Friday, July 25, 2008
Better Off in a Shelter? A Year of Homelessness and Housing for Immigrant, Non-Status, and Canadian-born Mothers
On July 24, ACTEW's Pamela Seto attended the launch of a new report on housing issues for mothers living in Canada.
A lunch and learn based on the report took place at the YWCA Woodlawn site in Toronto. The panelists included the authors -- Emily Paradis, Sylvia Novac, Monica Sarty, and David Hulchanski – as well as women from the study and social service practitioners.
There is a general consensus among practitioners that the victims of homelessness are increasingly women and their children as opposed to men, who have been traditionally viewed as the homeless. In reality, men only make up 3% of the homelessness population in Canada.
The report is based on a longitudinal study that looked at 91 women-led homeless families living in shelters. These women were divided into two groups:
(1) homeless immigrant and refugee families, and
(2) Canadian-born homeless families.
The study explores the intersectionality of homelessness by looking at how race, gender, systematic discrimination, violence and other factors can prevent women from finding affordable housing. For instance, it is found that very often a woman’s lone income from employment or social assistance is simply insufficient to support a family and find housing.
In particular, non-status immigrant women were a main focus of the discussion as they are highly susceptible to sexual abuse and exploitation due to their status. Disturbing accounts of women being sexual abused by landlords, employers and acquaintances were used to illustrate the extreme vulnerability these women face living in Canada.
Recommendations to address homelessness were also discussed. It has been brought to light that Canada is the only western country that does not have a formalized housing policy, which demonstrates that on a macro level, there is still a lot of work to be done before homelessness ceases to be a problem. Along with creating a federal housing policy, improved access to childcare is imperative for women to gain employment as current childcare is not structured to meet the needs of low-income women.
Practitioners from women and family shelters are also increasingly aware that shelters are no longer just an emergency measure, but are becoming permanent solutions for some women. As a result, additional social services such as extended job training and counseling are being implemented to meet the needs of this marginalized population to gain economic independence and prevent re-entry into shelters. In addition, social service providers and practitioners are seeing the need to act upon preventative measures that include better supportive housing that prevent women and children from becoming homeless in the first place.
Overall, this study, the first of its kind in Canada, is a significant contribution to understanding the intersectionality of oppression that status immigrant, non-status migrant and Canadian-born women and children face in the midst of homelessness.
Read the report: http://www.urbancentre.utoronto.ca/redirects/rpaper213.html
A lunch and learn based on the report took place at the YWCA Woodlawn site in Toronto. The panelists included the authors -- Emily Paradis, Sylvia Novac, Monica Sarty, and David Hulchanski – as well as women from the study and social service practitioners.
There is a general consensus among practitioners that the victims of homelessness are increasingly women and their children as opposed to men, who have been traditionally viewed as the homeless. In reality, men only make up 3% of the homelessness population in Canada.
The report is based on a longitudinal study that looked at 91 women-led homeless families living in shelters. These women were divided into two groups:
(1) homeless immigrant and refugee families, and
(2) Canadian-born homeless families.
The study explores the intersectionality of homelessness by looking at how race, gender, systematic discrimination, violence and other factors can prevent women from finding affordable housing. For instance, it is found that very often a woman’s lone income from employment or social assistance is simply insufficient to support a family and find housing.
In particular, non-status immigrant women were a main focus of the discussion as they are highly susceptible to sexual abuse and exploitation due to their status. Disturbing accounts of women being sexual abused by landlords, employers and acquaintances were used to illustrate the extreme vulnerability these women face living in Canada.
Recommendations to address homelessness were also discussed. It has been brought to light that Canada is the only western country that does not have a formalized housing policy, which demonstrates that on a macro level, there is still a lot of work to be done before homelessness ceases to be a problem. Along with creating a federal housing policy, improved access to childcare is imperative for women to gain employment as current childcare is not structured to meet the needs of low-income women.
Practitioners from women and family shelters are also increasingly aware that shelters are no longer just an emergency measure, but are becoming permanent solutions for some women. As a result, additional social services such as extended job training and counseling are being implemented to meet the needs of this marginalized population to gain economic independence and prevent re-entry into shelters. In addition, social service providers and practitioners are seeing the need to act upon preventative measures that include better supportive housing that prevent women and children from becoming homeless in the first place.
Overall, this study, the first of its kind in Canada, is a significant contribution to understanding the intersectionality of oppression that status immigrant, non-status migrant and Canadian-born women and children face in the midst of homelessness.
