1. Welcome to the OCASI Professional Development
Conference at the Nottawasaga Inn!
April 2009

2. Objectives
• The purpose of the Information and Referral
(I&R) training is to facilitate the successful
settlement and integration of immigrants and
refugees into the social, economic, cultural and
political life of Canada by enhancing effective
and consistent provision of I&R in ISAP funded
settlement agencies.

3. Workshop Objectives
• Understand the importance that I & R plays in the
integration of newcomers to Ontario.
• To discuss the Standards for Professional
Information and Referral and their relationship to
settlement work.
• To identify the performance-based competencies
and skills required to provide I & R
• To review the critical elements for providing
quality information, assessment and referral.
• To share and learn from each other

4. Human Services
Treasure Hunt
• Demonstrates what we know/don’t know
• Simulates the need to retrieve information
• Simulates what we do as information providers
• Demonstrates the need to share and exchange
information.
• As I&R providers we must know that there is
always more to know.

5. What is I & R and why is
it so important?
• A process to link clients up with available, appropriate
and acceptable services.
• I & R providers help in accessing a broad range of
social, human, government and health services.
• I & R services can help clients cut through the “red tape”
by letting them know about eligibility requirements,
application procedures and basic contact information.
• An Information and Referral service provides appropriate
human services referrals for individuals, families and
organizations.

6. Roles of an I&R Service
• Information Giving • Resource Database
• Referral Giving • Data Collection,
Analysis &
• Advocacy Reporting
• Crisis Intervention •Cooperative Program
Development
• Follow-up
•Community Outreach

7. Characteristics of I & R
• Non-stigmatization • Accountability
• Confidentiality • Flexibility
• Accessibility • Neutrality
• Sensitivity • Breadth of Scope
• Efficiency
• Friendliness
• Reliability

8. 5 Functional Areas of
Settlement Work
• Information and Referral
• Access and Advocacy
• Counselling
• Community Development and Education
• Administration
(This is taken from a very useful resource entitled
Immigrant Settlement Counselling – A
Training Guide available from Settlement.org
At Work)

9. AIRS Standards
• Area I - Service Delivery
• Standards 1 - 6
• Information Provision
• Referral Provision
• Crisis Intervention
• Advocacy/Intervention
• Follow-Up
• Additional Channels of Access (new)

10. AIRS Standards
• Area II - Resource Database
• Standards 7 - 12
• Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
• Data Elements
• Database Search Methods
• Classification System/Taxonomy
• Content Management and Indexing (new)
• Database Maintenance

11. AIRS Standards
• Area III - Reports and
Measures
• Standards 13 - 14
• Inquirer Data Collection
• Data Analysis & Reporting

12. AIRS Standards
• Area IV - Cooperative
Relationships
• Standards 15 - 16
• Cooperative Relationships within the I & R
System
• Cooperative Relationships with Local
Service Delivery System

13. AIRS Standards
• Area V – Disaster Preparedness
• Standards 17-23
• Emergency Operations and Business Contingency
Plan
• Formal Relationships with Government and Private
Sector Emergency Operations and Relief Agencies
• Disaster Resources
• Disaster-Related I&R Service Delivery
• Disaster-Related Inquirer Data Collection/Reports
• Disaster-Related Technology Requirements
• Disaster Training and Exercise

14. AIRS Standards
• Area VI - Organizational Requirements
• Standards 24 - 28
• Governance
• Personnel Administration
• Staff Training
• Promotion and Outreach
• Program Evaluation and Quality
Assurance

15. 12 Core Values of
Settlement Work
• Access • Cultural sensitivity
• Inclusion • Community
• Empowerment development
• User-defined services • Collaboration
• Holistic approach • Accountability
• Respect for the • Orientation towards
individual positive change
• Reliability

16. I & R BILL OF RIGHTS
• Anonymous and/or
• Self-Determination and the
confidential access to
opportunity to access the
information.
most appropriate I&R service
• Be empowered to the extent available in the system
possible.
• Accurate and comprehensive
• Assistance based on the information about services.
inquirer’s personal value
• An appropriate level of
system
support in obtaining services
• Treatment based on respect
• A grievance procedure if they
and sensitivity to cultural,
feel they have not received
generational and
satisfactory service from the
age/disability related
I&R specialist
differences

17. What is Client/Customer
Service?
• Client service can be described as a series of
activities designed to enhance the level of client
satisfaction — that is, the feeling that a product
or service has met the client’s expectation.
• It involves responding promptly and accurately
to client requests in such a way that each client
feels valued, respected, and understood.

