Ed Local Immigration Partnerships A3

SETTLEMENT SERVICE PLANNING IN WEST DOWNTOWN TORONTO OCASI – November 2009

“ Organic” system of settlement services
Funded by different levels of government & ministries
Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA) increases investment in Ontario
Competitive application processes
Gentrification of downtown and Priority Neighbourhoods in the suburbs
Downtown seen as over-served
Background & Environment

Steering Committee Agencies (Met through OCASI; connection of trust and philosophy of client best interests):
St. Stephen’s Community House
St. Christopher House
COSTI Immigrant Services
Working Women Community Centre
South Asian Women`s Centre
CultureLink
Access Alliance Multicultural Community Health Services
Funding partners:
United Way Toronto
Ontario Ministry of Citizenship & Immigration
Participating Agencies:
Ultimately, more than 60 organizations participated
Partnership

Project Goals
To enhance delivery of settlement services to vulnerable newcomer populations through the creation and implementation of a local service plan and coordination model
To involve service users, service organizations and other stakeholders in a process to develop a local service plan and coordination model
To share learnings on our local settlement service coordination model with other regions of the city and province

Start-Up Items
Development of Steering Committee Terms of Reference
Hiring of neutral project facilitators
Preliminary discussions regarding development of Statement of Values and Principles

Statement of Principles & Values: BELIEFS
Agencies and newcomers – unique & essential contributions
Diversity of agencies & groups a strength
Agencies & groups all have role in planning
Honest dialogue & transparency
Model anti-racism, anti-oppression, gender equity & cultural competency principles in our work with each other

Statement of Principles & Values: SYSTEM PRINCIPLES
Client-focused
Inclusiveness
Reflecting cultural differences
Valuing cultural differences
Service Equity

Statement of Principles & Values: KEY VALUES
Inherent worth, dignity & unique assets
Attention to feeling, spirit & relationships
Learning from every interaction
Fostering atmosphere of trust
Focus on inter dependence
Holistic, social transformation approach
Working with communities based in their cultural perspectives

PROJECT PHASE 1

Phase 1 – Research & Mapping
Research Processes (Jul-Aug2007)
Service Provider Questionnaire
Interviews with Other Interested Parties
Statistical Research
Community Mapping (Jul-Aug2007)
Forum #1 (Sep2007)
Presentation of Research and Community Mapping
Creation of Planning Tables

Phase 1 – Service Needs
Community Input (Oct2007-Jan2008)
Planning Table Phase 1 Sessions (Oct2007-Feb2008)
Service Needs Review – Template to identify:
Service Strengths
Service Gaps or Areas for Improvement
Existing Collaborations or Collaboration Models
Consultation Session with Reference Group (Mar2008)
Discuss draft Service Needs Reviews

PROJECT PHASE 2

Phase 2 – Forum
Forum #2 (Apr2008)
Presentation of Service Needs Reviews
Preliminary Planning Table Discussions to Develop Service Delivery Strategies:
Service Continuation
Service Expansion
Service Coordination & Planning

Phase 2 – Service Delivery Planning
Planning Table Phase 2 Sessions (May-Jul2008)
Service Delivery Planning – Template to identify:
Overall Strategy Statement
Goals or Objectives
Strategic Directions (Foundational & Innovative)
Consultation Sessions (Jun-Nov2008)
Two Sessions with Executive Directors
Statement of Project Principles & Values
Feedback on Draft Service Strategy
Interviews with Selection of Reference Group Members
Feedback on Draft Service Strategy

PROJECT PHASE 3

Phase 3 – Implementation
Forum #3 (Nov2008)
Presentation of Draft Consolidated Settlement Service Strategy
Discussion of Next Steps & Implementation

Strategy – Newcomer Definition
Any individual born in another country: (i) who has moved to Canada, or (ii) who currently lives in another country with the intention of moving to Canada in the near future.
Includes (but not limited to):
Sponsored family members
Internationally trained professionals
Internationally trained skilled workers
Convention refugees
Refugee claimants
Temporary workers
Live-in caregivers
Business immigrants
Provincial nominees
Protected persons
Foreign students who intend to stay in Canada
Any other individual with or seeking permanent residence in Canada
Immigrants after having become Canadian citizens

Settlement Service Strategy: Part 1 STRATEGY STATEMENTS

EMPLOYMENT
To foster, promote and build an effective and coordinated service delivery system in downtown west Toronto to assist newcomers in gaining and maintaining meaningful employment and career advancements

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING
To facilitate newcomers’ access to quality, no cost English language training services in downtown west Toronto to support their access to employment and their settlement and inclusion

HEALTH, EMOTIONAL & SOCIAL SUPPORT
To improve access to high quality, no-cost, culturally appropriate health services and programs for newcomers in downtown west Toronto with the intention of supporting their overall health and facilitating their ongoing, long-term settlement and inclusion

