On May 30, 2017 the BC Centre for Employment Excellence hosted the Partners in Innovation Symposium. The symposium was part of the Centre’s mandate to strengthen the bridge between knowledge to action in order to inform policy and cultivate evidence-based practice.

The symposium showcased Research & Innovation (R&I) projects that vary in scope, research objectives, target population and methodologies including experiments, comparison groups, inquiries and case studies. Together they combine to foster a culture of innovation that encourages creativity and knowledge-building in the employment services sector.

The symposium brought together many of the Community and Employer Partnership R&I project holders for the first time to share their projects and exchange information beyond the perimeters of the project partners. There were over 100 engaged practitioners, researchers, government employees and others in attendance who each contributed their own expertise to the event and various dialogues throughout the day.

The symposium’s guest speakers have been generous in their willingness to share their presentation slide decks, which can be accessed below:

• Experimenting in Support of Innovation
• Evaluating the Role of Social Enterprises in Supporting Opportunity Youth
• Innovative Approaches in the Delivery of Employment and Training Services
• Pay for Success – An Innovative Performance-Based Approach to Funding Essential Skills Training Delivery
• BRIDGES – Building Resources for Innovative Development, Growth and Economic Stability
• Indigenous Communities Public Works Program
• Improving Client Engagement
• Integrating Motivational Interviewing within Employment Services for Income Assistance Recipients
• Testing Innovative Employment Services for Newcomers
• Calculator BC – Personal Income Information for Disabilities Assistance Recipients