The rationale for the program is founded on the need for the federal government and the GNWT to assist people prepare for future economic and social challenges. This is best achieved by ensuring that both the people and communities of the North have the skills, training and experiences they will need through the coming years. The Investing in People program is one part of the strategy and is designed to address the low skills and educational levels and the high rates of unemployment which characterize many NWT residents who are at risk of long term dependency upon social assistance. To be eligible for Investing In People , individuals must be in receipt of, or eligible to receive, social assistance, and need further training or work experience. Priority is given to individuals who have been receiving social assistance benefits for at least three of the past twelve months.
Participation is voluntary.
Investing In People provides for the development and delivery of specialized employment and education experience to social assistance recipients through community work and training projects. Community social service workers, career counsellors and educators, by working together, inform and help clients become involved in an employment or education focused project available in their community. All the projects use a combination of education and work experience, counselling, life skills and other social services to enable working age adults who are at risk of long term dependency upon social assistance to contribute to their maximum potential as productive members of society. The initiative will test the effectiveness of social assistance clients to achieve self-sufficiency through education, work experience and support services. Evaluation approach The issues for the evaluation of Investing In People are a mix of formative and summative issues.