The Manitoba government is introducing legislation that would make adult education a better option for Manitobans receiving Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) supports.
“Education is one of the best ways to help people break through barriers to employment and create new opportunities for themselves,” said Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine. “These changes would make sure Manitobans receiving EIA can set themselves up for the future without losing the supports they count on right now.”
These changes to the Manitoba Assistance Act, first introduced as a private member’s bill earlier this year, would amend the act to highlight adult education as an option for EIA recipients required to participate in employment enhancement measures to meet program requirements.
Under current legislation, some Manitobans enrolled in EIA must meet work expectations to remain eligible for full benefits. Required employment enhancement measures or supportive programming vary based on the category of enrolment and the individual’s personal circumstances. The proposed amendments would require adult education to be considered as a legitimate path to work for Manitobans receiving EIA supports.
Adult education includes vocational or other employment-related training as well as literacy or other educational upgrading programs. The province has recently funded pilot projects to support EIA recipients to develop employment skills like financial and computer literacy training, on-site housing renovation and construction training, and financial and computer literacy training.
The minister noted while it is standard practice for EIA staff to work collaboratively with EIA recipients to plan steps towards financial independence, the new legislation would help ensure all Manitobans could access this opportunity by requiring educational or vocational training programs to be considered in these assessments.
