Version 1.0 Work Activity Program Guidelines Nova Scotia Department of Community Services Employment Support Services Version 1.0: January 24, 2011 Effective: April 1, 2011
Table of Contents 1 Work Activity Program Introduction... 4 2 Applying for Work Activity Program Funding... 4 Applying Online Using LaMPSS Self Serve... 4 Completing an Application Form... 5 Organization Information... 5 Project Details... 5 Past Agreements... 5 Project Description... 5 Agreement Contact... 5 Project Location(s)... 5 Participants... 5 Project Activities... 6 Project Budget... 8 Project Cash Flow... 9 Legal Signing Officers... 9 Supporting Documentation... 9 Submitting Your Application... 10 3 Work Activity Program Reporting Requirements... 10 Reporting Online Using LaMPSS Self Serve... 10 Completing an Activity Report... 10 Project Activities... 10 Participants... 12 Supporting Documentation... 12 Reporting Notes... 12 Completing a Financial Report... 13 Project Costs... 13 Page: 2 February 22, 2011
Project Cash Flow... 13 Supporting Documentation... 13 Reporting Notes... 13 Submitting Your Reports... 13 4 Contact Information... 13 Page: 3 February 22, 2011
1 Work Activity Program Introduction The Work Activity Program is a program initiative limited to the six existing Work Activity Programs in the province, Horizon Achievement Work Activity Program, Futureworx Work Activity Program, Solutions Learning Center Work Activity Program, Metroworks Activity Program, Peopleworx Work Activity Program and the South Shore Work Activity Program. Only these six organizations are eligible to apply for funding under this program. Applications from other organizations will not be considered eligible for funding. This program provides operational funding to the Work Activity Program Centers to run programming to assist Nova Scotians experiencing employment barriers achieve entry, or return, to work or school. The Work Activity Program is a Program administered by the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, Employment Support Services Division through the Labour Market Programs Support System (LaMPSS). LaMPSS is a common method for administering Labour Market Programs in Nova Scotia focused on providing consistency in processes and improving services to labour market agreement holders. LaMPSS provides organizations with self serve capability, enabling you to apply for funding online for some labour market programs as well as submitting required financial and activity reports online. All organizations entering into an agreement for delivering Labour Market Programs in Nova Scotia must first be registered as a LaMPSS organization. This is a one time registration process. Once registered, it will provide you with the ability to utilize the LaMPSS self service capabilities. If your organization has not previously registered with LaMPSS, you can request a LaMPSS registration form from the Provincial contact identified in these guidelines. Please read this entire Document. The information contained in this Program Guideline document will become part of an agreement with the Province for delivery of Labour Market Programs. 2 Applying for Work Activity Program Funding Applying Online Using LaMPSS Self Serve Once you are a registered LaMPSS user, you can apply for funding on line using the self service capability. To apply on line go to www.gov.ns.ca/lampss. Page: 4 February 22, 2011
Completing an Application Form This section provides supporting information required in completing the application form contents for the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, Employment Support Services, Work Activity Program. Organization Information This information will be pre populated. If your organization name or mailing address has changed, please contact your Provincial contact to obtain a LaMPSS Registration change form to update your information. Project Details Please provide the following: Project Title Agreement Start Date Agreement End Date Provide the name of your Work Activity Program. Provide the start date which will be April 1 of the fiscal year. The end date for these agreements is always March 31 of the fiscal year. Past Agreements Please ignore this section. Project Description Provide a brief description of the work activity program model specific to your work activity center. If you wish, you can provide additional information to this application by attaching a document. Agreement Contact Select the person in your organization who can be contacted to negotiate and finalize your application by choosing from the list provided on the form. If the appropriate contact name is not included in the list, please click New and complete the new contact information fields. Project Location(s) Please provide the address(es) where the work activity program services are provided. This could be the work activity center address location as well as any subsequent locations where you may provide service outside of your main center. Participants Enter the total number expected for this project for the fiscal year. Enter the number that you expect to serve that are in the following groups: income assistance recipients Services for persons with disabilities clients Youth in care clients Page: 5 February 22, 2011
