Ncss Professional Capability Grant
Eustacio Gadit
2 To build resilience and develop long-term capability and capacity in the sector to cope with future challenges, it is essential to invest in strong organisational capabilities. Hence, NCSS, together with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, has set up the Community Capability Trust (CCT) that aims to resource the sector with up to $480 million over the next decade. The CCT will open for applications in April 2022. NCSS will also be launching the Organisational Health Framework for Social Service this year, to help social service agencies (SSAs) systemically and comprehensively assess their strengths and areas of development, as well as identify follow-up plans to strengthen their organisations. The Social Service SkillsFuture Tripartite Taskforce (STT) has also been renewed to enable and empower social service professionals to deliver effective services.
3 Alongside changes in society and demographics which have thrown up new social needs, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated many changes in the social service sector, and it is opportune to seize the opportunity to take steps to shape and transform the sector into one that is dynamic, resilient, and able to continuously learn and adapt to new challenges. The refreshed 4ST, which will be launched later this year, will incorporate views from more than 250 key opinion leaders and sector stakeholders, as well as recommendations from the Beyond COVID-19 Taskforce, a Singapore Together Alliance for Action (AfA) set up to guide and strengthen the resilience of the social service sector during and beyond the pandemic. The roadmap will feature a new thrust that emphasises going beyond meeting present needs, and for the sector to be well-positioned for the future. This includes building capabilities at different levels across the sector to plan and act with the longer-term in mind, and putting in place strategies to address emerging issues, facilitated by data and digitalisation to strengthen service delivery and impact assessments.
5 To help SSAs identify their capability building needs, NCSS will launch the Organisational Health Framework for Social Service this year. Through a self-assessment tool, SSAs will be able to identify and prioritise capability building efforts that would make the biggest difference to the organisation and their ability to provide effective services to users. The tool would also enable SSAs to track their organisational health over time. More information will be shared later this month.
6 Formed in April 2019 to enhance the capabilities of social service professionals through close partnerships with partners in the People, Public and Private sectors, the STT will be renewed for a second term from May 2022 to April 2025. It will set up a workgroup to develop a new Counselling track in the Skills Framework for Social Service that seeks to outline occupation and job roles, career pathways and competencies for the counselling profession. In its second term, the STT will study and promote best collaborative practices to improve service delivery, enhance retention of sector professionals, and improve pre-employment and continuing education training to address skills gaps and upskill the sector's manpower.
Skills-relevance and good practice standards
Initiatives include
(i) Engaging Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs) to enhance the training of psychologists and associate psychologists;
(ii) Completing a comprehensive Training Gaps Analysis to identify and address priority skills gaps for key professions in the Skills Framework for Social Service;
(iii) Launching the Early Intervention Continuing Professional Development Roadmap to guide EI educators and LSEds on prioritised skills/knowledge and corresponding training courses to develop these skills;
(iv) Collaborating with IHLs in the development of professional workshops to support, upskill and onboard Associate and Junior Psychologists;
(v) Enhancing Social Work supervision and mentorship for mid-career professionals; and
(vi) Launching Youth Work Supervision and Mentorship Schemes.
With this in mind, the renewal of the existing Cyber Security Strategy has been undertaken with an emphasis on the enormous potential of Canada's increased leadership in this field. In partnership with the Ministers of Defence, Innovation, Infrastructure, Public Services and the Treasury Board, we consulted directly with Canadians and key stakeholders about how the new strategy could best serve their security needs, while allowing them to benefit from the opportunities that the digital economy offers. Informed by over 2,000 submissions to our public consultation, the Strategy directly addresses the gaps and areas for improvement in Canada's current cyber security climate.
Digital technologies are now an integral part of our daily lives, with new developments emerging every day. From running our businesses, accessing government services, to interacting with our friends and families, these technologies connect Canadians from coast to coast to coast while linking us into a dynamic global network.
In 2010, the Government of Canada launched a national effort to defend against these threats with Canada's first Cyber Security Strategy. The progress made and accomplishments achieved under the 2010 Strategy are the basis for future action.
Our new approach reflects the extent to which digital technologies have become essential to our way of life. With a new Cyber Security Strategy, we can proceed with confidence in our digital age. In this reality, cyber security is the companion to innovation and the protector of prosperity.
Strong cyber security is an essential element of Canadian innovation and prosperity. Individuals, governments, and businesses all want to have confidence in the cyber systems that underpin their daily lives. The Government of Canada envisions a future in which all Canadians play an active role in shaping and sustaining our nation's cyber resilience.
Through collaborative action with partners and enhanced cyber security capabilities, we will better protect Canadians from cybercrime, respond to evolving threats, and defend critical government and private sector systems.
The federal government, in close collaboration with provinces, territories, and the private sector, will take a leadership role to advance cyber security in Canada and will, in coordination with allies, work to shape the international cyber security environment in Canada's favour.
The scope of this Strategy starts with the work that the Government of Canada is already undertaking. This includes ongoing and future efforts to protect Government of Canada systems, to extend our network of partnerships to help protect critical infrastructure, and to help Canadians to be safe online. In a more diverse and dynamic global cyber security landscape, however, Canada's new approach will be more extensive and inclusive. This document outlines the key elements of the global cyber security environment and articulates some of the ways that the Government of Canada will respond to an array of new challenges and opportunities in cyberspace.
Recognizing that the pace of change we see today will only accelerate, this Strategy is designed as the mainstay of the Government's continuous efforts to enhance cyber security in Canada. The Government's actions will evolve alongside the ground-breaking technological developments and resulting paradigm shifts that have become common in our connected world.
Cyber security action plans will supplement this Strategy. These will detail the specific initiatives that the federal government will undertake over time, with clear performance metrics and a commitment to report on results achieved. They will also outline the Government's plan for working with internal and external partners to achieve its vision.
The implementation of this Strategy will align with other cyber-related Government of Canada initiatives. These include: the Minister of Democratic Institutions' mandate to defend the electoral process from cyber threats; cyber foreign policy in Canada's international agenda; the Canadian military's use of cyber; and the Innovation and Skills Plan.
Partnerships were forged with owners and operators of Canada's critical infrastructure, the private sector, and provincial and territorial governments. The Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (CCIRC) expanded its operations, with over 1300 organizations receiving regular alerts and communications.
Through the Get Cyber Safe campaign, the Government of Canada supported cyber security awareness with outreach, activities, and development of targeted resources. Efforts made under the 2010 Strategy also improved the capacity of the RCMP and law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime, including initial investments in cybercrime intelligence, investigations, and training.
Jacqueline is a small business owner who sells crafts through an online store. One day, Jacqueline receives an email from a customer who is complaining about a broken piece. The customer attaches a picture of the product, but when Jacqueline opens the attachment she finds that she is locked out of her computer. A message appears indicating that her computer will only be unlocked if she pays a ransom of $1,000 to the perpetrator. Fortunately, Jacqueline regularly backs up her computer. She wipes her hard drive, eliminating the malware that was delivered through the email attachment and restores the backup, which allows her to access all her documents.
We tend to take this connectivity for granted, without pausing to reflect on its implications. Cyber security cannot be taken for granted. As the benefits and opportunities of technologies continue to grow, it is increasingly crucial to secure these technologies.
In 2016, the Government of Canada took the first step toward developing a new Cyber Security Strategy. The Cyber Review was launched to understand the cyber security implications of being a connected nation, and to position the Government of Canada to establish a new approach that reflects the challenges and opportunities we face.
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