YMCA of Greater Toronto Innovative supports for vulnerable newcomers – A Case Management Approach Funded by the Go

1. YMCA of Greater Toronto Innovative supports for vulnerable newcomers – A Case Management Approach Funded by the Government of Canada

2. YMCA of Greater Toronto - Coordination • The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a leader in coordination of national and provincial programs across Canada. • Key functions: • Setting and maintaining program standards and policies • Facilitating forums for sharing and learning between delivery sites nationally and provincially (staff networks, online Wiki tool, trainings) • Centralized client data tracking (ETO database) • Programs are adapted to the needs of each local community partner • Best practices: • Fosters collaboration between program delivery agencies • Establishes clear program objectives and outcomes • Promotes cross learning • Facilitates community capacity building

3. Client Support Services Program • Since 2006, the YMCA of Greater Toronto has coordinated delivery of the Client Support Services Program, which operates through a collaborative network of delivery agencies across Ontario: • Toronto - COSTI Immigrant Services • Kitchener - Reception House Waterloo Region • London - Cross Cultural Learner Centre • Ottawa - Catholic Centre for Immigrants • Windsor - Multicultural Council of Windsor & Essex County • Hamilton - Wesley Urban Ministries • Objective: provide resettlement services to government-assisted refugees (GARs) through an empowerment-oriented case management and community capacity building model of service delivery. • The program serves 2,300 GAR cases annually (both single and family). • Most GARs are considered “high needs” and experience significant challenges in their settlement, adjustment and adaptation. • The program provides direct case management supports over a 12 to 18-month period.

4. Government Assisted Refugee Client Profile • Previous unstable living conditions, refugee camps, etc. • Victims of trauma, incarceration, torture or witnessed atrocities • Many have high physical health (serious and acute conditions) and mental health needs (post-traumatic disorders) • May have special needs (physical, visual, hearing) • Little or no fluency in Canada’s official languages • Range of formal education and work experience • Little or no financial resources • Diverse family composition (i.e. extended families and single parents with large number of children)

5. Outcomes of Client Support Services • GARs will be able to adapt and adjust to their community faster and more smoothly. • All youth, seniors, families and individual GARs will be able to deal with life challenges more effectively. • CSS will help promote personal development and growth and will establish social support networks within each respective community. • GARs will have improved knowledge of life in Canada and how to access and use local services independently; will have specific access to emotional and mental health support. • GARs will make progress towards self-sufficiency and ownership of a future personal plan by accessing broader based services in each community and the communities will be more aware of refugee issues and needs of GARs.

6. A Path to Home: Supporting Housing Needs for Newcomers – Overview The YMCA of Greater Toronto is delivering the National Pilot Project: “A Path to Home: Supporting Housing Needs for Newcomers” addressing the housing needs for newcomers in Toronto, Edmonton and Fredericton. Coordinator - YMCA of Greater Toronto Delivery Sites - COSTI Immigrant Services; YMCA of Northern Alberta; Multicultural Association of Fredericton Supporting Partner – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Canada Over 28 months, beginning in December 2012, the project proposed to serve 100 newcomer cases (and related families) in a structured delivery model format, tailored to the needs of each community. The cases are a combination of newcomers (50 in Toronto; 30 in Edmonton and 20 in Fredericton)

7. A Path to Home: Supporting Housing Needs for Newcomers – Overview The goal of the pilot is to address three core objectives in a holistic approach through a variety of services and activities as part of the housing continuum: Housing Access Housing Stabilization Eviction Prevention The pilot project will reduce visible and invisible barriers that newcomers face. The purpose and anticipated end result of this pilot is to explore the possibility of providing immigrants and refugees dedicated access to specialized housing services to prevent homelessness, address ‘hidden’ housing issues, make the transition from homelessness to housing, and in the case of evictions, provide necessary supports as needed. The core services will be delivered within the framework of the three components of the pilot: Case management Community capacity building Coordination

8. Clients’ Profile The pilot is reaching recent immigrants and resettled refugees who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and who face multiple barriers to integration - in Canada for more than 1 year and less than 3. • According to the “Defining and Enumerating Homelessness in Canada” report presented to the Parliament of Canada (reviewed in May 2012) by the Social Affair Division, homelessness is a complete and multifaceted issue. • Homelessness consists of housing situations ranging from : • Rooflessness (living on the street or in emergency shelters) • Houselessness (living in various types of shelters or institutions) • Insecure housing (living under threat of eviction or violence) • Inadequate housing (living in unfit or overcrowded conditions).

9. Clients’ Profile Demographic Profile (Age) • Other intersecting barriers that homeless newcomers have: • Low literacy and/or education • Low English or French • Limited coping skills • Long stays in refugee camps • Minimal or no urban living experience • Disabilities • Unemployment • Trauma • Challenging family dynamics • Isolation • Single parents • Large family size Top 5 Countries of Origin Buthan/ Nepal Ivory Coast Iraq Nigeria Burundi

10. Project Results/Performance Outcomes (as of January 2014)

11. Capacity Building – Sustainability Approach • Engage • Sustain • Assemble Capacity Building Process – Creation of Local Advisory Committees Assemble- Getting together Engage – Building the foundation for working together Sustain –Keep partners engaged for the long term Advisory Committee Partners include representatives of various levels of Government, settlement agencies, corporations that have identified fighting homelessness within their Corporate Responsibility mandate

12. Thank you! Contact information: YMCA of Greater Toronto Adela Colhon (416) 928-3362 ext 22555 Adela.colhon@ymcagta.org