18. Performance-Based
Competencies
• The AIRS performance-based competencies
reflect standards established for the field of
information and referral together with values
defined by the broader I&R sector.
• The competencies describe, in a clear and
objective manner, the knowledge, skills,
attitudes and work related behaviors an I&R
practitioner must demonstrate in order to
perform job related duties effectively

19. Performance-Based
Competencies - Exercise
In small groups, try to come to a consensus
regarding four things that you need to
know as a settlement I&R provider, four
skills that you need to have and four
work-related attitudes and behaviours that
are necessary. Please try and rank them
in order of importance.

20. The I&R Preparation
Process
• Prepare your physical environment
• Know your tools and resources
• Understand the complexities of the human
services system
• Keep your information up-to-date
• Know the limitations of your knowledge,
skill and authority.
• Know where to find information when you
need it

21. Steps in the I & R
Process
• Proper introduction or greeting
• Listening – Have you taken the time?
• Do you know the real question or
problem?
• Are there several problems?
• Do you know all the relevant facts?
• Do you know what the client has tried?

22. Steps in the I & R Process
continued
• Checking your understanding of the
question – paraphrazing
• Is the customer capable to act on the
information?
• Do you have the necessary knowledge,
skill and authority to help the customer?
• What are you going to do next?

23. The Greeting
• The greeting sets the tone for the whole
interaction with the customer.
• A warm, professional greeting can help create a
memorable impression of your agency, by
reinforcing brand awareness and creating trust
and rapport.
• The greeting is also a reflection of you – your
ability and enthusiasm.
• It should communicate that you are ready and
willing to help, and should leave a positive,
lasting impression.

24. The Greeting
• All calls should be answered using a standard
greeting which includes your name.
• You should be prepared to explain your role and
the programs and services offered by your
agency. The greeting has four parts:
– “Hello”, “Good Morning”, or “Good Afternoon”.
– Identify the organization – “Thank you for
calling the Skills For Change”
– Tell the caller your name.
– Ask “How may I help you?”

25. Exercise
• Listen to the following audio clips.
• As the caller, listen to the greeting – how did
it sound
• Did you feel that your call was welcome?
• Did you get a feeling of confidence from the
information provider’s tone of voice?
• Could you “hear” the smile in their voice?
• Which greeting did you prefer and why?

26. Listen
• Listening, not talking, is the single most
important aspect of your interaction with the
client.
• Everything flows from your ability to listen
carefully by giving clients your undivided
attention and focus.
• There are a number of active listening skills and
techniques that can be applied to interactions
with clients

27. Active Listening
• Active Listening can be described as the
process of attending, processing and
understanding auditory messages.
• You never learn anything while you are talking.
• Actively listening to what the client is saying
and “really hearing” them is absolutely
essential to providing the client with quality
service.

28. Active Listening
Techniques
• Prepare to listen
• Be legitimately interested
• Use Minimal Encouragers
• Reflection and Paraphrasing
• Empathic Listening
• Be a physically involved listener
• Accept responsibility for understanding

29. Pitfalls to Avoid
• The Drift
– The average person listens at a much faster
rate than the rate at which a caller speaks.
– As a result, we sometimes “listen with one
ear” and think about something else at the
same time.
– When we “drift off” like this, we lose focus on
what the client is saying.

30. Pitfalls to Avoid
• Jumping to Conclusions
– In your agency, you get many inquiries of a
similar nature.
– What sometimes happens is that after a while,
the I&R Specialist stops really listening
because they think they know what the caller
is going to say.
– While you may be right about the general
nature of the call, you are likely to miss
important details which the client will later
have to repeat.

31. Pitfalls to Avoid
• Interruptions
We usually interrupt our clients usually with the
best intentions.
Sometimes it is essential to consciously interrupt
a client who has gone off on a tangent, causing
you to completely lose control of the call.
The best way to interrupt without sounding rude is
to interject with the client’s name.
– If you don’t know their name, another option is
to say firmly “I’m sorry to interrupt but could
you just tell me …”.

32. Pitfalls to Avoid
• Distractions
– Do you ever find yourself being interrupted
while on a call by someone coming to your
desk and speaking to you or giving you
something?
– In those moments, we switch our focus to the
person we can see and stop focusing on the
caller.
– It is essential to focus your attention on the
client at all times.

