MIRE (MOUVEMENT POUR L’INTÉGRATION ET LA RÉTENTION EN EMPLOI)MIRE (MOUVEMENT POUR L’INTÉGRATION ET LA RÉTENTION EN EMPLOI)

THE MIRE PROGRAMME: A MODIFIED THE MIRE PROGRAMME: A MODIFIED T.C. BATTLING UNEMPLOYEMENTT.C. BATTLING UNEMPLOYEMENT

5252ndnd International ICAA International ICAAConference on DependenciesConference on Dependencies

« Shaping the Future-A Multisectorial Challenge »« Shaping the Future-A Multisectorial Challenge »

Estoril. PortugalEstoril. Portugal20092009

Presented by :Presented by :

Luc DesjardinsLuc Desjardins

Who are we ?Who are we ?

Historical OriginHistorical Origin

The Portage ProgramThe Portage Program The Chagnon FoundationThe Chagnon Foundation StriveStrive

Our missionOur mission

« Is to help chronically « Is to help chronically unemployed men and unemployed men and women between the age of women between the age of 17 and 45, who are living in 17 and 45, who are living in poverty, to find jobs and poverty, to find jobs and achieve financial achieve financial independence. »independence. »

Client profileClient profile

Between 17 & 45 years oldBetween 17 & 45 years old Socially excludedSocially excluded Chronically unemployedChronically unemployed Experiencing personal Experiencing personal

difficultiesdifficulties Willful participation in a Willful participation in a

group oriented programgroup oriented program Willing to participate in a 2 Willing to participate in a 2

year follow upyear follow up

ProfileProfile Average age : 27 years oldAverage age : 27 years old 57% Men57% Men 43% Women43% Women 37% Without income37% Without income 53% Welfare recepients53% Welfare recepients 3% Unemployement insurance 3% Unemployement insurance

recepientsrecepients 3% Part time employement3% Part time employement 5% Other5% Other

The MIRE programThe MIRE program Develop positive attitude and Develop positive attitude and

behavior pertaining to behavior pertaining to employementemployement MIRE uses a modified MIRE uses a modified

therapeutic community therapeutic community approach.approach.

• MIRE’s training uses role playing MIRE’s training uses role playing and interaction to improve skills and interaction to improve skills and shape attitudes, helping and shape attitudes, helping clients to anticipate work place clients to anticipate work place conditions.conditions.

The MIRE program The MIRE program (cont’n)(cont’n)

• The intensive six week training program The intensive six week training program emphasizes the skills and shape emphasizes the skills and shape attitudes needed to obtain and retain attitudes needed to obtain and retain jobs.jobs.

• Adressing the more subtle aspects of a Adressing the more subtle aspects of a working environment, client learn how working environment, client learn how to dress and speak appropriately for the to dress and speak appropriately for the workplace, as well as how to take orders workplace, as well as how to take orders and direction, accept criticism and and direction, accept criticism and function as team members.function as team members.

• The training also teaches techniques for The training also teaches techniques for conducting a successful job search, and conducting a successful job search, and begins the process of thinking about job begins the process of thinking about job advancement and long-term careers.advancement and long-term careers.

Job placementJob placement

A key factor in the success of A key factor in the success of the MIRE program is the the MIRE program is the proper matching of proper matching of candidates with employement candidates with employement opportunities.opportunities.

MIRE staff maintain MIRE staff maintain relationships with a wide relationships with a wide array of employers, working array of employers, working hard to assure satisfaction hard to assure satisfaction with MIRE graduates.with MIRE graduates.

Follow-upFollow-up

Follow-up keeps employers involved, Follow-up keeps employers involved, by demonstrating MIRE’s willingness to by demonstrating MIRE’s willingness to stand behind its graduates once hired. stand behind its graduates once hired. This includes giving attention to This includes giving attention to graduates who are having difficulty by graduates who are having difficulty by learning both the employer’s view and learning both the employer’s view and those of the graduate, and by those of the graduate, and by providing counseling where needed.providing counseling where needed.

Even after the standard two year Even after the standard two year follow-up period is completed, MIRE follow-up period is completed, MIRE stands ready to assist any graduate stands ready to assist any graduate who initiates a request for services for who initiates a request for services for his or her lifetime.his or her lifetime.

ConclusionConclusion

A simulated working enviroment A simulated working enviroment and a rigid therapeutic community and a rigid therapeutic community competencie based training competencie based training program, helps the clients program, helps the clients understand exacly what he/she will understand exacly what he/she will need to obtain and maintain need to obtain and maintain employment.employment.

The safe and structured enviroment The safe and structured enviroment of the therapeutic community is of the therapeutic community is easily adaptable in creating a easily adaptable in creating a simulated working enviroment. simulated working enviroment.