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Human Services Planning Board of York Region launches Making Ends Meet in York Region

On Tuesday, June 21, 2011, The Regional Municipality of York Human Services Planning Board hosted the community launch of Making Ends Meet in York Region: a discussion paper and work plan that calls for community action to help those who live with financial struggle.

The Human Services Planning Board of York Region (HSPB-YR) agreed that together, as a community, they can move beyond the problem to work on what is possible by focusing on two key areas for action:

• Affordable Housing: Housing affordability is a real issue for many families. A good mixture of safe and affordable housing options and programs is needed throughout York Region so that people are not spending 30 to 50 per cent or more of their income on shelter.
  
• Economic Self-Sufficiency: A strong combination of employment and human service supports will help workers find employment that matches their skill and education, pay the bills, put healthy food on the table and access affordable child care and elder care.

The celebration launched the Board's shared vision and commitment to work beyond the boundaries of their respective organizations to find innovative actions and collaborative approaches to advance these priorities.

The event included a panel discussion with various HSPB-YR members on the Making Ends Meet in York Region initiative and an inspirational address titled – "The Genius of Community" from Ric Young, Founder and President of E-Y-E, The Social Projects Studio and architect of numerous social change initiatives. As part of his presentation, Ric Young focused on the work of public innovators as catalyst of change in the community that help to mobilize people from engagement to action on pressing issues. More information about public innovators may be found in – "Public Innovators Forces for Social Change and Civic Renewal".

Please read the following articles "Band-Aid remedies won't cure social ills" – June 29, 2011 and "Society is key to health" – June 22, 2011 in response to the Making Ends in Meet in York Region initiative.

From left to right: John Taylor, Regional Councillor, Town of Newmarket and Co-Chair of the HSPB-YR; Ric Young, Keynote Speaker; Susan LaRosa, Director of Education, York Catholic District School Board and Co-Chair of the HSPB-YR; and David Cox, Director, Human Resources and Occupational Health and Safety, Southlake Regional Health Centre and Vice Chair of the HSPB-YR.

John Taylor, Regional Councillor, Town of Newmarket and Co-Chair of the HSPB-YR facilitates a panel discussion with HSPB-YR members, from left to right: Daniele Zanotti, CEO, United Way of York Region; Adelina Urbanski, Commissioner of Community and Health Services, The Regional Municipality of York; Deborah Bonk Greenwood, President and CEO, Vaughan Chamber of Commerce; Ken Thurston, Director of Education, York Region District School Board; and Kirsten Eastwood, Executive Director, Women's Centre of York Region.

Making Ends Meet in York Region 2011

The ability to make ends meet in York Region is a challenge impacting low and moderate income families and individuals at different points in their lives. People need access to affordable supports throughout their lives to help them make ends meet.

Finding solutions to this challenge relies on engaging and mobilizing all relevant community resources and by creating partnerships in the community focused on this common goal.

Members of the Human Services Planning Board of York Region (HSPB-YR) have agreed to work beyond the boundaries of their respective organizations to identify innovative actions and collaborative approaches to help families and individuals who are struggling. The HSPB-YR will focus on making an impact on reducing economic vulnerability in York Region. The Board has made it a priority to look at how each of their organizations can support families and individuals in York Region living on low and moderate incomes to make ends meet.

The HSPB-YR has identified two broad community results; Affordable Housing and Economic Self-sufficiency where they believe, together, we can help low and moderate income families and individuals to make ends meet.

Tools to help you enter into 'turn the curve' discussions have been developed. Our Making Ends Meet in York Region booklet, for example, includes a "Turn the Curve' workbook to help organizations move from talk to action. From now till the fall, Board members will be developing action plans to meet the results. They will be asking:

• Which community result can our organization get behind?
• What plans and initiatives of our organization align with those of Making Ends Meet?
• What can our organization do better?
• What little bit can each of us do?

The Making Ends Communication Tool Kit provides tools to raise awareness and educate organizations, partners, funders and other stakeholders on the Making Ends Meet in York Region initiative. It also provides tools to enter into discussions to identify contributions to advancing the initiative and the community results. The Tool Kit contains:

1. General Instruction Card
2. Making Ends Meet in York Region Organization Endorsement Card
3. Human Services Planning Board of York Region Membership List
4. Making Ends Meet in York Region Discussion Paper and Discussion Guidelines Workbook
5. Making Ends Meet in York Region Presentation "Background and Context" with Speaking Notes
6. Making Ends Meet in York Region Presentation "Talk to Action" with Speaking Notes
7. Turn the Curve Discussion – Summary Report Worksheet
8. Member Organization Reporting Template
9. Making Ends Meet in York Region At a Glance

We invite you to take up the "Turn the Curve" discussion to identify how you can contribute to the vision of a community-friendly region. Please check it out.

This study was commissioned by York Region as part of its ongoing growth management strategy and approved by Regional Council on September 23, 2010. The study, prepared by the Centre for Policy and Program Development at Carleton University, provides a set of recommendations and strategies for enhancing human services planning within York Region as a whole. The recommendations were informed by various processes including a forecast of future operating expenditures out to 2031 for human services provided by York Region and a sampling of external providers (e.g. hospitals, school boards, etc). The recommendations and strategies have broad applicability across the human services sector.

The York Region Immigration Portal (YRIP), which provides information for newcomers about living, learning and working in York Region, recently went through an update and refresh. Please check it out at: www.yorkwelcome.ca
 

A staff report regarding the update of the YRIP site, which was considered by the Community and Health Services Committee and Regional Council in April 2010 can be found at: April 2010 YRIP Staff Report

The Community Collaborative Planning Guide is a step-by-step educational tool for communities desiring to create collaborative groups/initiatives and for advancing existing collaborative endeavours. The Guide identifies promising 'best practices' in human services collaborative planning, provides a summary checklist for establishing and maintaining effective collaborations; examples of organizational structures; and testimonials and advice from individuals who were involved in the collaborative models reviewed.

 

It is hoped that the Community Collaborative Planning Guide will assist collaborative groups in the community. Please check it out.