The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
Employment is essential for people to support themselves and their families. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts that “everyone has the right to work; to free choice of employment; to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment...without any discrimination”. Recent studies show:
1.trans people experience unemployment at twice the rate of the general public, with the rates of trans people of colour being four times the national unemployment rate.
2.90% of research participants reported experiencing harassment or mistreatment on the job or took actions to avoid it.
3.47% experienced an adverse job outcome, such as being fired, not hired, or denied a promotion
4.15% live in poverty
5.44% under-employed
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
“Breaking the Ciscentric Ceiling: Trans Employment Project” will have the following deliverables:
Hiring an employment consultant to assist trans people to: develop interview skills (one-on-one interviews, panel interviews and groups) using scenarios;choose appropriate work attire and assist with resume writing and employment counselling.
We will also retain a marketing and communications specialist to assit in the development of tools to engage previous employers with references; development of self-advocacy tools when interacting with management regarding their transition; development of inclusive, supportive workplaces for trans people through competency workshops and resource development; assemble information on employment rights, policies and regulations; and provide support to trans people when faced with employment based discrimination.
The resouces that will be developed will include: posters, pamplets, workshops, traning manuals, and resources.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
The service plan for a transgender person accessing this program will include the following. Upon identifying the need for these services, the participant will meet with the project employment consultant. They will identify the barriers that the trans person has regarding employment.
The employment counsellor will assit in preparing resumes, teaching interviewing skills, and inform participants of appropriate work attire.
Obtaiingn reference remains a major barrier for many trans people. The consultant will also work with previous employers to ensure references are obtained and will faciltate competency training within the work force.
We will develop several communication tools for both employers and trans people. A toolkit will be developed for trans people to self-advocate for themselves. This will include techniques on interacting with management, creating supportive environments, and ensuring best practices are implemented.
A toolkit will also be assembled using best practices for employers to ensure that they are creating inclusive environments.
Finally, a workshop on Trans Issues in the Workplace will be developed and facilitators will be trained to host these competency workshops.
The aim of this project is to arm trans people with the neccessary skills to attain appropriate work, and make them self-sustainable. After accessing these recources, trans people can self-advocate more effectively, and there will be an increase in the number of businesses in British Columbia that are inclusive of the needs of trans people.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
QMUNITY has strong working relationships with Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Three Bridges Community Health Centre- PRISM Program, City of Vancouver, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and agencies serving the needs of GLBTQ people in Greater Vancouver Area. Currently, there are no groups working to produce resources for barriers faced by trans people in the workplace.
This Entry is about (Issues)