33. Pitfalls to Avoid
• Rehearsing
– A common listening barrier is planning what
you are going to say back to the caller rather
than listening to what they are saying.
– This will get you in trouble as your response is
often inconsistent with the customer has said.

34. Exercise – The ABC’s of
Listening
• Was this exercise easy?
• Were you able to keep track of the “ABC’s” or
did you find it difficult to listen and perform the
task at the same time?
• What, if anything, does this tell you about
listening?

35. The Needs Assessment :
Asking the Right Questions
• In many service interactions, you have to gather
information from the client before you are able to
give information to the client. This involves
asking the right questions in the right way
• It is sometimes necessary to ask the client a
number of questions to understand the details of
their situation.
• There should always be a reason for every
question you ask the client and it is important to
let the client know why you are asking.

36. Asking the Right Questions
Effective questioning can help you:
• get the facts
• guide the conversation in a particular direction
• confirm that you’ve understood what the client
has said
• get information about what the client is thinking
and feeling
• identify appropriate services and resources on
behalf of the client.
•

37. Gather Information
• The type of information you may need to obtain
as part of the information gathering step
includes things like:
– urgency (how quickly do they need the service?)
– who the service is for?
– health status
– age
– family composition
– previous attempts at getting help for the situation
– address or general location
– access to the Internet
– status or residency requirement

38. Referrals
• A referral involves identifying organizations and
programs capable of meeting the client’s
assessed needs and providing enough
information about each organization to help them
make an informed choice
• We must check to ensure that the client will be
eligible to the organizations and programs to
which we are referring.
• Where possible and appropriate, clients should
be given choice and options regarding referrals.

39. Brainstorm and
Discussion
You have four minutes to identify up to 10
different eligibility criteria that are used to
determine who receives services from
social, human and government
organizations to which you refer. Identify the
criteria and then the program or service (i.e.
age = Old Age Security)

40. Summarize and Confirm
Understanding
• Once you have relayed the information, it is
important to ensure that the client has
understood it.
• This step provides the opportunity to clarify,
summarize and restate to the client what has
occurred during the interaction.
• It might also be appropriate for the client to
summarize the information so you know that
they have understood it.

41. Tips for Working with
Diverse Populations
• Recognize and acknowledge individual
differences, and all the ways that we are unique
and different from each other.
• Remember no matter the person’s background that
any client has the same basic needs as any other.
• A person’s identification with a certain group may
or may not affect the type of referrals available or
the type of services to which they would prefer to
be referred. Ask questions about preference or
eligibility when appropriate.

42. Discussion
• How is providing information and referral to
newcomers/immigrants different from providing
information and referral to other groups?
 Are there special things that we should be aware
of?
 What are the differences and similarities?

43. Important Terminology
Break up into small groups and try and define
the 5 following terms:
 Cultural Sensitivity
 Stereotypes
 Discrimination
 Racism
 Diversity

44. Important Terminology
• Cultural Sensitivity - an awareness about
one’s own cultural assumptions, behaviours,
beliefs and unconscious biases.
• Stereotypes - oversimplified or exaggerated
depictions of individuals based on some
assumed characteristics stemming from their
belonging to a particular societal group
• Discrimination - the conscious or unconscious
act of dealing with people on the basis of
prejudicial and predisposed attitudes rather than
individual merit.

45. Important Terminology
• Racism - a set of attitudes that defines people
based purely on their race, colour, religion,
origin or ancestry and contends the supposed
superiority of one race above another.
• Diversity - the recognition and
acknowledgement of individual differences,
and all the ways that we are unique and
different from each other. Diversity recognizes
differences, respects differences and strives to
celebrate them.

46. Adapting to the Client
If you are going to build rapport with your clients,
you can’t treat them all the same.
It is essential that you recognize that each client and
service provider is unique
Clients come from different backgrounds, cultures,
have had different experiences – all of these
things have an effect on how they interact with you
and how you should interact with them.

47. THANK YOU!
I hope that you enjoyed the session.
Have a wonderful conference
Faed Hendry
Manager – Training and Outreach
Findhelp Information Services
416-392-4544
fhendry@findhelp.ca

48. Steps in the I & R
Process continued
• Checking your understanding of the
question – paraphrazing
• Is the customer capable to act on the
information?
• Do you have the necessary knowledge,
skill and authority to help the customer?
• What are you going to do next?

