This is what I do when I’m not massaging. This should probably be a part of every Alberta workers’ emergency toolkit.
My current contract is with the Alberta government. The project deals with Alberta Income Support (https://www.alberta.ca/income-support.aspx). People apply for it and get connected with a Career and Employment Consultant. CEC is somewhat easier to say.
I’m not a CEC. My role is to call applicants a short time after they have applied to the program to verify if they still need income support or if their circumstances have improved. Many have found jobs after applying, so they don’t need this.
We’re in tough, gritty times right now.
Nothing can hide that. Whether it’s a skills mismatch (https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/budget-2022-alberta-s-economy-facing-high-unemployment-vacancy-rates/ar-AAUK559) or the interest rates (https://edmontonjournal.com/business/local-business/rising-interest-rates-pushing-more-albertans-towards-bankruptcy/) or something else.
What does a CEC do? Quite a lot, actually: http://www.humanservices.alberta.ca/AWonline/IS/4974.html
Some folks don’t own a phone, some don’t understand the program, sometimes I connect with their caseworker, social worker, or their nurse. Some don’t speak English…
They get sent to the program by health care workers, friends, or word of mouth. Some have said they were sent from EI after that ran out.
Their stories are heart rending. It’s stunning how quickly some of them came to these circumstances.
Please share this information around. You might not need to know about it, but I’m pretty sure you’ll know someone who could benefit from knowing it.