Project Activities The tables below outline the required information for each eligible activity for the Work Activity Program. This is the complete set of eligible activities. Only complete the required information for eligible activities you are proposing for your project. Note: You must choose at least one of the eligible activities. Assessment Brief Description Expected Results Where does this Expected number Provide details on how individuals are assessed as they enter your program and how case plans are developed for individuals participating in the program. Please indicate the number of case plans that you expect to develop. Select All Locations Provide the expected number for this activity. Client Management Brief Description Expected Results Where does this Expected number This activity includes services that focus on connecting the participant to services and interventions and/or following up to ensure success, such as Job Development Case Management List the types of Client Management provided in your program and give details. Provide details on the expected outcomes. Select All Locations Provide the expected number for this activity. Skill Enhancement Essential Skills Brief Description Essential skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. Essential skills include: * Reading Text * Document Use * Numeracy * Writing * Oral Communication * Working with Others * Continuous Learning * Thinking Skills * Computer Use * GED Prep List the essential skills components of your program and provide details. Expected Results Provide details on the expected outcomes. Page: 6 February 22, 2011
Where does this Expected number Select All Locations Provide the expected number for this activity. Skill Enhancement Job Search Brief Description This activity refers to skills needed to conduct a successful job search, such as: resume writing; interviewing; search strategies; networking. Expected Results Where does this Expected number List the types of Job Search skills provided in your program and give details. Provide details on the expected outcomes. Select All Locations Provide the expected number for this activity. Skill Enhancement Job Specific Brief Description List the types of Job Specific skills provided in your program and give details. Expected Results Provide details on the expected outcomes. Where does this Select All Locations Expected number Provide the expected number for this activity. Skill Enhancement PreEmployment Brief Description This activity refers specifically to the delivery of Life Skills Interventions. Life Skills Interventions would include the basic behaviours and abilities needed for an individual to function effectively within society and the workplace. Examples of life skills interventions might include punctuality, grooming, etiquette, personal responsibility, communication skills, conflict management, etc. Expected Results Where does this Expected number List the Life Skills components of your program and provide details. Provide details on the expected outcomes. Select All Locations Provide the expected number for this activity. Page: 7 February 22, 2011
Work Experience Brief Description Expected Results Where does this Expected number This activity includes services that provide work experience to the participant such as: Volunteer Paid Wage Subsidy Job Shadowing List the types of Work Experience provided in your program and give details. Provide details on the expected outcomes. Select All Locations Provide the expected number for this activity. Project Budget The following table outlines the eligible costs and specific instructions for each budget category funded by the Work Activity Program. Please include your complete project costs and requested amounts by budget category. Note: It is recommended that you complete both the project budget on the application form and the related Itemized Budget Breakdown template (together), before you move on to the next section of the form. Budget Category Eligible Costs Program Delivery Salaries and Benefits: Salaries staff involved in the delivery of the project MERC Mandatory employment related costs Health and Dental Benefits to a maximum of 50% of benefit cost Pension Benefits to a maximum of 50% of benefit cost Other HR Related Benefits only Workers Compensation costs should be included here Professional Development at the discretion of the department Travel for staff and board travel not to exceed provincial government rates Participant Program Delivery Participant: Training Allowance to a maximum of $150 per month per participant Participant Related Special Needs Only to include special needs cost for non ESIA Page: 8 February 22, 2011
Operational Standard: Program Materials Graduation Recurring Professional Fees Equipment Equipment Repairs Facility Lease/Rent Advertising/Promotion Office Supplies Insurance Other Operational Costs HST Facility Repairs Exceptional: Capital Administrative Administrative: Bank Charges Other Administrative Items program up to a maximum of EISA Special Needs Rates. (Particpant Related Special Needs for ESIA program should be provided through the ESIA program). includes participant related program materials costs for graduation ceremonies heat, lights, phone, internet, etc. IT, web maintenance, audit, janitorial services, etc. computers/fax/photocopier/furniture/other repairs for equipment rental/mortgage costs advertising/promotion/signage supplies used to run the day to day operations of the project fire/theft/liability approval is at the discretion of the department 50% reimbursement facility repairs approval is at the discretion of the department Project Cash Flow Provide a monthly cash flow estimate of the requested project expenses. Legal Signing Officers Provide the appropriate signing officers for this project agreement as well as the legal signing requirements for your organization. Supporting Documentation You can attach any supporting documents with your application. The table below outlines documents that must be included with the Work Activity Program application. Document Mandatory? Document Topic Itemized Yes Itemized Budget Budget Requirements This information should be provided using the Itemized Budget Template for the Work Activity Program. This Page: 9 February 22, 2011