Read the report: http://www.urbancentre.utoronto.ca/redirects/rpaper213.html
Labels: Meetings_and_Events, Resources_and_Research
Monday, July 21, 2008
Advancing Referral Processes for Women and Youth
"It is so important to help individuals navigate the system because so many get lost and say, I have been passed on to 12 different agencies already and who else am I supposed to talk to?"ACTEW and the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres (OAYEC) release their latest study: Advancing Referral Processes.
Twenty-nine employment referral practitioners working in agencies serving women and youth across Ontario provided their perspective on effective referral practices as well as barriers in the referral process. This study broadens our understanding of current referral processes in both rural and urban settings and explores opportunities to improve referral processes at the agency and system-wide levels.
The findings reinforce previous research by ACTEW, highlighting the importance of program supports, especially childcare and transportation, for women and youth, and the eligibility challenges for women as they try to access employment and training services.
EVIDENCE Community Based Research facilitated this project funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Employment Ontario Network Development Fund from March to May 2008.
Read the report: Advancing Referral Processes
For more info email Paula Wansbrough at paula@actew.org
Labels: ACTEW_Activities, Issues_and_Trends, Resources_and_Research
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Important Information from June/July Service Delivery Advisory Group (SDAG) Meetings
Paula Wansbrough attended the Service Delivery Advisory Group (SDAG) in-person meeting on June 19 and the continuation of this meeting in conference calls on July 4 and 10. A teleconference meeting of the SDAG community members only was also held on July 9.
According to MTCU, there will be slide decks and other information on the issues outlined below on the EOPG web site in the coming weeks.
Second Career Strategy (SCS) Update – presented by Kevin French, ADM, MTCU
Because SCS is designed to support recently laid-off unemployed workers, MTCU acknowledges that certain applicants are not eligible, such as those who have been out of the labour market for a longer period of time or those who were laid off but took a lower paying job. MTCU reports that they are gathering information on all who apply for SCS along lines such as gender, regional location, EI eligibility, etc. in order to learn how to serve other client groups. This tracking information will be available from MTCU. MTCU reports that it will promote SCS more widely in July through televised advertisements.
SDAG members reported on challenges with SCS, particularly around client expectations, training of agency staff, and the amount of money available, which is not enough to support a family. They were concerned about the capacity of their agencies to respond to dramatically increased inquiries that will likely result from further promotion.
EO Service Delivery Framework – Susan Underhill, MTCU
The Service Delivery Model that MTCU is moving toward is one which focuses on a "prominently branded access point" that is an obvious starting place for clients. MTCU states that the form this access point will take will vary depending upon the community; it will not necessarily be a physical location, nor is this to be a hub and spokes model. The access point will connect individuals, employers and communities with "core services" in employment, literacy and apprenticeship as well as "external services" for training and support services. A document on this material will be available on the EOPG web site in mid-July.
Currently consultations are underway within the regions to get "community footprints" and document client pathways. ACTEW strongly encourages agencies to participate in these consultations so that the needs of their clients are noted. To learn how, contact your regional director:
Central Region, Toronto - Barb Simmons
Western Region, London - Sherree Mahood
Northern Region, Sudbury - Peter Armstrong
Eastern Region, Ottawa - Robert Dupuis
Employment Services Implementation – Sabrina Parnham, MTCU
New Service Delivery Model:
This presentation includes important information on what EO agencies will look like by the end of the implementation. Any agency operating within the EO service delivery network by June 2010 must be providing the "full suite" of services, which includes:
• Client Service Planning and Coordination (assessment)
• Job Search
• Job Matching, Placement and Incentives
• Job Retention
• Special Services
This model will replace Job Connect (excluding Summer Job Service), Employment Assistance Services (assessment, case management, counseling, job search, specialized services, job development) and Targeted Wage Subsidy.
It is unclear if services and programs designed specifically for women are a specialized service under this model. ACTEW is seeking clarity on what is meant when the term is used but MTCU staff acknowledge that the term "specialized services" is being used differently by different branches within MTCU. It was suggested that each region must determine where women’s services fit, which points again to the importance of agencies’ participation in local consultations with their regional directors.
MTCU stated that by June 2010 agencies could no longer sub-contract services to meet the "full suite" requirement. However, Kevin French also noted that they do not want to lose innovative strategies in service provision, so agencies that participate in successful collaborative models may have a place in EO after June 2010.
Assessment of Current Service Providers:
Organizations will be assessed on a variety of components:
- community needs
- capacity to deliver the full suite of services
- risk assessment (adherence to transfer payments)
- current performance
- additional strengths, such as serving a particular population, community connections, etc.
