D6_E7 Bridging Settlement And Emplyment_Ruichun Tang & Eric Weir

Bridging Settlement and Employment: WoodGreen’s Client-Centred, Team-Focused Delivery Model Ruichun Tang and Eric Weir WoodGreen Community Services 1

Goal • Stimulate learning and new ideas about settlement-employment program integration and related case management. 2

Agenda Warm-Up Exercise I) Our Integrated Case Management Model: Step by Step from Start to Finish Break (15 minutes) II) Our Methods: How WoodGreen Successfully Integrates Settlement and Employment 3

Warm Up Exercise: Remembering Names • Pick one or more of the methods we’ve outlined for you. • Take 5 minutes to quickly go around the room, introduce yourself and memorize as many names as you can. PS There’s no quiz at the end! 4

Introducing WoodGreen Community Services • Location: East Toronto and East York, Ontario • Website: woodgreen.org • History: Began in 1937 as a small community neighbourhood social-recreational program in South Riverdale, Toronto. • Currently 9 units, 20 locations, 500 staff, 1700 volunteers/57,000 volunteer hours (2008) 5

Introducing WoodGreen Community Services • Mission: Deliver services that promote wellness and self-sufficiency, reduce poverty and inequality and build sustainable communities. • Philosophy: Everyone deserves the essentials of life. We support more than 37,000 individuals and families to become more self-sufficient and live independently within their own communities. 6

WoodGreen’s Portfolio of Integrated Community Services – Providing Essentials • Immigrant Services – Helping immigrants, newcomers and refugees settle/integrate into Toronto • Employment Services – For youth, adults and employers • Neighbourhood Programs – Building healthy neighbourhoods • Homeward Bound – Helping women and children achieve economic self-sufficiency • Housing/Homelessness Services – Providing affordable and safe housing solutions 7

WoodGreen’s Portfolio of Integrated Community Services – Providing Essentials • Mental Health and Developmental Services – Support for adults with mental health challenges, developmental services for adults with intellectual disabilities • Volunteer Services – Linking supportive community members with our staff and clients • Childcare Services – Early learning and childcare programs • Seniors Services – Community care and wellness for seniors 8

Overview of Immigration Trends • Demographic change in source countries • Ratio of economic class immigrants vs. family class immigrants • Education level (economic class vs. family class) 9

Recent Immigrants are Better Educated • 86% of immigrants have at least 10 years of education. • 50% of recent immigrants to this country hold university degrees • 22% of family class immigrants have a undergraduate degree. 6% have graduate degree. (Source: Statistics Canada) 10

Top 3 Challenges Reported by Newcomers • Language difficulties • Employment • Navigating the system 11

Support Required by Newcomers : • Language support • Financial support • Informational support • Employment support • Emotional and social support 12

To Meet their Needs: • Relatives and friends = main source of help. • Internet - information in various languages • Ethno-cultural organizations, ethnic newspapers • Social services, public library, churches and community centres provide sense of community. 13

What are the Challenges for Settlement Work? • Basic services are not enough. • In-depth counselling/services are needed. • What newcomers want:  Specialization-based services  Ethno-specific counselling  Para-professional counselling 14

Specializations: • Small business • Immigration/sponsorship/citizenship • Family and children • Children with special needs • Paralegal • Worker protection (employment standards, workers rights, EI, WSIB etc.) • Education/employment and training • Seniors 15

a case management model accountability at all levels one-stop and satellite services model 16

Our Immigrant Services Programs – WoodGreen “OneStop” Provides professional and friendly services to help new immigrants: • Learn about Canadian society • Connect with housing, child care, schools, language classes and many other services • Find jobs that provide income and professional career opportunities • Make friends with other new immigrants and local citizens • Build confidence and a sense of belonging to Canada 17

Our Immigrant Services Programs – WoodGreen “OneStop” • Settlement Services, Newcomer Youth Services, Youth JSW and HOST programs. HOST = English Conversation Circles, mentor matches, networking groups. • Enhanced Language Training (ELT) program – Sector-specific English language classes, case counselling, job development, workshops. 18

Our Immigrant Services Programs – WoodGreen “OneStop” • LINC Classes – Including LINC for Employment, Talk English, advanced conversation/pronunciation training • Job Search Coaching Services and JSW Program • Referrals to employment services, other service units listed in previous slides, external agencies 19

Client Settlement Counsellor (Intake) ELT Case ,Based on client's needs and eligibility Counsellor referred to following ELT class Employment (Mandatory) Support HOST (Mandatory) ISAP LINC specialization Newcomer NSP Youth class /case External volunteer and/or Case Settlement management program Managemen Resources t Job Search Workshop Job Search ((JSW Job Coaching Newcomer Chinese Young WG other Development services e.g. External Social and Workers Muslim Resource Employment Recreation Support Women Services, Senior s Program network Group Services WoodGreen Employment services 20

Follow Up with Clients • Staff call/email to follow up with the clients • Volunteers assist counsellors to make calls • Ask clients to call/email to update counsellors • Send clients newsletters, monthly activity lists • Email clients about employment-related workshops/job fairs 21

Satellite Offices • Build partnership with other agencies that don’t provide settlement services. • Turn ourselves into a satellite office from other agencies. • Services are delivered to the high needs newcomer groups. • Staff are equipped with basic office necessities • Full services provided based on clients/group needs. 23

Client Centred: • Centred around, driven by newcomer client - respecting their choices, cultures and values. • Client individual needs identified, determine how best to provide assistance. • Inform and educate clients to make own decisions • Respect and value newcomer role in settlement process • Encourage them to use community, employment resources. 24

Accountability at All Levels: • At the client level • At the service provider level • At the systems level 25

