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Highlights from OMSSA’s 2023 Virtual Forum

Highlights from OMSSA’s 2023 Virtual Forum

OMSSA’s Forum was held virtually over two mornings on September 26 and 27. This year we were joined by 363 participants from all over the province, including 38 Member and 15 Non-Member organizations. With the format of this event being virtual we were able to feature a variety of speakers from New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Wales, Scotland, Washington, Texas, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, and Alberta. Hearing from these perspectives it was clear that many jurisdictions are facing challenges similar to what OMSSA Members are facing on a day-to-day basis. In developing a conference drawing on speakers from outside Ontario, our goal was to create sessions where attendees could learn about unique approaches and solutions that can inform and corroborate the work being done by CMSMs and DSSABs.

A Big Step from a Small Community

A Big Step from a Small Community

On December 14, 2022, Lanark County Council unanimously passed the motion [declaring Intimate Partner Violence an epidemic], and they made three amendments that improved the motion. They amended the motion to add that they would share the declaration with all 444 municipalities across Ontario, that they would share the declaration they made with AMO and ROMA, and that they would share their declaration with any, and all federal and provincial ministers and ministries that I thought were important. It was the best experience of a friendly amendment I have ever experienced in my career. Erin Lee, Executive Director of the Lanark County Interval House and Community Support, talks about the efforts to recognize Intimate Partner Violence as an epidemic in Ontario.

Celebrating Urban Indigenous Housing Solutions as part of National Truth and Reconciliation Day

Celebrating Urban Indigenous Housing Solutions as part of National Truth and Reconciliation Day

Ontario is estimated to have a shortage of approximately 22,000 deeply affordable urban and rural Indigenous community housing units. The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) is dedicated to working with partners to deliver housing solutions in communities across Ontario that close that deficit and deliver tangible reconciliation commitments. But often, these innovative housing solutions face pushback and are labeled as controversial, often because of stereotypes and subconscious bias against Indigenous people that exist in many communities. Suze Morrison for OFIFC discusses how achieving true Reconciliation requires a joint effort from stakeholders, community members, and government at all levels.

How Can the Social Services Sector Help End Hunger?

How Can the Social Services Sector Help End Hunger?

Food banks and municipal social services share the same goal: supporting vulnerable Ontarians to live a life of dignity. Each September, Feed Ontario and their network of food banks take part in Hunger Action Month, encouraging everyone in the province to do their part to end food insecurity in Ontario. With the dramatic rise in food bank use over the last few years, the need for action on hunger and poverty is more urgent than ever. Ashley Quan for Feed Ontario explains how OMSSA Members have a vital role to play in this fight.

Pickering Shares Casino Revenue with Durham Region to Address Shared Goals

Pickering Shares Casino Revenue with Durham Region to Address Shared Goals

The City of Pickering is the host community (those with gaming facilities located in their communities) for their new casino and is a municipality located within the Region of Durham. As the upper-tier municipal government, Durham is responsible for providing social housing, transit, policing, and other services to residents across the Region. Pickering is the first and only host community in Ontario to voluntarily share its revenues with another municipality and/or regional government. Together, the City and Region hope this revenue will help to meaningfully address their shared goals including more affordable housing and enhanced social services in the community.

Urban Indigenous Children Deserve Equal Access to Child Care

Urban Indigenous Children Deserve Equal Access to Child Care

Indigenous children thrive when they are proud of who they are and have access to their culture. But Indigenous children living in cities don’t currently have equal access to child care that meets those important cultural needs. Of the approximately 473,000 child care spaces currently in Ontario, 12,000 of those would need to be dedicated to urban Indigenous children to equitably match the population need. Currently, only about 2,000 spaces are in urban Indigenous child care sites – representing a staggering shortfall of nearly 10,000 spaces. With unprecedented federal investments being made through the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) funding, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to right these inequities and invest in Indigenous children. Suze Morrison, Chief Engagement Officer for the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) explains how OMSSA Members can assist.

Building Partnerships and Innovative Programs to Expand EarlyON Child and Family Programs

Building Partnerships and Innovative Programs to Expand EarlyON Child and Family Programs

Before the pandemic, York Region organized a “Think Tank session” with EarlyON agencies to evaluate current outdoor programming. They also recognized that their EarlyON educators, who were trained in Early Childhood Education (ECE), often did not have outdoor education or Indigenous cultural training to make the necessary changes to the curriculum development for outdoor program delivery. To address these concerns, the Region sought the advice of outdoor education and Indigenous worldview experts to help develop a new four-season outdoor program. Then, they partnered with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to support training and curriculum development, leading to the creation of the Walking Together Through the Four Seasons collaborative initiative. Kathy Lucky, the Manager of EarlyON Programs with York Region, explains how this program was developed to benefit the community.

An Interview with Dan McCormick

An Interview with Dan McCormick

Dan McCormick has been employed as the CAO of the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board (RRDSSAB) since February 2011. The RRDSSAB delivers Social Housing, Children’s Services, Ontario Works and Land Ambulance across the Rainy River District. Dan has always been very involved in the community on local, district, and provincial levels, serving on several boards and committees. He is the Past President of OMSSA having served in various roles since 2017. OMSSA sat down with Dan to discuss human services, his career, and involvement with the Association.

Bridging the Digital Divide in Northern and Southern Ontario: How Wellington and Thunder Bay are Helping Clients Connect

Bridging the Digital Divide in Northern and Southern Ontario: How Wellington and Thunder Bay are Helping Clients Connect

Thunder Bay and Wellington County came together with shared goals and similar ideas about how to support their communities during COVID. The rapid shift revealed the existence of a digital divide – the gap between those who can access and use information and communication technologies in their daily lives and people who cannot. With essential supports such as medical appointments, court hearings, and training programmes shifting to hybrid or virtual delivery, the need to address digital equity in our communities quickly became a clear imperative.

The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville’s Collaborative EarlyON-Social Housing Summer Pop-Up Program

The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville’s Collaborative EarlyON-Social Housing Summer Pop-Up Program

Leeds and Grenville’s EarlyON programs are delivered as a branch of the Children’s Services Department within the greater Community and Social Services Division, the same division that delivers the Social Housing program and Ontario Works. Years ago, the idea came about for a Pop-up Play program dedicated to the families that were living in some of the Social Housing units. Mattea Steacy, the EarlyON Supervisor with the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville explains how this program works and the benefits to service users in the community.