British Columbia funds research to lower unemployment

The government of British Columbia is providing C$3 million for five research projects aimed at finding ways to help unemployed people find work.

The projects include one by the YWCA in Vancouver to determine whether mentorship can help well-educated people with university degrees who are having trouble finding work in their field. Another, by a not-for-profit organisation called MOSAIC, will test whether it can help well-educated immigrants connect with the workforce in their field by giving them real-world business problems to solve.

Michelle Stilwell, minister of social development and social innovation, said in a press release: “Research and innovation is a fantastic way to test new ways of getting unemployed British Columbians back to work as soon as possible. These projects will provide benefits throughout BC as the project holders work with people with disabilities, immigrants, well-educated people and people receiving income assistance who are trying to find their fit in BC’s growing economy.”