Policy bulletin 566

Policy Bulletin

To address the recommendations from an internal audit completed in December 2013 on employment and employability, major restructuring of current CD 720 has occurred that resulted in all of the vocational programs being removed from CD 720 and integrated into the newly developed CD 735 – Employment and Employability Program.

CD 720 – Education Programs and Services for Inmates

• The format of the policy was modified as a result of the Commissioner’s Directives Standardization Project.
• Existing responsibilities were realigned and the responsibilities of senior managers at National Headquarters, Regional Deputy Commissioners, Chiefs of Education, Managers of Programs, Teachers, Librarians, Parole Officers and inmates have been specified.
• References to vocational education programs and guidelines for custom work have been removed from the policy.
• The terms “Special Education” and “English/French as a Second Language” have been changed to “Adapted Education” and “English/French as an Additional Language” respectively.
• Information regarding the Post-Secondary Prerequisite Program, English or French as an Additional Language programming, Adapted Education Programs and the General Education Development Program have been added to the policy.

GL 720-1 – Guidelines for Education Programs

• Responsibility for library services at the national level has been re-assigned to the Director, Reintegration Services.
• The term “Special Education” has been replaced by “Adapted Education”, and “English/French as a Second Language” has been re-named “English/French as an Additional Language”.
• Clarification has been added as to which assessment tools will be used to determine risk level when prioritizing women and non-Aboriginal men offenders for participation in education programs.

CD 735 – Employment and Employability Program

• There was no existing Commissioner’s Directive specific to employment and employability.
• The employment-related responsibilities needed to be clearly defined in a stand-alone policy document, to reflect the employment continuum for offenders, from the development of their Correctional Plan at intake to on-the-job and vocational training in the institution and the Community Employment Services after their release.
• These responsibilities and procedures related to employment and employability have now been integrated in the new CD 735.

The Reintegration Programs Division and the Employment and Employability Program Division of CORCAN worked together to develop these policies in collaboration with the Strategic Policy Division. Full consultations were held with internal and external stakeholders.

All staff involved in assessments, referrals, delivery and management of education, employment and employability programs.