Green jobs for the disadvantaged in British Columbia: the perspectives of non-governmental organisations and social entrepreneurs

† The research for this paper was conducted under the auspices of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives “Climate Justice Project” (2009–2014). The full report is available upon request.

Abstract

This paper examines the actions and potential of green jobs for the disadvantaged, from the perspective of non-governmental organisations and social entrepreneurs. The populations of interest include: low-income, developmentally challenged, those with mental health or addiction issues, women, and First Nations. Findings indicate that green businesses and social entrepreneurs have uniquely engaged in social training and hiring strategies related to green jobs. The major challenges they face include a lack of policies that support the development of green jobs through social training and hiring. As a result of these findings, an argument is made for combining job and life skills for both disadvantaged populations and the agencies that serve them as well as building the capacity of employers to practise social hiring.

Keywords:

• green jobs
• social training and hiring
• disadvantaged
• British Columbia

Notes

† The research for this paper was conducted under the auspices of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives “Climate Justice Project” (2009–2014). The full report is available upon request.

1 The term social enterprises is used synonymously with social entrepreneurs in this paper. Social enterprises are the business arm of a non-government organisation or social entrepreneur who generates profits that fund social programmes.

2 “Districts” are not the same as “regional districts,” which consist of several municipalities as well as unincorporated areas. In Statistics Canada parlance, regional districts are known as “census divisions” (groups of neighbouring municipalities joined together under law for the purposes of regional planning and managing common services such as police or ambulance services).

3 In addition, an Internet search was conducted if it was necessary to find more and diverse businesses/organisations than provided by the previous two techniques.

4 The Green Jobs Corps programme provides a job-training pipeline of “green pathways out of poverty for low-income adults in Oakland” … [and] “prepares trainees for careers in the Bay Area's most vibrant green industries, including energy efficiency, green construction and solar” (UN Sustainable Development Program 2014).

5 Anecdotally, the investigative news show, 60 minutes, has produced several episodes on technology firms hiring from the autistic population.

6 See the site in Potluck Café & Catering (2014) for more information on this initiative.

7 The optics and aesthetics of “binners” scouring residential areas and climbing into industrially sized garbage bins occasionally invoke negative emotions. There were also complaints from businesses about “binners” congregating on the street outside the depot.