New – and Newsworthy – Ideas on Welfare Reform
This commentary was prepared in response to an op ed in The Ottawa Citizen that called for a return to workhouses for welfare recipients. It was published under the banner of “New Ideas.” The commentary responds by describing three innovative programs under way throughout the country that assist welfare recipients. They include Opportunities for Employment in Winnipeg and the Learning Enrichment Foundation in Toronto, which have pioneered various forms of customized training. This type of training requires that the voluntary and business sectors work together around highly targeted market-relevant skill development. Another example is Opportunities 2000 in Waterloo Region; one of its associated projects set up individual development accounts to help low-income households save and accumulate assets. These examples are noteworthy (and newsworthy) not only because they encourage financial independence but, equally importantly, because they promote self-confidence and human dignity.
ISBN – 1-894598-92-X