“Peer Employment Works”
2023 – 2025
Operation Come Home (OCH) has been providing employment services to thousands of vulnerable youth in Ottawa since 2009. Since then, OCH has utilized a best practice supported employment model that came from the United States known as the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of service delivery. This model needed to be adapted/re-created for the current economy, labour market and the needs of young people.
The Peer Employment Works program had two primary goals:
- Increase enrolment and employment retention among vulnerable youth by developing a hybrid supported employment model based on the results of a research study that was conducted at OCH in 2023; and
- Demonstrate, study and evaluate how peer employment staff (youth with lived experience) are effective in working with youth seeking employment.
Program model changes informed by research
- Shifted from a fixed 4-5-week workshop curriculum (with honoraria) to a flexible, “à-la-carte” one-to-one approach tailored to each participant’s goals.
- Broadened certification menu (e.g., First Aid, WHMIS, Smart Serve). In addition, specific trade-specific credentials are being explored.
- Replaced classroom incentive pay with other supports (rent/phone/bus-pass help, hygiene kits).
- Strengthened employer partnerships via a wage subsidy program — moving from partial minimum wage for 25 hours/week to full minimum wage for 35 hours/week.
- Provided access to financial support for completing costly credentials (typically $150–$300).
- Provided financial and material supports such as rent, phone, and hygiene kits.
- Peer and Administrative staff reported making themselves available informally at drop-ins and in the kitchen to share employment opportunities with youth. .
Over the duration of our project time frame, we supported 304 youth (221 participating under the new model from the outset). 146 were able to successfully obtain employment with others continuing their job search. We forecast that 206 (68.7%) of participants will achieve their employment goals. This is a significant improvement on our past results. Anecdotal feedback has been positive, with youth reporting improved feelings of support and rapport with staff, and greater confidence in their job search activities.A program waitlist is currently in place, indicating demand exceeds available capacity.
A few key insights from this work
The current project’s greatest strength is its flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness to youth needs. In previous employment programming, youth followed a structured “curriculum” that included many activities that not all youth needed or were interested in. In the new model, credentials, training and skill development activities are tailored specifically to youth needs, and the program prioritizes youth time commitments. The flexibility in responding to youth needs extends to how peer supports are offered as well. Today youth can access immediate peer support in a casual, barrier-free environment.
The largest change in project delivery happened within year two, in which we decided to more proactively identify the OCH staff who were peers. Prior to year 2, we had obscured which staff had lived experience of homelessness, to respect staff privacy and enable staff to self-disclose when and how they wished. This was helpful for current staff but led to youth being unaware of which staff had this experience and who to approach. We changed this in year 2 to clearly indicate in job titles which staff were peers, leading to greater awareness among youth of the types of supports available.
Advice for others
Identify staff training and capacity building needs. Staff identified the need for greater exposure to other employment support models, implementation strategies, and peer support best practices.
Integrate peers support into youth employment programs. Leverage existing informal peer mentoring among youth participants by creating structured opportunities, training, and recognition for youth to serve as peer mentors.
About Operation Come Home
Operation Come Home assists youth experiencing homelessness to achieve their goals, and avoid the experience of homelessness as an adult. We offer Employment, Education, Housing, Mental Health, Harm Reduction, and Drop In programs for at-risk youth aged 16-29. Our programs focus on what works and what matters to youth, as well as encourage the personal growth of everyone as an individual.