Projects
Following are three synopses of projects to illustrate the depth and breadth of Critical LINK’s experience.
Boyle Street Community Services
Executive coaching for a new strategic direction
Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council
Establishing and launching a new approach to integrating immigrants in the regional workforce
Enbridge
Building community support for a new pipeline
Boyle Street Community Services
Executive coaching for a new strategic direction
The challenge: After 18 years, the appointment of a new executive director at Boyle Street Community Services presented the perfect opportunity to chart a new strategic direction for the organization.
The approach: We used the 3Cs: consultation, collaboration and coaching, because we believed nothing would be more compelling than taking strategic planning out of the boardroom and into the streets. Boyle Street’s board, staff, and clients were all invited to play a significant role in defining the organization’s future role. Staff got a rare reprieve from day-to-day operations to spend the day together talking about their work, the barriers they face, and the opportunities for a new future.
The results: The executive director championed this new collaborative approach to strategic planning. Staff proved to be a wealth of ideas and enthusiasm, generating important insights into how the organization could be run even better. Clients were especially stunned at being asked outright what they wanted most from their community organization. They responded not only with enthusiasm, but also by establishing a volunteer painting crew to wipe out graffiti; starting a community newspaper; and making plans for their own hot dog stand to raise funds for special projects.
Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council
Establishing a new approach to integrating immigrants in the regional workforce - Karen on You Tube
The challenge: After dedicating years of service to the local economy, hundreds of immigrant workers – many of them underemployed — watched as provincial and federal immigration programs courted and supported foreign workers as they arrived in the city. While the newcomers enjoyed fast-track placements and credential-accreditation support, the established workers found themselves left behind with little support, in positions that were often not commensurate with their skills and training.
The approach: Confident there must be programs elsewhere in Canada to address similar concerns, Critical LINK took a leadership role in researching comparable models, assembling local stakeholders, conducting a feasibility study, securing half a million dollars in funding, and taking on an interim management role in a bid to establish a unique immigrant employment council in Edmonton. Dozens of organizations came together to brainstorm solutions to ensure the new program for local immigrants would fulfill unmet needs and work in collaboration with existing service providers. The result was the formation of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council, targeted specifically to meet the unique needs of immigrant workers who were already settled and working in the region.
The results: Launched in 2008, the ERIEC went on to become the model for similar programs in Calgary, Saskatoon and Vancouver. Now part of a national movement, Edmonton played a key role in the formation of ALLIES, a national organization dedicated to assisting local leaders in immigrant employment solutions .
Enbridge
Building community support for a new pipeline
The challenge: Enbridge has long committed to investing in communities along its pipeline routes, and often builds long-term relationships with residents through employment opportunities and community involvement. Critical LINK was asked to develop a sustainable model that could be used to enhance both corporate and community employment objectives whenever a new pipeline is under consideration.
The approach: Critical LINK worked with Enbridge to develop a self-guided module to help communities identify and assess their learning assets. The module helped communities set realistic and achievable goals for community employment opportunities resulting from the pipeline. It also helped Enbridge understand any cultural and community influences that may be a factor in achieving a true partnership.
The results: The model was piloted in Kitimat, BC and became the basis for a comprehensive toolkit that since been used by other communities and applied to other community asset mapping initiatives.