CCI Unveils Urgent Four-Year Plan to Transform Community Services

UPDATE: Career Connections Inc. (CCI) has just unveiled a transformative four-year strategic plan to revolutionize its community programs and diversify funding. Executive Director Rushana Davy announced the plan, developed through extensive consultations, highlighting critical priorities that will guide CCI from 2025 to 2029.

This urgent initiative comes as CCI seeks to bolster community awareness and enhance services, addressing a pressing need for improved outreach. Currently, an overwhelming 95% of CCI’s funding is sourced from the province’s Department of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation, with only 5% coming from the Department of Families. Davy emphasized the necessity of diversifying revenue streams, stating, “It’s not just about what we can get from the government, but also what we can do in our own networks.”

Key goals of the plan include expanding the annual April event and creating tailored sponsorship packages aimed at attracting local businesses and philanthropists. Davy believes that the business community is vital to CCI’s success: “We have a relationship with the business community in terms of our clients,” she noted.

Despite operating for over 54 years, CCI struggles with community recognition. Davy stated, “There are residents in our community who would benefit from our services, but they just don’t know the services that we offer.” To combat this, CCI is launching initiatives such as the new “Book a Tour from Nine to Four” program, inviting residents to visit their offices, meet staff, and learn more about available services.

Increased visibility is another focus area. CCI plans to attend more community events, boost media presence, and enhance its social media strategy in collaboration with local firm Intra Tech. Davy has already met with Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett to solidify municipal support, emphasizing the importance of engaging local leaders.

The recent Bring Your MLA to Work Day event showcased the potential for greater outreach, demonstrating that awareness of CCI’s mission is growing. Davy stated, “It does show that word is reaching out of who we are and what we do.”

Staff development is also a critical component of the new plan. Davy explained, “We’re prioritizing our staff, and we’re going to be creating a consistent messaging that we want all the staff to kind of use.” Staff will receive training to enhance their visibility at job fairs and community events, which is crucial for building stronger connections with businesses and partners.

A significant overhaul of the Vocational Development Program, which assists individuals with intellectual disabilities, is also underway. Davy noted a previous lack of structure led to low referral numbers, stating, “When I came in, we had very low referral numbers.”

Funding challenges remain a concern as CCI aims to host more employer events, which require financial resources. Davy confirmed that the organization is actively exploring additional provincial and federal funding opportunities to support these expansions.

Despite the hurdles, Davy remains optimistic about the future of CCI. “We haven’t taken off too much that we can’t chew. This plan will drive and propel our actions for the next four years and position Career Connections where it needs to be for the future,” she asserted.

As CCI embarks on this ambitious journey, the community is urged to stay engaged and informed about the upcoming changes that promise to elevate local services and support for residents in need.