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BC Employment Program (BCEP)


Overview: July 24, 2008

Effective: July 24, 2008

The BC Employment Program (BCEP) is a comprehensive employment program that provides employment services and Supports designed to meet the needs of most individual BC Employment & Assistance Clients who are deemed Expected to Work or Expected to Work-Medical Condition.

The ministry’s objectives for the BCEP are:

  1. Clients who are employable will be assisted to reach Independence as quickly as possible through sustainable employment;

  2. Clients who have barriers to employment will be assisted to achieve progress along the Employment Continuum through increased employability and connections with community services; and

  3. The ministry will achieve improved administrative efficiencies in employment programming.

The BCEP is delivered by Contractors in nine Service Delivery Bundles across the province.  Contractors are paid based on a combination of fees-for-services and performance.

The Ministry expects the BC Employment Program (BCEP) to be delivered to Clients in a seamless manner as they move through the program.  Responsibilities for the services are as follows:

Ministry responsibility:

  • Referrals – which includes Client eligibility and referral guidelines

Contractor responsibility (Client Services):

  • Client Intake – to assess Clients for their suitability to participate in the BCEP

  • Directed Work Search (DWS) – which provides short-term support to Clients who are considered capable of conducting their own work search

  • Individualized Services and Supports (ISS) – which is geared for Clients who could, with additional services and support, move into BCEP Employment

The ministry expects that virtually all Clients referred to Contractors will be accepted into the BCEP.  Contractors will conduct a brief interview with Clients to determine whether they are best suited to participate in DWS or ISS, with their decision based on the level of intervention required to achieve BCEP Employment.  The expectation is that the majority of Clients accepted will be directed into DWS as the initial step.