Built on Strong Partnerships • Community legal • Canada Border services Services • Community health • Toronto Police centres Services • Colleges, universities • Enterprise Toronto • Libraries • Toronto District • Employers School Board • Ontario Early Years • Corporations, such as Centres TD-Canada Trust • Assessment Centres • Other community agencies 26

The Client-Centred Case Management Practice: • Clients with complex needs receive the right services at the right time by the right person. • Empowers clients, promotes quality of life. • Facilitates and coordinates access to, delivery of appropriate services for newcomers. • Balances achievement of client goals with effective use of available resources. 27

Best Practices - Language • Offer language program from literacy > professional • Talk English and conversation circles (HOST Program) • Hire staff who speak different languages • Try to place newcomers with counsellors who speak the same mother tongue • Clients can choose to talk to other staff in English • Workshops conducted in different languages • Generic flyer outlines that we offer our services in different languages • Volunteer interpreters available for clients who attend workshops in English 28

Best Practices - Employment • Offer variety of employment assistance programs such as JSW, Job Search Coaching Services, ELT programs. • Experienced Workers Club, networking, employment forum held monthly. • Chinese Worker’s Network: Employment- related issues • Newsletters inform clients of policy changes related to EI, employment standards, labour market trends. 29

Best Practices - Navigating the System • Conduct individual workshops on OHIP, education, employment training, income security, Ontario Works, EI benefits, Second Career Training, accreditation etc. • Invite guest speakers/experts to deliver workshops • Take clients on trips, help connect to Canadian cultures/events (e.g., Doors Open Toronto) 30

Best Practices in Program Delivery • Client Tracking Management System (CTMS) is being used to track program outcomes and to get client profile, service profile. • Childcare and TTC tokens provided for clients attending LINC program, Job Search Workshops and other workshops. • Evaluation forms available for clients who come to appointments and workshops. 31

Best Practices in Program Delivery • Complaint policy available, visible • Follow-up with clients • Soft skills training in assertive communication, cultural differences, workplace culture • Networks where clients play a key role • Newcomer volunteer program help clients gain knowledge about workplace culture, improve English 32

Break 15 minutes 33

Case Management: Group Discussion • What are the tough issues and barriers facing all of us in our work with newcomers when providing assistance to settlement clients with employment needs? • Open discussion: Brainstorming solutions together and moving forward 34

Our Methods: Summary 1. Client-Centred Case Management 2. Team Identity 3. Cross-Cultural Team Building 4. Cross-Program Collaborations 5. Team Autonomy 35

Our Methods: Client-Centred Case Management • We never turn away a client, regardless of funder eligibility. • Provide service and/or appropriate information/referral. No more aimless searching. • Provide easy access to full range of internal and external services under one well- integrated hub. 36

Our Methods: Client-Centred Case Management • Successful case management process balances client self-initiative/self- determination with periodic caring follow- up procedures by phone, email. • Self-initiative/self-determination = Guide, teach, facilitate. • Aim to never do for the client what the client could do on one’s own. • Offer practical and emotional support until client succeeds. 37

Our Methods: Team Identity • “Who’s on my team?” Team identity is multi- layered, not limited to smaller team group only. • WoodGreen-wide, unit-wide, services sub-unit (employment supports, settlement services and English language services) and individual program teams. Also counselling, support staff and management teams. • Full participation and input is welcomed from all team members including support staff and volunteers. Support staff play key roles, treated as equals. 38

Our Methods: Team Identity • Teamwork is assumed rather than merely encouraged, and “realized” rather than merely spoken about. • Not just in name/title but an actual day-to-day experience of team building throughout the entire unit (65 staff including 17 part-time LINC instructors). Example: Joint Meetings • We held 2 or 3 informal joint meetings to increase collaboration among the larger team. 39

Our Methods: Cross-Cultural Team Building • Build, maintain great team atmosphere: Professionalism, gentle humour, cultural appreciation, strong and consistent goodwill. • Welcome cultural diversity and constructively acknowledge and address differences. • Genuine cross-cultural interest and respect/fascination. • Staff speak a total of 23 different languages from around the globe. Examples: Great team building activities including seasonal parties, lunches, potlucks, food. Everyday casual conversations. 40

Our Methods: Cross-Program Collaborations • Encourage/designate staff from different settlement counselling and employment supports programs to collaborate • Staff who work together are much more likely to make trusted referrals back and forth. This is how professional rapport is built, and how staff truly get to know each other. • Whereas staff who have never worked together are highly unlikely to refer clients to each other or to ever have a clear understanding of each other’s programs. 41

Our Methods: Cross-Program Collaborations • Just sharing calendars/info. is not enough. People are too busy and concerned with meeting their own numbers/program goals, even within the same unit/agency. Examples: • Planning and facilitating workshops and special events together and marketing our Immigrant Services unit, other WoodGreen programs. • “Panel Review: Turbo-Charge Your Job Search!” (Job Search Coaching Services, JSW and ELT programs) – see copy in handouts. • This workshop 42

Our Methods: Team Autonomy • Management encourages settlement- employment integration: Not imposed but rather allowed and sometimes suggested. • Staff are self-directed and self-motivated, autonomous, given room to breathe and move, try new things out without fear of failure. 43

Our Methods: Small Group Discussions 1. Which of the 5 methods presented (client-centred case management, team identity, cross-cultural team building, cross-program collaborations and team autonomy) could you apply to programs at your agency? What obstacles might you have to overcome before succeeding? How would you make it happen? 3. What other integration methods not mentioned so far would you recommend to WoodGreen and other agencies represented here? 44

D6_E7 Bridging Settlement And Emplyment_Ruichun Tang & Eric Weir

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D6_E7 Bridging Settlement And Emplyment_Ruichun Tang & Eric Weir — Presentation Transcript

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