49. Active Listening
Techniques
• Prepare to listen • Empathy
• Mirror • Accept responsibility
• Paraphrase for understanding
• Reflect feelings • Don’t tune out “dry”
• Nonverbal cues subjects
• Be a physically
• Minimal encouragers
involved listener
• Verbal tracking
• Summarize
• Validate

50. Serving Diverse Communities &
Populations
• At OCASI you interact with clients and
service professionals from all backgrounds.
 Newcomers and Immigrants
 Youth
 Internationally-Trained Professionals
 Victims of Violence/Torture
 Settlement Workers

51. Video
• Watch the video Understanding Cultural
Diversity.
– Watch for how the person deals with two very
different clients.

52. Defining my role within
OCASI
• Do I have a comprehensive understanding of
the mandate and services of OCASI and my
function within it, and can I clearly explain this
to the public?
• Do I have an understanding of the basic
structure of settlement services network and
OCASI member agencies?

53. Defining my role within
OCASI
• Can I anticipate the types of
problems/questions with which I am most
frequently presented by clients and member
agencies?
• In relation to these types of
problems/questions, do I know when it is
appropriate to provide a direct service
response? And when it is appropriate to make a
referral to another settlement service agency.

54. Defining my role within
OCASI
• Am I comfortable in acknowledging when a
situation is beyond the limits of my knowledge,
skill or authority?
• Can I explain settlement service information
clearly and simply to a client, and help him/her
understand how it relates to his/her situation?

55. Defining my role within
OCASI
• Can I accept that there is not an ideal solution
for every problem?
• What is OCASI’s policy on confidentiality?
• Can you think of an example of an I&R situation
that you were not comfortable with is?

56. Defining my role within
OCASI
• What are the aspects of your job that you enjoy
the most?
• What are your personal learning objectives for
working in the field of settlement work?

57. The C.I.A. Exercise
 C.I.A. stands for control, influence and affect. It
is important for the I&R Specialist to be aware
of what they are able to control, influence and
affect in the context of providing information
and referral and service delivery
 Our focus and energies should be channeled
towards aspects of the I&R process that they we
are able to control.

58. Ten things you Control
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

59. Important Factors
• The number and scope of human services
• Rate of change in human services
• Changing demographics and immigration patterns
• Eligibility requirements
• Changes in government – New legislation
• Distance from service
• Waiting lists
• Changing needs and attitudes
• Changes in technology

60. Eligibility Criteria
• Age group
• Cultural background
• Employment status
• Gender
• Income level
• Health condition
• Location
• Residency requirements

61. Application Procedures
• By telephone
• In person
• Online
• With or without an appointment
• With or without a financial assessment
• With or without a health assessment
• With or without identification
• Immediately or after some time on a waiting list

62. Summary
• As information & referral providers it is not
possible for us to know everything about
the human services system. However we
can be aware of the importance of
assessment and resourceful in accessing
information, and able to communicate this
information effectively to the client.

63. Primary Areas of
Inquiry
• Employment
• Financial Assistance
• Education and Training
• Health Services
• Housing Options
• Immigration and Citizenship
• Consumer Education
• Legal Services

64. Employment
• Employment Standards
• Labour Market Information
• Professions and Trades
• Job Search Workshops, Employment Resource
Centres and Community Access Programs
• Self-Employment
• Mentoring and Apprenticeship Program
• Volunteering

65. Financial Assistance
• Ontario Works Program
• Ontario Disability Support Program
• Employment Insurance Benefits
• Income Security Programs such as Old Age
Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement and
the Canada Pension Plan
• Child Tax Benefit
• Ontario Student Assistance Program

66. Immigration and
Citizenship
• Landing and living in Ontario
• Permanent Residency and the PR Card
• Canadian Citizenship
• Sponsorship
• Refugee Claimants

67. Language, Education & Training
• Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada
• English as a Second Language
• Literacy and Basic Skills Programs
• Post Secondary Education
• Training and Apprenticeship Programs

68. Housing Options
• Emergency accommodations
• Short-term accommodation
• Subsidized housing
• Cooperative housing
• Rental housing
• Landlord and tenant rights
• Buying a home

