2011 2nd Qtr Newsletter x - City of Peterborough

SOCIAL SERVICES
City and County of Peterborough
SOCIAL SERVICES
June 30, 2011
Vol. 6.2
SOCIAL ASSISTANCE ONLINE APPLICATION
he new social assistance online application option was
T launched Monday May 16, 2011. Peterborough Social
Assistance processed 29 online application requests during the
month of May.
The intake staff report "the launch of the online applications has
been an exciting component of Social Services and not without its
learning curve. We have been pleasantly surprised with the amount
of online applications that have been submitted."
The majority of the new applicants became aware of the new
process from our main telephone greeting message or the Ministry
website.
People can apply online at: www.ontario.ca/socialassistance .
We are excited to have this new method available to people who face the need to apply
for both assistance, whether Social Services or Ontario Disability Support Program.♦
Inside this issue:
Human Services
Integration
—Best Practices Forum
2
CERP—Ethical Practices 2
Integrated Children’s
Services System Forum
3
Staff Service Awards 4
Anchoring Sail Concepts 4
Non-Violent Crisis
Intervention Certification
4
NEW DENTAL HEALTH CENTRE
n Thursday May 19, the Peterborough County City Health
O Unit opened a Community Dental Health Centre downtown in the
Peterborough Square at 360 George Street, right under the town clock.
Families and singles on Ontario Works who do not have a dentist can
call 705-743-1000 to schedule an appointment.
Plans are also underway to operate a mobile dental health bus to
areas in the County of Peterborough.
Ontario Works clients will need to present their monthly dental card in
order to receive the full range of dental treatment covered under the MCSS fee
schedule. More details are available at www.pcchu.ca.
The Food in Peterborough website is your link to:
• Sources of emergency food and food programs
• Sources of local farm fresh food, and
• organizations that have information on nutrition and food security
Bookmark www.pcchu.ca/food today!
Stat Holidays
Canada Day— July 1
Peter Robinson Day—
Aug. 1
Labour Day—Sep. 5

Page 2 V6.2
SOCIAL SERVICES
Human Services Integration — Best Practices Forum by Linda Mitchelson
he Municipal Social Services - Central East Region,
T comprised of City of Kawartha Lakes, Durham,
Northumberland, Peterborough, Simcoe and York,
hosted a forum May 5th in Whitby on the topic of
Human Services Integration.
While our municipalities vary in size and
delivery models, as municipal service
providers and service managers, the
importance of planning and delivering
services that are people centred and
the need to reduce silos is well understood.
The Keynote Address was given by Paul
Beaton of Oxford County, where integration
of intake and ongoing service
delivery for children’s services, social
h o u s i n g , O n t a r i o W o r k s a n d
Employment has occurred.
Ontario Municipal Social Service Association representative
Patty Moore provided an overview of the association’s
leadership in promoting Human Service
delivery concepts across the field, then various speakers
provided updates as to what is occurring in their
municipality to make services for people make sense
— including presentations on integrated service deliv-
CERP—Ethical Practices
fter consideration and input from all regions, the
A Community Employment Resource Partnership
(CERP) has adopted a statement of Ethical Practices
that guides and governs all employment information
presented on the website.
The statement outlines basic terms
and conditions for employers wanting
a job posting or employment event
posted through the website, and
identifies CERP agencies’ right of
refusal of certain employment types
ery models, how SAIL training curriculum are used to
reinforce effective systems thinking, and how succession
planning is important to ensure the vitality of our
services. Service planning methods that take a holistic
approach were shared.
Peterborough was well represented by
OW Supervisors Suzie Johnston and
Chantelle Devereaux, who provided an
overview of many of the initiatives that
have occurred here, including the
integrated service teams, community
outreach — such as the Prince of Wales
school, the telephone intake pilot and
ways in which referrals from one program
to another have been improved.
The day was attended by 125 municipal
staff and representatives from the
Ministry’s Regional and Corporate office.
It was an excellent opportunity to learn
from each other and to renew the enthusiasm for Human
Service Innovation.
A committee has now been formed to plan future best
practice events for Central East Region. For a copy of
any of the presentations or further information contact
lmitchelson@peterborough.ca. ♦
(i.e. work that is pyramid-type or multi-level marketing,
work that requires purchase of a service/product or
monetary deposit as a condition of employment, etc.).
A CERP agency may also refuse a
posting if incorrect or misleading
information is provided.
To view the Ethical Practices
statement in full, go to
www.communityerp.ca and click on
the link. ♦

