Community organizations and municipalities will identify projects and then provide direction and supervision of those projects, such as cleaning up graffiti, sidewalk and street cleaning, participating on neighbourhood crime patrols and school patrols, or assisting lower-income seniors or disabled persons. Recipients will only be assigned to school and senior projects after background checks are conducted. The premier will personally write to community and business leaders to request a voluntary commitment from them and their staff to act as advisers and mentors to people on welfare. Such mentors could provide welfare clients with valuable advice on resume writing, interview preparation and making business contacts. In addition, the premier will be asking for volunteers to work on community group projects with welfare recipients.
Coverage is currently available for up to one year.
To make sure people can keep on working, under this initiative, benefits will be extended from 12 to 18 months. Making sure that assistance gets to those in need continues to be a priority for Manitoba. The minister noted that while some of these initiatives will take effect immediately, the Work for Welfare and Program Compliance components will be phased in this fall. We believe that all Manitobans deserve the chance to succeed.