69. Health Services
• Ontario Health Insurance Plan
• Interim Federal Health Program
• Health Care Practitioners
• Community Health Centres
• Public Health Units
• Mental Health Services
• Addiction Services
• Drug Benefit Programs

70. Providers of Human
Services
• Federal Government
• Provincial Government
• Regional Government
• Local Government
• Non-Profit organizations
• Faith-based organizations
• Self-help or Mutual Aid Groups

71. Levels of Government
For the following, please attempt to identify the level of government that is
responsible for providing and administering each of these programs and services.
• Birth Certificate • Guaranteed Income Supplement
• Birth Registration • Human Rights
• Child Tax Benefit • Legal Aid
• Child Care Supplement for • Marriage License
Working Families • Ontario Works
• Child Care Subsidy • Police
• Citizens Inquiry Bureau • Public Libraries
• Criminal Injuries Compensation • Public Transportation
Board • Residential Rehabilitation
• Doctors License Assistance Program
• Drivers License • Social Assistance Tribunal
• Family Responsibility Office • Training, Colleges and
• Guaranteed Annual Income Universities
Supplement

72. Case Examples - Youth
• A 19 year-old emails you stating that he is
having a difficult time adjusting to live in Canada
after moving from Bangladesh 3 years ago. He
feels very alone, depressed and isolated. He
lives with his father in Hamilton but has dropped
out of school and has no money and no job.
How would you assist this young man and what
are the challenges of assisting him?

73. Francophone Community
• A foreign trained chemical engineer from
Senegal has been living in Toronto for the past
year. He is a landed immigrant and has been
trying to find a job in his field with little success.
He and his wife are slowly running out of the
funds they brought with them to Canada. He is
getting quite desperate and wants to find a job
as soon as possible. He feels that he is being
discriminated against because of his language
and his colour. How would you try and help him?

74. Sponsorship
• A family who were landed immigrants and now
have become Canadian citizens want to sponsor
their relatives from South East Asia. The family
is comprised of a husband, wife and 3 children
between the ages of 5 and 14. The husband
wants to sponsor his three children from a
previous marriage as well as his mother who is
71 years old. He wants to know about the
sponsorship process and fees associated with it.
He wants to know how long it will take. How
would you advise this person.

75. Sponsorship Breakdown
• Your clients, who are an elderly couple
sponsored to Canada by their children, report a
case of abuse to you. They complain that their
lives are unbearable and that they are being
neglected and humiliated by their children. They
do not want to return to their country of origin but
just can’t face going back to living with their
children. How would you advise them?

76. Health and Pregnancy
• A woman emails you and says that she has
arrived in Thunder Bay from Taiwan in August
2008. She doesn’t have an OHIP card yet and
she is 7 months pregnant. She wants
information on health care services and wants to
no if there are places that can assist her.

77. Access to Professions and
Trades
Actual e-mail - I did my masters in Microbiology
from India and worked in a quality assurance
department for a pharmacy company in India for
a year and a half. I have been in Canada for 2
years now and am looking for a job in my own
field or any related field. How should i go about
with getting a job here even if its on voluntary
basis. I am ready to study to validate my studies
in Canada.
Thanks

78. Online Resources
• To identify helpful sources of information
for settlement workers.
• To provide an overview of when and how
to use the Internet for I & R purposes.
• Identify criteria for evaluating the quality of
information on web sites and pages.
• To share and exchange useful information
tools and resources.

79. Settlement Information
Resources
• Knowing the answer to a clients inquiry is
not as important as knowing where to go
to find the information.
• As settlement workers many of us have
been self-taught on how to use online
resources.
• Online resources may not necessarily the
best tool or resource to provide
information.

80. Sources of Information
• Government and Community Information
Centres (211, 311, Service Canada)
• Specialized Information Centres
• Print Sources of Information
• Online Resources
• Discussion Boards, Listserves,
Newsletters
• Colleagues

81. Print Resources
• Community Directories (Blue Book, Red Book)
• Government Information Directories
• Directory of Associations in Canada
• Directory of Self-Help and Mutual Aid Groups
• Telephone Directories

82. Is the Internet the best tool?
• What other resources do you have at your
disposal?
• Level of comfort and knowledge in using each
resource
• The depth of the information that you are
required to give
• The primary geographical location you serve
• The type of referral you give
• Other factors?

