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Workfare gets positive feedback By BRAD REAUME The Champion Workfare is getting positive leedback from participants, agencies and staff despite continuing work on bugs associat- ed with change. Adelina Urbanski, the acting commis- sioner of social services for Halton, acknowledges that there is room for improvement in client follow-up, labour market knowledge and administration. Currently about 47 per cent of workfare participants have secured employment or have returned to school, according to a report by Ms Urbanski. Halton took on the Ontario Works pro- gram as a pilot project to help the provin- cial government set policy. Months ago councillors heard the program was not liv- ing up to expectations and several of the private human resources companies were unhappy with Halton's administration of it. Efforts to correct the situation appear to have paid off. Recently regional staff completed a sur- vey of Ontario Works participants. Surveys were completed by 200 of the 450 people involved in the program. They were tar-geted at clients, placerient agencies and staffers. They revealed about two-thirds of partic- ipants in Ontario Works had previously received social assistance and about 70 per cent had been working before their current application for welfare, though usually in jobs under one year in duration. In addition, transportation was cited by 46 per cent of respondents as a barrer to work while 12 per cent cited a lack of affordable child care as a problem. While 70 per cent of respondents felt positive about their employment goals only 50 per cent were confident with their interview skills, networking, and job search abilities. Suggestions for improved services included better telephone access to staff, tailoring sessions to specific groups such as older clients, and providing job search information. Surveys of placement agencies suggest most clients make a significant contribu- tion where they work and gain valuable expenence. However, about one third of the place- ment agencies said they needed more than the six month time limit to find work for their clients. "It seems to offer a win-win situation," was one of the comments from a place- ment agency. "We benefited from having additional resources to complete our requirements and the placements benefit from acquiring skills and experience to support their job search." Caseworkers felt in 70 per cent of responses that Ontario Works expanded the options for clients while 73 per cent felt clients are satisfied with services pro- vided under workfare. However those clients with multiple bar- riers to employment were considered by caseworkers to not be getting as much ben- efit. About 87 per cent of staff feel that work- fare is providing effective experiences for clients which contribute to job readiness. Victim punched in face by thieves A simple theft tumed into a robbery case after a Halton Hills man confronted two men on his property. At 4:10 p.m., Tuesday, June 30, the 35- year-old victim saw two men next to his home on No. 22 Sideroad loading his gen- erator into a pick-up truck. When he approached them to ask what they thought they were doing, he was punched in the face. The suspects then drove off, and were last seen heading east on No. 22 Sideroad toward Hwy. 25. The red and black Honda 3500 generator was valued at $1,000. The suspects' truck was described as a brown or black half-ton pick-up with a deflector on the front. The passenger was described to police as Crime Stoppers 0 F H A L T ON male, white, in his late twenties to early thirties, five-foot-10 with a medium build. He had medium-length brown hair and a day or two's growth of beard. The driver was described only as male and white. If you can put names to the pair, give Crime Stoppers a call. If you have any information that leads to an arrest in this or any other case, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. You need not give your name and your information can be taken with complete anonymity. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display. Call 1-800-222-TIPS or 825-TIPS. Crime Stoppers of Halton is operated by a board of directors made up of 18 civil- ians from all areas of the region. The rewardfund results from thefinancial sup- port of business, industry, service clubs and private citizens. The board of directors raises the money, decides on the amount of rewards and actually pays the rewards. Crime Stoppers is incorporated as a charitable organization and donations to the rewardfund are tax deductible. The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, July 21, 1998 -17 M CALL NOW FOR A FREE CONSULTATION We regularly work extended hours. Abbey Plaza Third Line at Upper Middle Rd. (905) 827-8009 PAUL FOLEY B. 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