Breakdown Breakdown template can be copied from our website http://gov.ns.ca/coms/esslampssguidelines/workactivity/templates.html Submitting Your Application Once your organization has finalized the application including the attachment of all the required templates, and project costs less cash and in kind contributions, the application may be submitted to the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, Employment Support Services using the LaMPSS self serve system. In this section of the application enter the following information that would have been received when your organization was registered as in LaMPSS: Enter your organization s ID, username and password and click the submit button. This will connect you with the LaMPSS system to submit the application. Please note: There is a 120 day calendar timeline to open, complete and submit an application. After 120 days you must begin the process again to ensure the application information is current. One submitted, organizations should ensure the submitted application remains in an electronic state (i.e., saved on your computer network) to enable the organization to make any requested edits and then resubmit. 3 Work Activity Program Reporting Requirements The requirements for Activity and Financial reports for your Labour Market Agreement for the Work Activity Program are outlined in the agreement. Reporting Online Using LaMPSS Self Serve Reports should be submitted online using LaMPSS self serve functionality at www.gov.ns.ca/lampss. Completing an Activity Report This section provides supporting information required to complete the activity report. Project Activities The tables below outline the information reporting requirements for each eligible activity for the Work Activity Program. Provide this information for each activity in your Agreement. Assessment Update / Status this Provide the number of case plans developed during this period. Page: 10 February 22, 2011
Client Management Update / Status this Provide a list of the types of Client Management services delivered during this period and information on each. Include detail on: How they are progressing Indicate challenges or successes Skill Enhancement Essential Skills Update / Status this Provide a list and information on each of the Essential Skills Components delivered during this period. Include detail on: How they are progressing Indicate challenges or successes Skill Enhancement Job Search Update / Status this Provide a list and information on each of the Job Search Strategies delivered during this period. Include detail on: How they are progressing Indicate challenges or successes Skill Enhancement Job Specific Update / Status this Provide a list and information on each of the Job Specific Skills delivered during this period. Include detail on: How they are progressing Indicate challenges or successes Skill Enhancement Pre Employment Update / Status this Provide a list and information on each of the Life Skills Interventions delivered during this period. Include detail on: Page: 11 February 22, 2011
How they are progressing Indicate challenges or successes Work Experience Update / Status this Provide a list of the types of Work Experience delivered during this period and information on each. Include detail on: How they are progressing Indicate challenges or successes Participants Enter the actual number of unique during this reporting period for each of the following participant groups: income assistance recipients Services for persons with disabilities clients Youth in care clients Enter the actual number of unique during this reporting period for all activities. Unique participant the activity reports for this program ask that you report on the number of unique that have participated in this time period. A unique participant should only be counted once for that activity. For example, if you had an activity running and during the last reporting period there were 5 and in this reporting period those 5 individuals are still participating but 3 more have joined the group, for the purpose of reporting unique, you would just report on the 3 new people that have joined the group. So in this example, your first report would have reported on the 5 original and your second report would report 3 new for a total of 8 unique involved in your program. In addition to submitting the above participant information through LaMPSS reporting, you are also requested to send a list of the program to Kim MacDonald on a quarterly basis. Please do not submit this list through LaMPSS, please email this information to Kim MacDonald at macdonk@gov.ns.ca Supporting Documentation You can include any supporting documents with your activity report. Reporting Notes Provide any additional information. Page: 12 February 22, 2011
Completing a Financial Report This section provides supporting information required to complete the financial report. Project Costs Provide the actual costs for each eligible expense for this Project Cash Flow Provide an updated cash flow estimate for the remainder of the agreement. Supporting Documentation You can attach any supporting documents with your financial report. Reporting Notes Provide any additional information. Submitting Your Reports Once your organization has finalized the report including the attachment of all the required templates, the report may be submitted to the Department using the LaMPSS self serve system. In this section of the report enter the following information that would have been received when your organization was registered as in LaMPSS. Enter your organization s ID, username and password and click the submit button. This will connect you with the LaMPSS system to submit the application. 4 Contact Information For further information about the Work Activity Program, please contact Kim MacDonald at 902 424 1983 or email macdonk@gov.ns.ca Page: 13 February 22, 2011