83. 5 Criteria for Using the
Internet for I & R
• KNOW what you’re looking for and how the
Internet can help
• FIND the information you want
• GET the information in a format you can work
with
• EVALUATE that information
• USE the information

84. The C.R.A.P. Test
The CRAP test is a way to evaluate online
information based on the following criteria:
• Currency
• Reliability
• Authority
• Purpose/Point of View

85. Currency of Web
Documents
• When was it produced?
• When was it updated?
• How up-to-date are the links (if any)?
• Is it current enough for your topic?
• Is there a date posted?

86. Reliability
• What kind of information is included in the
resource?
• Is content of the resource primarily
opinion? Is it balanced?
• Does the creator provide references or
sources for data or quotations?

87. Authority
• Who published the document and is it
separate from the Webmaster?
• Check the domain of the document, what
institution publishes this document?
• Does the publisher list his or her
qualifications?

88. Purpose/Point of View
• Is this fact or opinion?
• Is it biased?
• Is the creator/author trying to sell you
something?

89. Thank you for attending this
session!
Faed Hendry
Manager – Training and Outreach
Findhelp Information Services
543 Richmond Street West Ste
125
Toronto, Ontario M5V 1Y6
416-392-4544
fhendry@findhelp.ca

102. ISAP Service Definitions
• Reception -- meeting newcomers at points of entry or at their final destination, and taking
care of their immediate needs (housing, clothing, household effects, transportation) during
their first days in Canada.
• Referral -- putting newcomers in touch with community resources/services (banks, shops,
housing, health, cultural, educational, recreational and legal facilities).
• Information and Orientation -- giving clients practical guidance to help them cope with the
problems of everyday living, introducing them to the community, and giving them information
on their rights and obligations. This service could include advice on how to use public
transit, or assistance with housing. Information could be provided on banking, taxes,
daycare, school registration, shopping, budgeting, food preparation, safety, the police,
Canadian values, roles and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. Information and
orientation sessions may be given in groups or one-on-one.
• Interpretation and Translation -- providing interpretation to make it easier for newcomers
to cope with day-to-day survival in the community. Translation must be limited to
documents related to employment, health, education and legal matters that are necessary
for immediate settlement.
• Counselling -- identifying newcomers' needs, determining how these should be addressed
and helping clients link up with specialized services if they are having problems adjusting to
life in Canada. This does not include in-depth social or psychological counselling normally
provided by professional counsellors.
• Employment-related services -- organizing job finding clubs which cover job search
strategies, resume writing, interview techniques and how to follow up on the telephone with
potential employers. Newcomers may also be helped to obtain trade/ professional
certification or recognition of their academic credentials. Other job search support may be
provided as long as it does not duplicate federal employment services.

103. Ineffective Listeners
• On-Off Listening • Open Ears – Closed
• Pseudo-Listening Mind Listening
• Red Flag Listening • Interrupting
• Rehearsing • Don’t Rock the Boat
Too-complicated-for- Listening
•
me Listening • Tolerating or
Creating
distractions

104. Four Levels of
Evaluation
• Reactions and Feelings (feelings are often
poor indicators that your service made
lasting impact)
• Learning (enhanced attitudes, perceptions
or knowledge)
• Changes in skills (applied the learning to
enhance behaviors)
• Effectiveness (improved performance
because of enhanced behaviors)

105. Stages of Outcome
Measurement
• Immediate – Do clients use your I & R
service to access information?
• Intermediate – Do clients follow through
on referrals provided?
• Long-Term – Do clients receive the
services that they need?

106. Active Listening Techniques
• Prepare to listen • Empathy
• Mirror • Accept responsibility
• Paraphrase for understanding
• Reflect feelings • Don’t tune out “dry”
• Nonverbal cues subjects
• Be a physically
• Minimal encouragers
involved listener
• Verbal tracking
• Summarize
• Validate

107. Human Services
System Module #3
• “I was brought up to believe that the only
thing worth doing was to add to the sum of
accurate information in the world.”
Margaret Meade
• “The dumbest people I know are those
who know it all.” Malcolm Forbes
• “The first step towards knowledge is to
know that we are ignorant. “

108. Workshop Objectives
• To further enhance and develop our
understanding of different programs,
services and resources and to better
understand the human services system.
• To enable us to provide quality
information & referral to clients who
require access to programs & services.
• To share and exchange knowledge and
information.

