Foundational and transferable skills of 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada: Addressing knowledge gaps to inform policy and program development

Employment is a social determinant of health that has significant impacts in all areas of people’s lives. 2SLGBTQ+ people are one of the least studied populations in the labour market, despite disproportionate rates of poverty, workplace discrimination, and wage disparities. In spite of associations between employment, poverty, and poor health in 2SLGBTQ+ populations, no studies have specifically examined the skills and training of 2SLGBTQ+ Canadians. There is need to consider the skills and training of 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada to inform and strengthen interventions (e.g., policies, programs, supports). Attention to the mechanisms (social values, discrimination, availability and accessibility of education and training, etc.) underlying inequities in the labour market is needed, particularly among 2SLGBTQ+ populations who are overrepresented in social and economic precarity.

This study aims to address a significant gap in employment-related literature among this largely ignored population within the labour market. The purpose of this project is to generate a preliminary evidence base of foundational and transferable employment skills and training, as well as outcomes, 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada. This project is in response to a request for research that informs programs and policies supported by Employment and Social Development Canada in order to improve employment outcomes for 2SLGBTQ+ people.

Objectives:

(1) Conduct a comprehensive scoping review of 2SLGBTQ+ employment interventions in OECD countries.

(2) Learn from advocates, employers, service providers, and 2SLGBTQ+ people about employment skills, training, and outcomes.

(3) Describe employment outcomes among sexual minorities using nationally representative datasets.

Funding Source:

Employment and Social Development Canada

Research Team:

• Lori Ross, PhD
  Primary Investigator
  Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, U of T
• David Kinitz, MSW, RSW (primary contact)
  Project Coordinator
  Doctoral candidate, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, U of T
• W. Ariel Gould, MA, MSW, RSW
  Research Assistant
  Doctoral student, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, U of T
• Ellen MacEachen, PhD
  Co-investigator
  Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems, U Waterloo
• Faraz Shahidi, PhD
  Co-investigator
  Scientist, Institute for Work and Health
• Duc Hien Nguyen (Hien), MA
  Collaborator
  Doctoral candidate, Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts

Project Outcomes:

• Addressing knowledge gaps about skills of 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada: A scoping review and qualitative inquiry
• Combler les lacunes dans les connaissances sur les compétences des personnes 2ELGBTQ+ au Canada : examen de la portée et enquête qualitative