We need your help to improve employment for underrepresented groups!
Employers across Canada report serious challenges with hiring and maintaining workers. This is especially true in rural communities. Yet the unemployment rates for underrepresented groups —such as Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabling conditions — remain high. To investigate the factors helping and hindering the employment success of such groups, Free Rein Associates has partnered with Life Strategies Ltd. for an exciting research project: Diversity Disconnect.
We are conducting this research in the five rural communities of Agassiz, Hope, Ashcroft, Merritt, and Princeton, and are looking to hear from three key groups: employers, employees, and job seekers. Our goal is to gather insights and stories from underrepresented employees at any stage of employment and rural employers in order to uncover the disconnect and bridge the divide.
If you’re:
an employer or
an employee or
a job seeker
in Agassiz, Hope, Ashcroft, Merritt or Princeton, we want to hear from you!
Take The Survey
As part of our research related to the employment experiences of those underrepresented in the workplace, the current phase of this project is looking to hear from people with disabling conditions, Indigenous Peoples, and employers.
If this is you, we hope you’ll complete our short survey.
You can complete the survey using the form below or click the button to open the survey in a new tab. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Megan te Boekhorst, Project Manager, at megan@freereinassociates.ca or 604-206-7085.
Join a Focus Group
Have more you’d like to share? We’ll be conducting focus groups in all five communities this Spring. To learn more and join a focus group, call 604-206-7085.
Focus Group Dates
April 10: Hope
April 17: Ashcroft
May 22: Merritt
May 24: Princeton
May 29: Agassiz
Project Supporters
Diversity Disconnect is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada. Our project has been supported and guided by an incredible Advisory Committee including representatives from Yale First Nation, Focus Disability Network Society, Advantage Hope, and Community Futures Sun Country.
