Highlights
The Indigenous Youth Internship Program (IYIP) is entering its 18th year. IYIP is a valued employment program with far reaching impact within the BC Public Service and broader Indigenous organizations and First Nations communities in B.C. A vendor has been identified through BC Bid to conduct the evaluation of IYIP and is being supported through the work of the IYIP advisory committee, which includes representatives and/or IYIP alumni from the BC First Nations Summit, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Métis Nation BC, and Indigenous BC Public Service employees.
Members of the IYIP advisory committee participated in reviewing the request for proposals that was posted to BC Bid in December 2023, as well as the evaluation of submitted bids and selection of successful vendor. IYIP advisory committee members will guide and approve the contractor’s evaluation framework, implementation, and reporting. It is anticipated that the IYIP evaluation will include interviews of current and former IYIP staff and surveys and focus groups with 300+ IYIP alumni, former supervisors and mentors, and Indigenous partner organizations.
How are we working together?
PSA engaged with members of the Indigenous Youth Internship Program (IYIP) advisory committee, which includes representatives from the First Nations Summit, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and IYIP program alumni employed by the BC Public Service. Métis Nation BC did not have capacity to participate at this time but will be involved in future. Engagement with committee members was via email and virtual meetings. IYIP advisory committee members will be invited to a working group to guide and approve the contractor’s evaluation framework, implementation, and reporting. It is anticipated that the evaluation process will include interviews of current and former IYIP staff and surveys and focus groups with 300+ IYIP alumni, former supervisors and mentors, and Indigenous partner organizations.
Are there challenges?
Developing the procurement required significant time and resources which delayed posting the opportunity to BC Bid until December 2023. The Province developed the Indigenous Procurement Initiative to increase Indigenous Peoples’ participation in B.C. Government procurements, while also helping to address the legacies of colonization which have contributed to the systemic exclusion of Indigenous Peoples from economic opportunities. The intent of Action 4.44 is to conduct a culturally safe evaluation of an Indigenous-specific employment program, which necessitated close examination of the Province’s existing procurement and legal practices to ensure alignment to reconciliation commitments. Initial timelines were extended to accommodate this examination and the PSA and its internal partners gained valuable insight to apply to future procurements of this nature. To mitigate this delay, PSA will ensure there is adequate time for planning, engagement and implementation once the successful proponent begins work.