Yukon Council on Disability could close: staff

The Yukon Council on Disability (YCOD) may soon have to close because a territorialfunding agreement worth about $740,000 over three yearshas not been renewed.

The council's office in Whitehorse offers support for people with disabilities and helps them find work.

Executive Director Charlene Donald recently applied to renew the council's funding agreement with the Yukongovernment, but the requestwas denied.

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The office of YCOD is mostly funded by Yukon's department of Advanced Education.Donald says the department judged that too few of YCOD's clients were reaching the workforce.

'They're under a stringent number," she says. "You have to show a certain number of people were employed once they go through the program. But due to the fact that we're dealing with people with disabilities some of them multiple barriers or disabilities we're not able to get those numbers."

'It's not just trying to find someone a job'

Donald says the office in Whitehorse sees about 130 clients a month and much of YCOD's work goes beyond job placements and helping people with resumes.

"We're more concerned with their life situation. We help set up bank accounts, we help with advocacy for apartments. It's not just trying to find someone a job."

We help set up bank accounts, we help with advocacy for apartments. It's not just trying to find someone a job- Charlene Donald, acting executive director, YCOD

YCOD will apply to Service Canada for additional funding. Unless it finds a new main source of funding it could mean layoffs and the end of the program thatbegan in 1998.

The centre in Whitehorse employs two part-time receptionists who found work through YCOD's own programs, as well as an employment counsellorand the executive director.

It also maintains a satellite office in Dawson City with one employment coordinator.

'Essentially, two weeks from now we're packing furniture'

In Whitehorse, employment councillor Carey Mitchell says he's disappointed.

This week he's trying to speed through his remaining case files.

"I have a case right now with a young fellow who's deaf. He's close to be able to go to school. I'm working with his family. He's going to go to Vancouver college," he says. "I'm trying to jam this through right now because we've got a month.

"Essentially, two weeks from now we're packing furniture," he says.

Mitchell says the government's focus on employment numbers ignores what he calls important outreach work.

"Oftentimes people come to us as the first source of contact for help and advice," he says. "That's part of our dilemma."

"People might have theprospect of looking for a job but first they need other help or services. We may refer to mental health services, we may help with family or financial planning, we may work as a mediator to help them in their own personal difficulties."

But Mitchell says he can see the government perspective.

"They seem to be in a position where they're trapped to the numbers and we don't have an alternative right now," he says."But we're dealing with people and they don't stack up like numbers."

CBC has been trying to contact the Yukon government since Monday to discuss theissue.