SDAG members recommended that MTCU develop an assessment guide for service delivery agencies.
Implementation Timeline:
Summer 2008 – community engagement and regional implementation plans
October 2008 – contract negotiations; development of service delivery standards
April 2009 – 25% of service providers offer the full suite of services; continuation of contract negotiations
June 2010 – all offer the full suite; transformation of service delivery for skills training begins
Integrated Local Labour Market Planning (ILLMP) - Catherine Drea, MTCU
MTCU is implementing Integrated Local Labour Market Planning, with pilot projects currently unfolding in Peterborough, Durham, Timmins, Thunder Bay and Niagara. According to Kevin French, "Local Boards, acting in a secretariat role will help establish Labour Market Planning Committees [LMPC] comprising community leaders who have an understanding of and commitment to labour force development." LMPCs will undertake research on the labour market needs of a particular community or region. LMPCs will not determine who delivers services in a community, but what services are needed, and provide this information to MTCU, which will use it to make decisions on funding allocations.
Agencies can learn more about the ILLMP or participate in consultations on this process by contacting the following MTCU staff or their regional directors.
• Lauri Cunningham 416-314-3503, email: lauri.cunningham@ontario.ca
• Teenie Gibson 416-326-0385, email: teenie.gibson@ontario.ca
• Liz Robinson 416-314-3516, email: liz.robinson@ontario.ca
Participating in the LMPC will be time consuming; however, this committee will greatly impact the employment and training services for its community.
In other notes, an EOPG web site audit is underway and MTCU is seeking feedback from the community on this process.
According to MTCU, there will be slide decks and other information on the issues outlined below on the EOPG web site in the coming weeks.
Second Career Strategy (SCS) Update – presented by Kevin French, ADM, MTCU
Because SCS is designed to support recently laid-off unemployed workers, MTCU acknowledges that certain applicants are not eligible, such as those who have been out of the labour market for a longer period of time or those who were laid off but took a lower paying job. MTCU reports that they are gathering information on all who apply for SCS along lines such as gender, regional location, EI eligibility, etc. in order to learn how to serve other client groups. This tracking information will be available from MTCU. MTCU reports that it will promote SCS more widely in July through televised advertisements.
SDAG members reported on challenges with SCS, particularly around client expectations, training of agency staff, and the amount of money available, which is not enough to support a family. They were concerned about the capacity of their agencies to respond to dramatically increased inquiries that will likely result from further promotion.
EO Service Delivery Framework – Susan Underhill, MTCU
The Service Delivery Model that MTCU is moving toward is one which focuses on a "prominently branded access point" that is an obvious starting place for clients. MTCU states that the form this access point will take will vary depending upon the community; it will not necessarily be a physical location, nor is this to be a hub and spokes model. The access point will connect individuals, employers and communities with "core services" in employment, literacy and apprenticeship as well as "external services" for training and support services. A document on this material will be available on the EOPG web site in mid-July.
Currently consultations are underway within the regions to get "community footprints" and document client pathways. ACTEW strongly encourages agencies to participate in these consultations so that the needs of their clients are noted. To learn how, contact your regional director:
Central Region, Toronto - Barb Simmons
Western Region, London - Sherree Mahood
Northern Region, Sudbury - Peter Armstrong
Eastern Region, Ottawa - Robert Dupuis
Employment Services Implementation – Sabrina Parnham, MTCU
New Service Delivery Model:
This presentation includes important information on what EO agencies will look like by the end of the implementation. Any agency operating within the EO service delivery network by June 2010 must be providing the "full suite" of services, which includes:
• Client Service Planning and Coordination (assessment)
• Job Search
• Job Matching, Placement and Incentives
• Job Retention
• Special Services
This model will replace Job Connect (excluding Summer Job Service), Employment Assistance Services (assessment, case management, counseling, job search, specialized services, job development) and Targeted Wage Subsidy.
It is unclear if services and programs designed specifically for women are a specialized service under this model. ACTEW is seeking clarity on what is meant when the term is used but MTCU staff acknowledge that the term "specialized services" is being used differently by different branches within MTCU. It was suggested that each region must determine where women’s services fit, which points again to the importance of agencies’ participation in local consultations with their regional directors.
MTCU stated that by June 2010 agencies could no longer sub-contract services to meet the "full suite" requirement. However, Kevin French also noted that they do not want to lose innovative strategies in service provision, so agencies that participate in successful collaborative models may have a place in EO after June 2010.
