations fédérales.

Ce programme national vise à accroître l’inclusion économique des personnes en situation de handicap en leur permettant d’acquérir des compétences clés en vue d’un emploi futur. Il vise également à accroître la représentation et le maintien des personnes en situation de handicap dans la fonction publique. Les stages offerts sont de niveau débutant et de perfectionnement nécessitant peu ou pas d’expérience professionnelle antérieure, d’une durée minimale de 18 mois, et se dérouler dans des villes de l’ensemble du pays.

Prochaines opportunités d’emploi?

Une cinquième cohorte a été lancée cet automne! Les offres de stages sont maintenant disponibles. Il s’agit notamment de postes dans les domaines des ressources humaines, de l’administration, des technologies de l’information, de l’accessibilité, etc.

Démontrez votre intérêt!

Nous sommes enthousiastes d’entendre parler de vous et de vos clients! Il vous suffit de remplir le formulaire ci-dessous pour exprimer votre intérêt. Les candidatures sont ouvertes jusqu’au 18 décembre 2024. L’équipe du PFSCH s’efforcera d’associer vos clients aux fonctions qui correspondent le mieux à leurs intérêts. Ils peuvent s’attendre à recevoir une réponse de notre part en janvier. Nous sommes avons hâte de découvrir leurs talents! Vos clients peuvent démontrer leur intérêt ici : Formulaire d’intérêt.

Pour toutes questions additionnelles, on vous invite à consulter ce document : Questions et réponses ou à nous contacter aux coordonnées ci-dessous.

Programme fédéral de stages pour les Canadiens en situation de handicap

Commission de la fonction publique du Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

cfp.diversitedetalent-talentdiversity.psc@cfp-psc.gc.ca

Open: December 9, 2024
Closes: January 13, 2025
Location: Vancouver, BC
Category: Community and Social Services Job
Type: Full-time
Salary: $54,000

Who We Are

Since 1977, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. We champion issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research and publications.

Our mission is to promote a more inclusive and equitable society for people with all disabilities through direct services, community partnerships, systemic advocacy, research, and publications.

Job Description

DABC is seeking a Community Advocate to join our Advocacy Access Team. The Advocate will be responsible for individual and community advocacy relating to provincial disability benefits (known as PWD).

Responsibilities:

• Assist people with disabilities with applications and appeals relating to provincial disability (Persons with Disabilities and Persons with Persistent and Multiple Barriers)
• Conduct workshops/webinars about provincial disability benefits for community organizations, people with disabilities, healthcare professionals, and other interested individuals and groups
• Be a provincial resource for community advocates and individuals on policy and legislation governing PWD/PPMB

Working hours and location

This position is full-time for 5 days per week at 8 hours a day (including 1 hour as a paid lunch break) and is a hybrid work opportunity; the successful candidate may be required to work at the Downtown Vancouver office two or three days a week, and at home the rest of the time. The position may also require occasional travel to other BC communities. During your initial training, you will be required to be in the office 5 days a week until successful completion of training.

The position is located in downtown Vancouver, on the traditional, ancestral and stolen lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.

The successful applicant must:

• Have a minimum 2 years combined post-secondary education and/or applicable work experience
• Have strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to communicate complex concepts in plain language
• Be able to work effectively with people with disabilities from a client-centered approach
• Be self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work effectively with a team
• Have strong analytical and research skills
• Have excellent organizational skills
• Be computer literate and proficient with word-processing software including the Microsoft Office Suite
• Maintain the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive client information

The following are strong assets for this position:

• Experience with provincial disability benefits (PWD/PPMB)
• Experience in the non-profit sector
• Background in law, social work, or a related field
• Lived experience with a disability and/or supporting people with disabilities
• Experience with legal research
• Understanding of anti-oppression principles

Salary: $54,000 per year

This position offers the following benefits after a three-month probationary period:

• 15 days of paid vacation annually
• 18 days of paid sick leave annually
• 100% of the cost of extended health and dental care benefit premiums
• 2 weeks of paid time off during DABC’s annual holiday office closure in December
• Generous health spending account

DABC is an open and diverse organization that promotes inclusive hiring practices. We encourage applications from qualified applicants who identify as visible minorities, Indigenous persons, and of all sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities. People with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

Importantly, we are looking for people who want to make a long-term commitment to our organization and have a strong desire to uphold the rights and dignities of people with disabilities.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume and brief covering letter addressed to Sharareh Saremi, Program Manager of Advocacy Access at sharareh@dabc.ca – no phone calls please.

Applications are due no later than midnight on January 13, 2025. DABC welcomes all applications, however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.

The federal government announced on November 21st its plans to alleviate higher costs-of-living by providing a $250 rebate to all working Canadians with net incomes below $150,000, to be delivered Spring 2025.  This rebate is called the Working Canadians rebate.  Assuming the legislation needed to create this benefit is passed as-is, it will target individuals who are working,  and this proposed rebate will leave many people with disabilities behind.

The Working Canadians Rebate was one of several new measures announced to relieve higher costs of living that many have endured. The other is a holiday tax break (Bill C-78) that will make some goods and services GST/HST free from December 14, 2024 – February 15, 2025. The federal government announced that these measures will “give Canadians more money in their pockets” and help people “buy the things they need and save for the things they want”. Disappointingly, the rebate excludes many people with disabilities and seniors most affected by inflation, high prices, and other economic pressures, who currently struggle to afford basic needs.

Disability Alliance BC (DABC) disagrees with the restrictive parameters of the proposed rebate.

Specifically, we note that:

• Limiting the rebate to working-age adults inherently discriminates against people with disabilities, particularly those who are not working (e.g., Canada Pension Plan – Disability and Disability Assistance recipients who are not working) and seniors. Given the myriad barriers that prevent many people with disabilities from participating in mainstream work structures, this rebate only perpetuates ableist systems.
• This rebate does not actively support those living in poverty in our country, who would benefit the most from a $250 rebate. A majority (69%) of people accessing social assistance in BC are those who receive Disability Assistance (colloquially known as PWD).[1] In BC, assistance rates are not indexed for inflation which means that many people face rising costs for basic necessities, and not enough money to afford them.

• This rebate only serves to deepen the income gap in our society

• This rebate continues a long list of measures that do not adequately support the exorbitant costs that people with disabilities face. Many tax benefits, including the medical expense tax credit, are non-refundable, which means that they only benefit those with taxable income. Where people eligible for the Working Canadians Benefit could also benefit from available non-refundable tax benefits, those who are not working continue to get left behind. While we recognize that the federal government will be rolling out the monthly Canada Disability Benefit in July 2025, which will offer financial support for working age adults with low income, this benefit is just too little, and still excludes those outside of working ages.

This rebate is a stark reminder that our government still values working adults above all else, which sends a callous message to those who cannot work.

DABC calls on the federal government to broaden this benefit, to provide an equitable Canadian cost-of-living benefit that not only supports working Canadians, but also those who are unable to work, unable to save, and who often have higher costs associated with their health. These people need “more money in their pockets” the most.

[1] https://maytree.com/changing-systems/data-measuring/social-assistance-summaries/british-columbia/