109. Confidentiality
• The requirement that the I&R service
disclose personal information about the
identity of inquirers, their requests and the
resources given to them only when
necessary.
• Information about an inquirer must not be
shared with others unless disclosure is
required by law,

110. Module #2 – Overview of the
I&R Process
• To objectively assess and examine how
we provide I & R.
• To identify effective communication and
active listening skills.
• To explore the challenges, boundaries
and limitations of I&R and Settlement
Work.

111. 5 Criteria for Evaluating
Web Sites
• Accuracy
• Authority
• Objectivity
• Currency
• Depth of Coverage

112. Accuracy of Web
Documents
• Who wrote the page and can you contact
him or her?
• What is the purpose of the document and
why was it produced?
• Is this person qualified to write this
document?
• Know the distinction between author and
Webmaster.

113. Objectivity of Web
Documents
• What goals/objectives does this page
meet?
• How detailed is the information?
• What opinions (if any) are expressed by
the author?
• View any Web page as you would an
infomercial on television. Ask yourself why
was this written and for whom?

114. Coverage of Web
Documents
• Are the links (if any) evaluated and do
they complement the documents' theme?
• Is it all images or a balance of text and
images?
• Is the information presented cited
correctly?

115. Module #1 I&R and
Settlement Work
• Standards for Professional Information &
Referral and their relationship to
settlement work.
• Core values of settlement work.
• Information & Referral Bill of Rights
• Statistical Data and Program Evaluation

116. The 3C Model
• Contact = Focus on Feelings
• Clarification = Focus on the Problem
• Closure = Focus on an Action Plan

117. Objectives Continued
• Enhance our knowledge and understanding of
human services
• Identify important sources of information
• Discuss how to evaluate web sites
• To learn and share from each other
• To have fun

118. Characteristics of
Outcome Indicators
They identify and measure the specific characteristic or
change that signal an outcome has been achieved
• Measurable – we can observe it, count it, weigh it,
assess it in some quantifiable way
• Meaningful – It captures enough of the essential
component(s) of the outcome to represent it adequately.
If we saw it, we’d agree that the outcome has been
achieved.
• Sensitive – It is able to detect the qualities being sought
or the amount of change expected
• Timely – It is likely to occur within the designated
timeframe and/or to occur often enough to be useful

119. What Do Our Clients Want?
• better and faster services
• access to information and services in person, by
phone and on-line
• access to information and services 24/7
• one-stop shopping/first call resolution
• access to all levels of government in one place
• information that is accurate, complete and
appropriate
• service that is responsive, timely, efficient,
helpful, friendly

120. What Clients Value
• Whether clients are applying for an OHIP card,
asking for information about employment and
training programs or requiring language instruction,
there are three key areas that concern them
Product
– Did I get what I needed?
– Is it a quality product?
Process
– Was it easy to get what I needed?
– Did I get it when I needed it?
People
– Were the people responsive, efficient, friendly?

121. Client Satisfaction
The Client Satisfaction Equation
Service Expectations + Experience/Process + Outcomes
= Client Satisfaction Level

122. Moments of Truth
• In every client interaction, there are “moments of truth”
which define the client’s perception of the service
experience.
• These “moments of truth” occur at each point where
the client’s pre-service expectations come up against
the reality of the service experience.
• How well the client’s expectations are met at each of
these moments will form the basis for the client’s
satisfaction with the experience.

123. Moments of Truth
Service Experience Experience
Expectation Enhancer Detractor
My call will be My call was I was put on
answered answered within hold for 20
within a 3 rings. minutes.
reasonable I wondered if
timeframe. I’d been
disconnected.

124. Five Drivers of
Satisfaction
• Timeliness
• Knowledge and Competence
• Courtesy and Comfort
• Fairness
• Outcome

125. Exercise
• Work with three or four others to identify a
few service expectations your clients or
member agencies have when they contact
GEO or HFO.
• For each expectation, identify one or more
experience enhancers and one or more
experience detractors.

126. Steps in the I & R
Process
• Proper introduction or greeting
• Listening – Have you taken the time?
• Do you know the real question or
problem?
• Are there several problems?
• Do you know all the relevant facts?
• Do you know what the client has tried?

127. Discussion
• What are some of the differences between
providing information & referral face-to-face
versus on the telephone versus responding to
an inquiry by e-mail?
• What are some of the similarities?
• What are some of the challenges of providing
I&R through email and discussion boards?