Assessment of Current Service Providers:
Organizations will be assessed on a variety of components:
- community needs
- capacity to deliver the full suite of services
- risk assessment (adherence to transfer payments)
- current performance
- additional strengths, such as serving a particular population, community connections, etc.
SDAG members recommended that MTCU develop an assessment guide for service delivery agencies.
Implementation Timeline:
Summer 2008 – community engagement and regional implementation plans
October 2008 – contract negotiations; development of service delivery standards
April 2009 – 25% of service providers offer the full suite of services; continuation of contract negotiations
June 2010 – all offer the full suite; transformation of service delivery for skills training begins
Integrated Local Labour Market Planning (ILLMP) - Catherine Drea, MTCU
MTCU is implementing Integrated Local Labour Market Planning, with pilot projects currently unfolding in Peterborough, Durham, Timmins, Thunder Bay and Niagara. According to Kevin French, "Local Boards, acting in a secretariat role will help establish Labour Market Planning Committees [LMPC] comprising community leaders who have an understanding of and commitment to labour force development." LMPCs will undertake research on the labour market needs of a particular community or region. LMPCs will not determine who delivers services in a community, but what services are needed, and provide this information to MTCU, which will use it to make decisions on funding allocations.
Agencies can learn more about the ILLMP or participate in consultations on this process by contacting the following MTCU staff or their regional directors.
• Lauri Cunningham 416-314-3503, email: lauri.cunningham@ontario.ca
• Teenie Gibson 416-326-0385, email: teenie.gibson@ontario.ca
• Liz Robinson 416-314-3516, email: liz.robinson@ontario.ca
Participating in the LMPC will be time consuming; however, this committee will greatly impact the employment and training services for its community.
In other notes, an EOPG web site audit is underway and MTCU is seeking feedback from the community on this process.
Labels: ACTEW_Activities, Meetings_and_Events, MTCU_Updates
Monday, July 07, 2008
Work through Temporary Help Agencies: Consultation
ACTEW made its submission to the Ministry of Labour Consultation on "Work through Temporary Help Agencies" on July 7. With one third of Ontario workers engaged in temporary work, the consultation is a timely and important event.
Temporary work, as it is currently unfolds through some privately owned temporary help agencies in Ontario, does not advance women’s economic security, nor does it contribute to the health of Ontario’s economy. Many women are temporary workers, especially those who are racialized, immigrants or young. In 2004, 14% of Canadian women worked temporarily, compared with 12% of men. Women are almost twice as likely as men to be part-time temporary workers. For more on the impact of temporary work on women, visit our fact sheet.
ACTEW believes temporary work can be a positive form of employment but only when it is used to transition people into permanent employment. ACTEW’s members in the community-based employment and training sector use temporary placements as a step on the path to permanent work. Our submission sets out the various procedures agencies use to ensure that temporary placements are beneficial for all parties.
ACTEW supports the submission by the Workers Action Centre, which includes a number of concrete recommendations. ACTEW also supports the recommendation from our member agency, Times Change, that pay equity measures be included in changes impacting temporary workers.
The Ministry’s Consultation Paper states that: “the McGuinty Government is committed to ensuring that employees working through temporary help agencies are properly protected under the law.” Let's hope that we will see results soon.
Read ACTEW's submission
Temporary work, as it is currently unfolds through some privately owned temporary help agencies in Ontario, does not advance women’s economic security, nor does it contribute to the health of Ontario’s economy. Many women are temporary workers, especially those who are racialized, immigrants or young. In 2004, 14% of Canadian women worked temporarily, compared with 12% of men. Women are almost twice as likely as men to be part-time temporary workers. For more on the impact of temporary work on women, visit our fact sheet.
ACTEW believes temporary work can be a positive form of employment but only when it is used to transition people into permanent employment. ACTEW’s members in the community-based employment and training sector use temporary placements as a step on the path to permanent work. Our submission sets out the various procedures agencies use to ensure that temporary placements are beneficial for all parties.
ACTEW supports the submission by the Workers Action Centre, which includes a number of concrete recommendations. ACTEW also supports the recommendation from our member agency, Times Change, that pay equity measures be included in changes impacting temporary workers.
The Ministry’s Consultation Paper states that: “the McGuinty Government is committed to ensuring that employees working through temporary help agencies are properly protected under the law.” Let's hope that we will see results soon.
Read ACTEW's submission
Labels: ACTEW_Activities, Issues_and_Trends