SOCIAL SERVICES
Page 3 V6.2
Integrated Children’s Services System Forum
by Sandra Robinson
O n May 5th the City of Peterborough, Children’s
Services and the Early Intervention and
Prevention/Best Start committee (a subcommittee of
the Peterborough Planning Table for Children and
Youth) hosted a Community Planning forum.
The purpose of the forum was to begin building a
foundation for integrated service system planning for
the prenatal – 12 Years Child and Family Service
System. We had an excellent turnout with 60 participants
who represented a broad range of services in
our community.
Our day began with a keynote address from Mr. Paul
Johnson, Director of Neighbourhood Development
Strategies – City of Hamilton and Chair of the
Hamilton Best Start Network. Mr. Johnson spoke of
his experience with Community Collaboration where
he laid out the four critical elements necessary for
successful collaboration, the process and competencies
that must be present.
Paul outlined Hamilton’s
experience with community
collaboration and why they
have been so successful. He
spoke of their vision – where
the journey began, successes
and highlights and lessons
learned in developing an
integrated system of services
for children and families in their community.
Participants were both inspired and encouraged by
the presentation and I think it’s fair to say that everyone
came away with a better understanding of what it
takes to ensure successful and meaningful
community collaborations.
The remainder of the day was facilitated by
Jen Kirkham who guided the group through the
examination of integrated service system planning
and why it is important for families and children, what
it looks like and how we are doing as a community.
Participants were asked to identify the components
or characteristics of integrated service system planning
and rate them on how well the community was
doing in each of the components using a scale of 1
to 10.
Small groups then selected five priority areas for
future action:
1. Have a “shared” vision;
2. Everyone feels part of the vision;
3. Clarity around leadership for coordinating
planning and adequate resources;
4. Developing a plan with clear goals which lead to
measurable outcomes and;
5. Community driven process which determines
where resources will be invested.
Participants then spent
some time discussing what
they perceived as strengths
of our current system,
system challenges and
concrete actions.
Participants concluded the
planning session by
identifying next steps for follow-up action. Based on
the feedback received, I am confident that
participants felt this was a very beneficial planning
day.
I look forward to continuing the journey as we work
together to develop a shared community vision and
work plan that will move our community one step
closer to a fully integrated service system for
children and families. ♦

Page 4 V6.2
SOCIAL SERVICES
ongratulations to the following Social Services staff for
C achieving service milestones with the City, as recognized
at the April 2011 Social Services staff meeting:
10 Years: Beverley Hildebrand, Lori Gilmoure, Lynne Sage,
Mike Gannon
20 Years: Cheryl Crate, Glenis Burnie, Shelley Pade (19 years)
STAFF SERVICE AWARDS
ANCHORING SAIL CONCEPTS
Guests Mayor Bennet, Brian Horton (CAO) and Ken Doherty
(Director Community Services) were on hand to present
the service awards to Community Services Department
staff, and may have gotten a feeling for the competitive
nature of this crowd, which was simmering in anticipation
of the upcoming SAIL Competition...
by Cheryl Crate
SAIL—Supportive Approaches through Innovative Learning, is a competency based curriculum that focuses on the knowledge
and skills required for effective program delivery in our work with colleagues, clients and community partners.
This training was available to Social Services and community partners in a series of modules delivered throughout 2010.
SAIL Challenge
What an exciting competition this turned out to be!
All 8 teams came prepared for battle! The Starboard
Boomers were in full spirit and dressed for the
occasion!
Each team chose up to three representatives to
compete. Two teams faced off in each round, where
the winner of a coin toss had the option to either
answer the question or pass it to the opposing
team. Who knew that the coin toss itself would turn
out to be so entertaining!
The final “lightning” round saw the Wave Makers and
the Voyageurs go head to head, and the Voyageurs
came out victorious!
All participants of the lightning round received a parting
gift and the Voyageurs of course were awarded the
coveted Pizza Lunch. They chose to hold a celebration
after work at Bev's house, where they also received a
lovely SAIL trophy.
What a way to keep the spirit of SAIL alive! Thank you
everyone! By the way… if anyone knows a good
Hollywood agent, I've been told that game show hosting
might be a good second career option...LOL!
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certification
This training was a complete success, with every
participant achieving the certification!
The sessions were held over 6 days in February and
March at the Royal Canadian Legion, attended by Social
Services staff and staff from the hostels. The Legion
was the perfect spot as the room was spacious and the
food was delicious! Brock St. Mission, Cameron House
and Youth Emergency Shelter staff provided excellent
feedback as well.
Don't worry if you missed out, as there will be another
session in the fall. I wouldn't want anyone to feel left
out! Thanks everyone for your wonderful participation! ♦
Daphne enjoys both sun and
sand, and not even a great
white shark spoils her fun!
Duckies Around the World is in full swing!
Daphne (or Daphne look-a-likes) have already
been on some great adventures, and is becoming
quite well travelled. Our SAIL mascot has been to
Cuba with one staff member and, if the photos are
anything to go by, she thoroughly enjoyed herself
on the beach, and with the local wildlife.
Then, having barely dusted the sand from her
feet...
...Daphne
flew off yet
again, this time to indulge in a
little dose of culture and world
history, sending back this photo of
herself posing oh so casually with
the colour and canals of lovely
Venice in the background...she’s
never too far from water we notice!
SS Staff-remember - let me know if
you’d like to share your summer
adventure with Daphne, and I’ll make
sure she tags along. Be sure to take
some creative photos of Daphne
while on vacation, then forward a digital copy to me, to share!