INFORMATION & REFERRAL
To support a seamless, flexible and coordinated service delivery system in downtown west Toronto for newcomers:
- by recognizing that settlement services are the primary entry point for newcomers in downtown west Toronto from immediate arrival through to full participation in Canadian economic, social and civic life; and
- by promoting strong linkages in downtown west Toronto among agencies offering settlement services, community-based services, and mainstream social, health and labour market services to ensure a clear and timely progression for newcomers to full inclusion in the local community and in our overall Canadian society

SOCIAL INCLUSION
To advance Social Inclusion as a crucial component of newcomer settlement, and to create a collective commitment for settlement service agencies in downtown west Toronto to collaborate with each other and engage in social inclusion practices, programming, and activities

SOCIAL INCLUSION – Def’n
Making sure that all children and adults can participate as valued, respected and contributing community members
Reflects proactive, human development approach to social wellbeing
- calls for more than removal of barriers or risks
- requires investments and action to bring about inclusion
“ Immigrant Settlement and Social Inclusion in Canada, ” Laidlaw Foundation Working Paper.

SOCIAL INCLUSION – Def’n
More than simply recognizing importance of difference & diversity
- calls for validation and recognition of diversity & recognition of the commonality of lived experiences and shared aspirations among people
Beyond bringing the ‘outsiders’ in
- closes physical, social and economic distances separating people
- not just eliminating boundaries or barriers between us and them

PART 1 – KEY GOALS

KEY GOALS - COORDINATION
Coordinated newcomer access to settlement services and mainstream services in downtown west Toronto through partnerships, satellite locations, co-location, joint training, staff sharing and/or reciprocal staff secondments
Information & Referral Services
Employment Support Services
Language Training
Income Support and Housing
Health Services
Social Inclusion

KEY GOALS - SERVICES
Sufficient, appropriate and effective services and programs for newcomers in downtown west Toronto
Sufficiency & Suitability
Cultural Appropriateness
Timeliness
Variety
Responsiveness
Suitable services for newcomers regardless of immigration status
people without immigration status
immigrants after they become Canadian citizens

KEY GOALS - ACCESS
Work experience, employment, and workplace support
Supports to facilitate learner access to English language training
childminding, transportation, etc.
Health Services, including :
Mental health and emotional support
Family needs (children, youth, seniors, parents, caregivers)
Newcomers with disabilities ( barrier-free access to settlement services and disability services)
Dental care
People without immigration status / non-insured

GOALS - RESPONSIVENESS
Expanded agency capacity to address and continually respond to existing and emerging newcomer service needs in light of changing immigration, landing and internal migration trends
Annually review and address current service gaps and emerging clients needs

KEY GOALS - LANGUAGES
Expand agency capacity to serve newcomer communities in current and emerging newcomer languages
Eliminate or reduce language as a barrier to accessing health services

KEY GOALS – EDUCATION & ADVOCACY
Funding of existing and new / innovative services and programs for newcomers .
Including social inclusion practices, programming, and activities
Understanding of social inclusion among newcomers, as well as on the part of community leaders, elected officials, the broader community, and other key stakeholders

Settlement Service Strategy: Part 2 COORDINATION

SERVICE PLAN – PART 2
A. Information Sharing
B. Linkages
C. Partnership Best Practices
D. Referrals & Service Navigation
E. Staff Training & Community Education
F. Funding

PROJECT LEARNINGS

Project Learnings
Importance of engaging service providers early in process
Importance of developing Statement of Project Principles & Values
Challenges of community mapping process
Preliminary community maps limited in scope
Developing comprehensive maps a challenge
Keeping maps up-to-date a challenge

Project Learnings
Challenge of fitting the nine CIC need areas into our five Planning Tables
‘ Health’ fit well with ‘Emotional Supports,’ but ‘Housing’ and ‘Income Supports’ fit less well with ‘Information & Orientation’
Challenge of keeping decision-makers involved in process
Agencies sending different representatives (frontline and managerial) to participate in Forums, Planning Table discussions, etc.
Challenge of maintaining continuity in participants
Agencies sending different individuals to each event, meeting, or Forum

Project Learnings
Managing the fear of change and addressing the agency concerns
Highlighting a client-centred, “no one left behind” approach and importance of different areas of expertise or uniqueness
Challenge of getting the participation of key mainstream institutions
Challenge of getting the participation of key non-service provider agencies
Challenge of maintaining participation of Reference Group members (I.e., social planners, research departments, coalitions, etc.)

Project Learnings
Importance of guiding the Planning Table discussions with Templates
Otherwise, can have great discussions with little “hard product” to show for it
External facilitation can be beneficial
Importance of highly committed Steering Committee members and clear Terms of Reference
Importance of maintaining ongoing communication with participants (e.g., newsletters)

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Ed Local Immigration Partnerships A3

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Ed Local Immigration Partnerships A3 — Presentation Transcript